Posted on 04/15/2002 12:15:19 AM PDT by Spar
Spain Holds al-Qaida Finance Suspect
Sun Apr 14, 1:11 PM ET
By MAR ROMAN, Associated Press Writer
MADRID, Spain - Spanish police have arrested an Algerian man suspected of being the financial chief in Spain of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al-Qaida terrorist network, the Interior Ministry said Sunday.
Interior Minister Mariano Rajoy said Ahmed Brahim, 57, may have been involved in the financing of the August 1998 U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, because he had a "close relationship" with one of the alleged founding members of al-Qaida, Mamdouh Mahmud Salim.
Salim, who is also known among al-Qaida members as "Abu Hajer," is now in a U.S prison awaiting trial on conspiracy charges in the bombings, which killed 231 people, including 12 Americans. Salim is believed to be the highest-ranking al-Qaida member held in the United States.
Rajoy described Brahim as "an important member of al-Qaida in Spain." He said Brahim was hunted down with the help of U.S., German and French police after a seven-month investigation.
Brahim was detained on a warrant by the National Court, which is handling the arrests of other Al-Qaida members in Spain.
The Interior Ministry, which oversees national security, said Brahim was arrested in a raid Saturday night on his home in Sant Joan Despi, near the northeastern city of Barcelona. Police seized his bank accounts, related documents and computer material in his home.
Brahim was taken into custody in Madrid and will be questioned by a judge in the next few days. Four French citizens who were with him are now being investigated but have not been arrested.
Brahim has several businesses that buy and sell boats as well as public relations firms, police said, adding that he recently sent high-tech computer material to Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, and money to some European countries.
Brahim's wife, Pirjo, a Finnish citizen, denied he had any ties to al-Qaida. "My husband has been living in Spain for 15 years and has nothing to do with al-Qaida," she said from behind the closed door of their home.
Spanish authorities have made key arrests since launching a nationwide crackdown on suspected terror cells following the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (news - web sites).
On Nov. 13, eight suspected terrorists were arrested on charges of being al-Qaida members and taking part in preparations for the Sept. 11 attacks. Bin Laden is the prime suspect in the attacks.
Salim, who is also known among al-Qaida members as "Abu Hajer," is now in a U.S prison awaiting trial on conspiracy charges in the bombings, which killed 231 people, including 12 Americans. Salim is believed to be the highest-ranking al-Qaida member held in the United States.
(The Transcript is dated February 27, 2001. In the transcript the cross-examination of the al-Qaeda prisoners, the fact that al-Qaeda was looking to train terrorist pilots becomes part of the public record.)
17 Q. And after being asked to become a member of al Qaeda, they
18 asked you to take training -- "they" meaning al Qaeda as
19 leaders -- asked you to take training as a pilot, correct?
20 A. When? When was that? After I graduated? After I joined
21 al Qaeda?
22 Q. After you joined al Qaeda, you were asked to take training
23 as a pilot, correct?
24 A. I joined the al Qaeda in 1991 and I was offered the
25 training to be a pilot in 1993.
1529
1 Q. You also swore what we refer to as a bayat or a pledge to
2 al Qaeda, correct?
3 A. Yes.
4 Q. And you understood your purpose in al Qaeda was to fight
5 for Islam and to do good things for Muslims all over the
6 world, correct?
7 A. Correct.
8 Q. As your beliefs progressed as a member of al Qaeda, you
9 came to understand that one purpose of al Qaeda was to kill
10 American nationals abroad, isn't that true?
11 A. Yes. Correct.
12 Q. And you became aware of the structure of al Qaeda. You
13 knew, for example, that Usama Bin Laden was the emir or the
14 leader of al Qaeda, correct?
15 A. Yes.
13 Q. According to your information and according to your
14 testimony, Mr. Salim, Mamdouh Mahmud Salim, also known as Abu
15 Hajer al Iraqi, was a well-respected member or well-respected
16 associate of Mr. Bin Laden's, is that correct?
17 A. Yes.
21 Q. You have sometimes referred to Mr. Salim Abu Hajer al
22 Iraqi as Sheik Abu Hajer al Iraqi, is that correct?
23 A. Correct.
24 Q. The word Sheik in Arabic is a term used for someone worthy
25 of great respect, am I correct?
20 Q. After the fighting in Afghanistan was concluded, there
21 were other areas in the world where Muslims were facing
22 difficulty, is that true?
23 A. Yes.
24 Q. One of those areas was the area of Bosnia Herzegovina,
25 correct?
1535
1 A. Yes.
People denigrate President Bush's team but they work in the background, quietly, not flauntingly. But I am sure the King of Spain and/or other officials will receive a thank you call from the President or one of his top team members for this.
I wish there was a list of all the help we have received - maybe it's on the official government websites.
Every one of these nations should receive mega thanks from everyday ordinary Americans - to their embassies, perhaps?
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