Posted on 05/10/2005 12:08:39 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
MADRID, Spain (AP) - The suspected financial mastermind of an al-Qaida cell accused of helping plot the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks depicted himself Tuesday as a legitimate businessman and a moderate Muslim.
Syrian-born real estate promoter Mohamed Ghaleb Kalaje Zouaydi is accused of using his business dealings as a front for financing the Spanish cell and funneling money to Muslim extremists in other countries, including Germany, another staging ground for the suicide airliner attacks in the United States.
Zouaydi testified that one such transfer he made to Germany in 1999 to Mamoun Darkanzali - an alleged al-Qaida member said to be close to the Hamburg cell that plotted and carried out the Sept. 11 attack - was simply for the purchase of a used car and the money was returned when the deal fell through.
Zouaydi said money he sent to an al-Qaida suspect in Yemen, now facing a death sentence for trying to kill the country's prime minister in 1997, was to settle a debt incurred with that man by Zouaydi's brother-in-law, whom Spanish authorities say was al-Qaida's main courier in Europe.
He said he knew the alleged leader of the Spanish al-Qaida cell, Imad Yarkas, and saw him nearly every day, but only because they took their children to the same Muslim school.
Zouaydi recalled arguing in 1999 with Yarkas and another alleged cell member, who said the plight of Chechens and Palestinians were grounds for declaration of jihad, or holy war. Zouaydi said only Muslim clerics could do this, not everyday Muslims. "They said 'you know nothing, you are not a Muslim,'" he testified.
Zouaydi is among 24 suspects on trial here as alleged members of the Spanish al-Qaida cell. Three of the suspects, including Yarkas, are accused of using Spain as a base to help plan the Sept. 11 attacks. Zouaydi is among the other 21, who face charges of terrorism, weapons possession or other offenses, but not planning for Sept. 11.
Separately, the three-judge panel overseeing the trial rejected a defense request to release on bail a jailed suspect who filmed video of the World Trade Center in 1997 and allegedly passed on a copy of the tape to al-Qaida operatives.
Lawyers for Ghasoub al-Abrash Ghalyoun had argued the video was the innocent work of a tourist and that excerpts played in court when their client testified on April 27 failed to reveal anything incriminating. But the judges said the trial was still in its early stages, with more evidence to be presented, and Ghalyoun must remain in jail.
Ghalyoun was indicted by a Spanish judge in September 2003, even though the prosecutor in this trial had asked that no charges be filed against him, arguing the video evidence was weak.
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If Hillary Clinton can be one, I don't see why he can't.
If he's moderate, the "religion" is in trouble.
There's Moderate al-Qaida terrorists? Whadaya know, I thought they were all right wing extremists!
Definition of a "moderate" Islamist: he who only wants to kill a few hundred infidels to "teach them a lesson" and have his demands met. As opposed to a "hard-core" Islamist who wants to rid the earth of all infidels.
He only wanted to take down one of the Twin Towers.
I guess that means he just chops off left hands instead of beheading people.
The muslim soldier that threw the grenade at his fellow soldiers was a "moderate and peaceful" muslim, the day before the attack as well.
Jeff
"Zouaydi said only Muslim clerics could do this, not everyday Muslims."
Wonder if the sneaky little bastard realizes that Zarqawi is simply a high school drop out and not a "cleric", and the Z-man has declared jihad against America etc..
These people continue to amaze me at how f*cked up their mental processes truly are. They are super dangerous just on the grounds of what has been beaten into their minds since they where old enough to start understanding some basic Arabic.
Everyone is a moderate if you ask them. Just ask Dan Rather, he's a moderate's moderate. Ask Mugabe, they don't come more moderate. Ask Atomic Kim Il, right down the middle.
Here's one report.
Immigrants target Spanish amnesty, By Caroline Wyatt, BBC News, Paris
Police on the border between France and Spain have taken in hundreds of illegal immigrants for questioning as they try to take advantage of a Spanish amnesty.
The amnesty allowing illegal immigrants working in Spain to obtain permanent resident status was launched on 7 February and runs until 7 May.
It only applies to illegal immigrants who have lived in Spain since last August and hold a work contract there.
But it has encouraged young men to try to enter Spain from further afield.
French border police say most of those detained are from Pakistan and India.
Illegal immigrants are arriving from Paris, Germany and even Italy in the hope of obtaining Spanish residence permits so they can remain in Europe.
Language problems
Some have lived in France for several years, but without papers or residence permits.
Dozens have apparently tried to cross from France into Spain by car, train, or on foot - but many have been stopped by Spanish police.
They are then driven straight back to France for questioning, a task made more difficult because some of the young men claim not to speak English, French or Spanish, and the police have no Urdu or Hindi translators.
That means the police cannot explain their rights, and so are obliged to let them go - with many making a renewed attempt to enter Spain.
A 'moderate' Islamist doesn't chop heads off with his own two hands....he merely provides all the funding and logistics to enable others to do so!
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