Posted on 11/18/2001 1:52:15 PM PST by Pericles
Monday November 19, 12:30 AM
Spanish judge orders detention of eight Islamic militants
A Spanish investigating judge has ordered the detention of eight alleged Islamic militants, including Abu Dahdah, a key part of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terrorist network, judicial sources said.
The sources said Sunday that three others, among 11 alleged militants arrested in Spain last week, had been released on bail by Judge Baltasar Garzon, but told they are still under investigation, after overnight interrogations.
Abu Dahdah -- a Spaniard of Syrian origin whose real name is Imad Eddin Barakat Yarbas -- has been said by Spanish judicial sources to have had direct contacts with bin Laden's right-hand man Mohammad Atef, whom the Taliban confirmed on Sunday had been killed in a US bombing raid.
Sunday's edition of El Pais said that he had also met on two occasions bin Laden himself, the prime suspect of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
The other detainees have been named as Luis Jose Galan Gonzalez, also known as Yusuf Galan, Jasem Mahbule, Bassan Dalati Satut, Osama Darra, Mohammed Neetl Acaid, Said Chedadi and Mohammed Zahir Asade.
Out on bail are Mohammed Ghaleb Kalaje, Ahmad Raghad Mardini and Mohammed Arabi Shehimi.
El Pais said investigations by Spanish authorities into Islamic militant activities, which started in 1999, had revealed the existence of an al-Qaeda training camp in Indonesia which trained between 2,000-3,000 Islamic radicals.
Police sources say the suspects were carrying weapons and false identity papers when arrested.
They also had contacts with a Spanish cell of Algeria's extremist Islamic Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) that was dismantled in September.
The GSPC is on the US blacklist of organisations accused of terrorist activities. In September, Spanish police arrested six Algerians accused of setting up a GSPC cell and being bin Laden operatives.
Police sources say that the group of 11 includes former fighters from Afghanistan, Bosnia and Chechnya and recruited young Islamists for military training in Afghan camps.
The Spanish network also provided logistical support and served as a rest and recreation base for fighters from Bosnia and Chechnya, police sources said.
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