German authorities on Saturday said they were awaiting a formal request from Spain to extradite a Syrian-German businessman suspected of being a key al-Qaeda figure. Mamoun Darkazanli, 46, was taken into custody in Hamburg on Friday under a Spanish warrant. Spanish authorities allege that Darkazanli, who can be seen in a 1999 video at a wedding with some of the Sept. 11 hijackers, was "the permanent contact person and assistant of Osama bin Laden in Germany," according to a statement from Hamburg authorities. He is accused of having given logistical and financial support to the network in Spain, Germany and Britain since 1997. Hamburg judicial spokeswoman Sabine Westphalen said authorities are awaiting a formal extradition request from Spain. That would be followed by a court decision on whether to allow the extradition, which the German government would have to endorse. "The government sees no obstacles to an extradition at present, assuming all legal requirements are met," Justice Ministry spokeswoman Eva Schmierer said.| "Please, just come and get him. We want him gone." |
Darkazanli's lawyer refused to comment on the accusations against his client, complaining that Spanish authorities have yet to present him with the indictment. "So long as we are not familiar with the files and the accusations, we are not going to say anything," lawyer Andreas Beurskens said by telephone. He did say Darkazanli has said "he has done nothing criminal or worthy of reproach."| Depending, of course, on how one defines one's terms. |
Darkazanli faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted of membership in a terrorist organization. German authorities said Friday they arrested Darkazanli because he was a flight risk. The weekly Der Spiegel reported that Darkazanli's wife had left for his native Syria before his arrest, but Beurskens denied that.| "She's, um, washing her hair right now..." |
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