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French prisoner was studying poisons
A man arrested in an anti-terrorism sweep a year ago was studying how to make poisons and had hoped to produce the deadly toxin ricin, French authorities said Saturday. Menad Benchellali, who was arrested in December 2002, had tested toxins on animals in Central Asia. The official confirmed details that appeared in Saturdayâs Le Monde newspaper. The details about Benchellaliâs background came from suspects, mostly family members, who were taken in for interrogation over the past few days. Under questioning by police, suspects acknowledged that Benchellali had hoped to concoct a botulism toxin and ricin, a highly toxic substance derived from castor beans that has no antidote, the official said. Le Monde reported that authorities donât know whether Benchellali succeeded.Benchellali was arrested in a sweep that authorities said thwarted planned bomb or toxic gas attacks against Russian targets in Paris, including the Russian Embassy. One of his brothers, Mourad, is among six French detainees suspected of ties to al-Qaida who are being held at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The sweep was part of a probe into suspected links between Islamic militants and rebels in Russiaâs breakaway largely Muslim republic of Chechnya. Investigators are trying to determine whether the Benchellali family and friends supplied explosives, false papers, money and lodgings to a terror cell that planned to attack Russian targets in Paris, probably with chemical weapons. Benchellaliâs father, Chellali, an Islamic cleric, was taken into custody Tuesday at his home in a tough neighborhood of Venissieux, a suburb of Lyon. Others taken in for questioning included Menad Benchellaliâs mother; a brother, Hafed; and a sister, Anissa. Anissa Benchellali was released Saturday, as was Fatna Merabet, the wife of another jailed religious leader, according to their lawyer, Jacques Debray. Six others still being held are expected to be presented before a judge on Monday in Paris. A woman who answered the phone at the Benchellali family home declined to comment on the Le Monde report. "Weâre all still in shock," said Amel Benchellali, who said she was a daughter of the imam. Also Saturday, about 150 people protested in Venissieux to criticize police handling of the arrests. Muslim organizations had asked people to gather in the areaâs market square, and organizers read a statement calling the arrest of Benchellali and six others "a message to intimidate all Franceâs Muslims." A banner read: "Tomorrow, who will be next?"
Posted by: Dan Darling 2004-01-11 |
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