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| Europe |
| 3/11 mastermind identified |
| 2004-04-01 |
| A Tunisian sought by Spanish police in connection with the March 11 Madrid train bombings is believed to have been a key figure behind the biggest ever terrorist attack on Spain, judicial sources said. The sources said Serhane Ben Abdelmajid Fakhet, one of six men against whom Spanish authorities issued international arrest warrants on Tuesday, was "a leading element and coordinator of various people implicated" in the coordinated blasts which killed 191 people on four commuter trains. Fakhet, nicknamed The Tunisian, is being sought, along with Moroccans Jamal Ahmidan, brothers Mohammed and Rachid Oulad Akcha, Abdennabi Kounjaa (alias Abdallah) and Said Berraj on suspicion of "terrorism, voluntary homicide and belonging to a proscribed organisation." Spanish authorities believe members of the Moroccan Islamist Combatant Group (MICG) thought to be behind bombings in Morocco's biggest city Casablanca in May last year may likewise be behind the Madrid blasts with the majority of the suspects already detained Moroccan nationals. According to the warrant out on Fakhet he a "key element (whose) activity seeks to inculcate Jihad ('holy' war) among people within his entourage. He was also involved in the renting of a house at Morata de Tajuna south of Madrid where investigators believe the bombs were prepared for their attack. Several of the fugitive Moroccan suspects against whom warrants have been issued are believed to have lived at the property. Berraj is moreover alleged to have links to Al-Qaeda, as well as Fakhet and Syrian Basel Ghayoun, who is already in detention. Additional: The document said Moroccan suspect Berraj met with three al-Qaida suspects in Istanbul in October 2000 and had ties with Basel Ghayoun, a Syrian who is already jailed on charges of mass murder and belonging to a terrorist organization in connection to the Madrid attacks. Berraj left his home March 9 and told people March 12 that he was leaving Spain reportedly to attend the funeral of a sister in Morocco, the documents say. Subsequent police investigations showed he does not have a sister. Spanish police are holding 19 people, 14 of whom have been charged. Excluding Otman El Gnaout, a detainee whose nationality has not been announced, there are 11 Moroccans or Moroccan-born Spaniards, two Indians, two Spaniards and three Syrians in custody. Four suspects were to have been brought before del Olmo on Thursday but the session was postponed until Friday. The four are El Gnaout, Syrians Walid Altaraki and Mohamad Badr Ddin Akkad, and Moroccan Fouad Almorabit, who had been questioned and released Tuesday and was re-arrested Wednesday. Del Olmo has also ordered the reappearance Friday of Spanish detainee Antonio Toro Castro, brother-in-law of a Spaniard already charged with supplying dynamite to the bombers. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |