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Dutch Citizen Accused of Crimes in Iraq
The United States has charged a Dutch citizen with conspiring to kill Americans in Iraq, the first U.S. criminal case connected to terrorist activities there, the Justice Department said Friday. Iraqi-born Wasem al-Delaema, 32, was arrested in May during a raid on his home in the Dutch city of Amersfoort. On Wednesday, U.S. authorities filed a criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Washington and asked the Dutch government to extradite him for prosecution.

Among the charges is conspiring to kill Americans overseas. U.S. authorities allege al Delaema was one of several men calling themselves the Fighters of Fallujah who plotted attacks near that Iraqi city in October 2003. Dutch prosecutors say they seized a videotape showing Fallujah-born al Delaema and other masked men describing how they laid mines along a road where a U.S. military convoy was expected to pass. The tape's Arabic-language commentary said, "These are the explosives. The American vehicles travel over this road. As they approach, we can detonate them with a remote control from a distance of 500 meters, so our people won't be in any danger."

Most attackers slip away unnoticed. When they are caught, they typically face charges in Iraqi courts set up to try people suspected of crimes against coalition forces, Venable said. What makes this case unusual is that al Delaema was arrested outside Iraq, in a country that has an extradition treaty with the United States. "This prosecution serves notice that we will make full use of the laws and resources of our criminal justice system to defend Americans, and particularly members of our armed forces, against terrorist insurgents in Iraq and elsewhere," said Kenneth L. Wainstein, the U.S. attorney in Washington.

Dutch Justice Ministry spokesman Ivo Hommes said it will be up to the Dutch courts to determine whether al Delaema is extradited to America. Al Delaema's Dutch attorney, Victor Koppe, denied his client was involved with any attacks.
... and this is absolutely classic taqiyya...
"He was in Iraq to plan his marriage and was kidnapped by insurgents who thought he was an American spy," Koppe told Dutch television. It was unclear what would happen to three other Iraqi immigrants detained on the same day as al Delaema. Also seized in the raid were guns, ammunition, telephones and a computer.
Posted by: Fred 2005-07-30
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=125438