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| Europe |
| International arrest warrants issued for 3/11 co-conspirators |
| 2004-04-01 |
| A Spanish judge issued international arrest warrants for a Tunisian and five Moroccans suspected of involvement in the Madrid train bombings that killed 191 people. Another suspect identified as Otman El Gnaout was arrested, a court official announced today, giving no details of the nationality of the man or the place of his arrest. He said a Moroccan who had been released was also re-arrested. Also today, Judge Juan del Olmo questioned two people in court, releasing one of them and ordered the other to return Friday for more questioning. The Interior Ministry distributed the names and photographs contained in six international warrants issued by del Olmo. They included Sarhane Ben Abdelmajid Fakhet of Tunisia; and Moroccans Jamal Ahmidan, alias El Chino; Said Berraj; Abdennabi Kounjaa, alias Abdallah; Mohammed Oulad Akcha; and Rachid Oulad Akcha. The last two are brothers to Naima Oulad Akcha, the only woman charged in the case so far, a court official said. Interior Minister Angel Acebes yesterday identified the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group as the main focus of investigation in the March 11 bombings in Madrid, which killed 191 people and injured more than 1,800 others. That extremist group is a forerunner of Salafia Jihadia, which Morocco blamed for last year's Casablanca bombings that killed 33 people and 12 suicide bombers. At least five members of the Combatant group, including alleged leaders Nouredine Nfia and Salahedine Benyaich, trained in al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan between 1999 and 2001, Moroccan officials said. Moroccan Mustapha Ahmidam and Antonio Toro Castro, the brother-in-law of a Spaniard charged with supplying dynamite to the bombers, were questioned by the judge today. Ahmidam was released, and Castro was ordered to return to court on Friday. Another Moroccan, Fouad Almorabit, was re-arrested. Del Olmo interrogated Almorabit among a group of five suspects brought before the National Court on Monday, and ordered him released early Tuesday. The reason for the re-arrest was not immediately clear. The radio station Cadena Ser said one of the suspects who went before the judge told him the attack was motivated by the occupation of Iraq and that Britain, Spain and the United States are held responsible. Two Syrians arrested Tuesday, Walid Altaraki and Mohamad Badr Ddin Akkad, are set to appear tomorrow. Interior Minister Acebes said some of the chief perpetrators were among those in custody. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #2 Fred Pruitt censors truth while Americans die in Iraq on basis of lies. Mr.Pruitt, please stop the censorship -- we'll give you a little rest now. Sorry, but this is the only way you allows us to be heard. |
| Posted by: Free Speech Enforcer TROLL 2004-04-01 8:18:05 AM |
| #1 [Troll droppings deleted] |
| Posted by: Murray TROLL 2004-04-01 8:18:05 AM |