Posted on 07/22/2006 1:09:15 AM PDT by FairOpinion
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration on Thursday named a Canadian citizen with high-level ties to al Qaida, Abousofian Abdelrazik, as a "specially designated global terrorist" and launched action to seize his U.S. financial assets.
Abdelrazik, who also holds Sudanese citizenship, "is known to have been a member of an extremist cell in Montreal" and had close associations with Ahmed Ressam, the convicted millennium bomber, the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement.
"According to information available to the United States government, (Abdelrazik) has provided administrative and logistical support to al Qaida," the Treasury statement said.
"He has been identified as being close to Abu Zubayda, a former high-ranking member of the al-Qaida network, involved in recruitment and training."
Abdelrazik, 44, disappeared in 2005 shortly after appearing, by video from Montreal, as a witness in Ressam's trial for plotting to blow up the Los Angeles International Airport during millennium celebrations on New Year's Eve 1999.
According to a Canadian Security and Intelligence Service report, French judicial documents identify him as an "important Islamist activist of the international jihad."
CSIS also identifies Abdelrazik as a close associate of Odil Charkoui, a landed immigrant from Morocco who was arrested on a federal security certificate in 2003 and is now facing deportation from Canada.
"Treasury continues to take action against al Qaida and its support network," said Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Daniel Glaser. "(Abdelrazik) has been closely tied to senior al Qaida leadership. We are taking steps to inhibit his ability to harm the United States and our allies."
Abdelrazik's designation as a global terrorist enables the U.S. government to seize any of his assets and prohibit any financial transactions with a U.S. national.
PING
Canada, under the new administration has been very helpful in fighting the war on terror, in my opinion.
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ON THE NET...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1659022/posts?page=1412#1412
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1659022/posts?page=1413#1413
"is known to have been a member of an extremist cell in Montreal"
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Just got back from Montreal yesterday....I was treated to Pallies marching in protest in the streets.
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