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| Europe |
| The Hamburg Al Qaeda cell: dead, caught or at large |
| 2005-08-18 |
| HAMBURG, Germany - A German court will rule Friday in the retrial of the only man ever convicted of involvement in the plot behind the September 11 attacks. Moroccan national Mounir El Motassadeq, 31, was the first person worldwide to be convicted over the attacks but a federal tribunal ordered a new trial in March 2004 on the grounds that key witnesses in US custody were not allowed to testify. Following are brief details—according to prosecutors in Germany and US investigators—of those believed to have been most involved in the so-called Hamburg cell in the northern German port city where three of the attackers lived. Mohammed Atta: seen as the suicide hijackers’ ringleader, he died piloting the American Airlines plane that crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Born September 1, 1968 in Cairo, he came to Germany in 1992 and studied at university in Hamburg. A strict Muslim, Atta built up the Hamburg cell and provided its spiritual backbone. He attended training camp in Afghanistan in late 1999, then enrolled for flight lessons in the United States. Marwan Al Shehhi: born May 9, 1978 in the United Arab Emirates, he died flying the United Airlines plane which crashed into the southern tower of the World Trade Center. He came to Germany in 1996, met Atta at language school. Attended Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan before learning to fly in United States. Ziad Jarrah: born May 11, 1975 in Lebanon, he died on the United Airlines jet that crashed in rural Pennsylvania when passengers tackled the hijackers. Arrived in Germany in 1996. Attended training in Afghanistan before joining a US flying school. Abdelghani Mzoudi: the third person worldwide to be charged and the second from the Hamburg cell. The Moroccan national was arrested in Hamburg in October 2002 and acquitted in February 2003 of 3,066 counts of accessory to murder and membership in a terrorist organization. Left Germany in June 2005 under threat of deportation. Had close ties to most of cell, particularly Zakariya Essabar—whom he allegedly supplied money for planned flight lessons in Florida—and Al Shehhi, for whom he provided accommodation. Spotted at a training camp in Afghanistan in mid-2000. Ramzi Binalshibh: also known as Ramzi bin Al Shaiba. Born in Yemen on May 1, 1972, he was arrested in Karachi exactly a year after the attacks. During trial he emerged as a leading figure in the Hamburg group. Binalshibh arrived in Germany in 1995 and applied for asylum. He met Atta at a mosque, and shared a flat with him for a while. Binalshibh boasted in an interview with satellite TV network Al Jazeera that he was an active Al Qaeda planner in the September 11 attacks. Enrolled in a flying school but refused entry to United States four times. Binalshibh reportedly told US investigators that Motassadeq and Mzoudi had nothing to do with plot. Said Bahaji: born July 15, 1975 in Haseluenne, northern Germany, to a German mother and Moroccan father. Introduced to Atta by Motassadeq, Bahaji became a close friend, paying the rent on a flat he shared with Atta and Binalshibh. Described as responsible for logistics, he went to Afghan training camp in early 2000. Bahaji fled Germany shortly before the attacks, and is still at large. He is reportedly in close contact with his wife in Germany via e-mail and telephone. Zakariya Essabar: born April 3, 1977 in Morocco. Arrived in Germany in 1997, studied in Hamburg from 1998 and introduced to Atta by Motassadeq. Attended training in Afghanistan in early 2000. He also lived for a while in Atta’s flat along with Binalshibh, and studied and worked with Jarrah. Wanted to fly in early 2001 to Florida where Atta and Al Shehhi were then staying, but twice refused a visa. He is also still at large. |
| Posted by:Steve White |