Posted on 07/19/2005 10:53:39 AM PDT by freeperfromnj
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) Egypt said Tuesday that a detained chemist wanted by Britain for questioning about the London bombings had no links to the July 7 attacks or to al-Qaida.
Government spokesman Magdy Rady said in a statement that a Cabinet meeting Tuesday reviewed an Interior Ministry report that ``made clear that there is no link between Egyptian chemist Magdy el-Nashar with al-Qaida or the (London) bombings.''
El-Nashar, who obtained a doctorate from Leeds University in England, was detained last week by Egyptian authorities at the request of the British government, which suspects he had links to some of the four bombers, three of whom are from Leeds.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit told parliament Tuesday that he will meet with the British ambassador in Cairo to discuss el-Nashar's case.
Egypt's leading pro-government newspaper, Al-Ahram, quoted a senior security official as saying el-Nashar's innocence was revealed in questioning.
``Through interrogations carried out by Egypt, the British side was assured that el-Nashar has no role in the explosions,'' the newspaper quoted the unidentified official as saying.
Al-Ahram had earlier quoted an unidentified security source as saying el-Nashar told investigators he rented a house to Hasib Hussain, the 18-year-old bomber of the double-decker bus. British police searched el-Nashar's Leeds home after reportedly finding traces of explosives in his bathtub.
El-Nashar reportedly has denied involvement in the London bombings, and Egyptian security officials have said the country is not prepared to hand him over to Britain.
British authorities believe Hussain and three other suicide bombers died in the attacks, which killed 52 other people. Officials are looking for accomplices or a mastermind.
Didn't they find traces of the same type of explosives used in the bombings, in his flat in London?
This means that Egypt doesn't want to be implicated in this.
Probably has links to Egyptian Islamists and they don't want to admit it.
Glad that's settled. Whenever I want international law issues clarified, I always turn to Egypt.
I wonder how they know he's not guilty, terrorists have known to lie for a cause!
Egypt also says they are a democracy.
He's being watched.
If he's not an official AQ card-carrying member and his name doesn't appear on the watch list, then he's not an actual "Al Qaeda terrorist".
I guess he made it home free! Game's over kids. Your moms' calling.
You think a Falklands could break out over this?
"Egyptian security officials have said the country is not prepared to hand him over to Britain"
The Egyptians were also claiming for the longest time that Mohamad Atta had nothing to do with 9/11.
They probably think he's an active member, but not a leader, within a cell in Eqypt...might not want to hand him over because they think he can lead them to his friends...maybe...(probably wishful thinking, though)
The chemist was wanted for questioning by the British. The Egyptians detained him and questioned him. Egyptians aren't known for sublty in their questioning practices.
If they are able to provide convincing info to the Brits that the chemist wasn't involved, then I expect that he's already gone through more to show he wasn't involved than he would have to go through to be released in the US.
I'll wait and see what the Brits say about this.
Then Egypt itself is guilty. Time to nuke them, not give them more weapons for "peace".
Gosh our government is stupid.
it appears the security service (MI5) participated - or at least observed - his 'questioning' by the egyptians. i assume that because of the level of co-operation that the egyptians have afforded the UK over this matter that they wouldn't turn round and say he had nothing to do with it just because he's egyptian.
i'm quite prepared to believe that we went on a wild-goose-chase on this occasion, otherwise the investigation has progressed with some efficiency and speed. it is inevitable that there will be blind-alleys in an investigation of this type.
"i'm quite prepared to believe that we went on a wild-goose-chase on this occasion, otherwise the investigation has progressed with some efficiency and speed. it is inevitable that there will be blind-alleys in an investigation of this type."
One man's wild-goose-chase is another man's through investigation.
If some of the people they investigate don't turn out to not be involved, they're not investigating throughly enough.
Nothing that a few billion$ more can't fix.
"This means that Egypt doesn't want to be implicated in this. Probably has links to Egyptian Islamists and they don't want to admit it."
Bingo. Wonder if the UK will stand for this.
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