| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Madrid attack 'mastermind' charged |
| 2004-12-21 |
| A MOROCCAN man has been charged with offences relating to terrorism and mass killing for allegedly helping plan the March 11 Madrid train bombings in Spain. The suspected mastermind of a terrorist cell recently dismantled by Spanish police was remanded in custody today for his alleged role in the March 11 train atrocity in Madrid, judicial sources said. Hassan El Haski, 41, suspected of being the head of the Islamic Group of Moroccan Fighters which has links with al Qaeda, is accused of belonging to a terrorist organisation and of playing a role in the attacks in which 191 people died. "He is alleged to have taken part in the planning and preparation of the attacks and is suspected of playing an active role in their execution," a statement by judge Juan del Olmo said. El Haski rejects the charges against him and denies belonging to a terrorist group. He was later questioned by Spain's senior anti-terrorist judge Baltasar Garzon in connection with the attacks in the Moroccan city of Casablanca in May 2003 in which 45 people died. He was also quizzed on the murder of the Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh in Amsterdam on November 2, the sources said. El Haski was one of four Moroccans arrested in the Canary Islands on Friday. Investigators said the group was about to set up a logistical base in the archipelago, situated off the coast of northwest Africa. The others arrested on the island of Lanzarote were the imam of the village of Puerto del Carmen, Abdallah Mourib; Ali Fahimi, aged 31, and Brahim Atia El Hammouchi, aged 40. |
| Posted by:God Save The World |