Posted on 05/23/2003 10:31:30 AM PDT by knighthawk
Named as Godfather of world terrorism, Abu Qatada, a radical Islamic cleric granted asylum and getting for years £1000 per month benefit from the British government, was named on Tuesday of being directly involved in inspiring September 11 attacks in the US.
It was also alleged that he has had direct links with Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations spread across the world.
Eighteen videos of his sermons at North Finsbury Park mosque, considered a hotbed of fundamentalist activities and raided by the police some time ago, were found in the flat in Hamburg where three of the September 11 hijackers had lived, including their leader Mohammad Atta.
On trial now under the new anti-terror laws, Qatada, a Palestinian, (real name Omar Mahmood Abu Omar) also held meetings at a London youth club, attended even by Zacharias Moussaoui, the alleged intended 20th hijacker in the September 11 plot and by the shoe bomber Richard Reid.
In the 127-page dossier on him, it is alleged that "Abu Qatada and to a lesser extent Abu Hamza (another preacher at the north Finsbury Park mosque) have acted as focal point for extreme Islamic groupings, network and individuals." Qatada has been described by the Spanish police as an ambassador of Osama bin Laden in Europe.
Now declared Britain's public enemy number one, Qatada is seen as the most important of those being held in custody. His case also highlights the utter neglect by the government to control clerics like Qatada that led to Islamic radicals recruit and raise funds with impunity for terrorism abroad including in Kashmir.
The Brits have got to shut this place down, one way or another.
Unless it is more useful to keep it open so that they can watch what goes on in it.
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