Posted on 07/08/2002 12:17:06 AM PDT by kattracks
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A senior al Qaeda figure believed to control European operatives is being held in a safe house by British intelligence, Time magazine reported on Sunday, quoting unnamed European intelligence officials.
Abu Qatada, sought by Jordan for terror-related crimes, has been missing since mid-December after British authorities confiscated his passport, froze his assets and ordered him confined to his London home, Time said in its latest edition.
But, according to Time sources Qatada, who they say is described by some justice officials as the spiritual leader and possible puppet master of al Qaeda's European networks, is being kept with his family in a safe house in northern England by British intelligence services.
"The deal is that Abu Qatada is deprived of contact with extremists in London and Europe but can't be arrested or expelled because no one officially knows where he is," says the senior European intelligence source, whose claims were corroborated by French authorities, Time added.
"The British win because the last thing they want is a hot potato they can't extradite for fear of al Qaeda reprisals but whose presence contradicts London's support of the war on terror," said the source.
British security services officials declined comment to Time.
Pure speculation, but at least we get to keep him. Also keeps the civil rights nutters at arms length, they can’t ask for his release if he’s under protection. Plus, he’s not able to stir up trouble.
That'd be a likely place.
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