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Brazil frees terror suspect, citing lack of evidence
The Brazilian justice system freed for lack of evidence a Lebanese citizen designated by the United States as a member of Al Qaeda, the local press reported Wednesday. The man, identified only as “K” and who works selling and repairing computers in Sao Paulo, had been detained by the Federal Police on April 25 for spreading “racist content” on the Internet, the daily Folha de Sao Paulo reported. The newspaper on Tuesday had written that K was one of the people responsible for Al Qaeda’s international communications.

K was arrested on the order of federal Judge Alexandre Cassettari, who on May 18 ordered his release. Cassettari said that the case “interests” foreign authorities who, however, took no measures to bring the investigation to a conclusion during the 21 days that the man was in custody.

Federal prosecutor Ana Leticia Absy said Tuesday that her office considers that the investigation “does not prove that the prisoner in Sao Paulo is a member of Al Qaeda” and she acknowledged that the arrest was carried out on the basis of joint investigations by Brazilian and U.S. police agencies. The suspicions surrounding the man were based on “the existence of a sealed forum on the Internet, published in Arabic, with discriminatory and anti-U.S. messages,” Absy said. Brazilian investigators said the forum has links with Al Qaeda via an organization called the “Jihad Media Batalion” which incites hate against Westerners and foments anti-Semitism.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva confirmed on Tuesday the arrest of the suspect when he was asked about the matter at a joint press conference he held with his Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo Chavez. Lula said that the investigation was carried out discretely and he criticized the information that “leaked” out abroad about the case.
Posted by: ryuge 2009-05-28
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=270688