Belgian held over Morocco attacks

The Australian ^ | March 04 2004

[knighthawk]

DUTCH police have arrested a Belgian suspected of involvement in the suicide bombings last year that killed 45 people in Morocco, a prosecution spokeswoman said today.

The 29-year-old man of Moroccan descent, whose name was not released, was taken into custody on January 27 when he was stopped for driving with a broken headlight in the southern Dutch province of Limburg, spokeswoman Kristel Mouwen said.

Police discovered there was an international warrant for his arrest, and he has been held in a high-security prison since, Mouwen said.

The man's lawyer, Victor Koppe, said his client claimed to be ``absolutely innocent and had no connection with the attacks whatsoever''.

Morocco has asked for the man's extradition but the North African country doesn't have an extradition treaty with the Netherlands. Koppe said the extradition request was based on allegations his client had given financial support to terrorists, which he denied.

Koppe told The Associated Press that his client ``denied ever having met Osama Bin Laden'', which also was mentioned in the extradition request.

He said a court will begin extradition hearings on May 18. Any ruling approving the extradition would need the confirmation of the Dutch justice minister.

Twelve attackers were among the 45 dead in five nearly simultaneous attacks in Casablanca, mainly against Jewish targets.

Three suspects in the attacks were arrested in Italy in October, and are fighting extradition. Five other suspects with alleged links were arrested in Rotterdam on October 17 - a day before the arrests in Italy - but were quickly released due to lack of evidence.

Since September 11, 2001, 17 terrorism suspects have been tried in the Netherlands. All were acquitted of major offences.

[knighthawk]

the southern Dutch province of Limburg

That's where I live

[knighthawk]

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