Posted on 02/03/2009 5:29:12 AM PST by Cindy
SNIPPET: ""Spanish police suspect terrorism links in arrests," from the Associated Press, February 3 (thanks to all who sent this in):
The Spanish police arrested 13 people on Tuesday on suspicion of links to organized crime and terrorism groups.
A police statement said the detainees — 11 Pakistanis, a Nigerian and an Indian — are suspected of belonging to an international criminal gang involved in passport forgery, drug trafficking and the smuggling of people."
SNIPPET: "The police statement said the group is suspected of having contacts in Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Thailand.
The group allegedly stole passports in Spain and forwarded them to Thailand, where they were altered before being sent back to criminal gangs in Europe."
~
MADRID, Spain (CNN) --
SNIPPET: "Most of the arrests were in Barcelona, according to Spanish media, reporting that police had seized a quantity of blank passports and national identity cards, ready to be forged.
Police were looking for a printing machine in Valencia, according to one report...."
(Excerpt) Read more at jihadwatch.org ...
It would be nice to think we can count on Spain as unlikely as that would be.
Someone had good intel somewhere, that’s for sure.
I’ll check back later today for updates.
http://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/16225/13-forgers-arrested-in-anti-terrorist-swoop
“13 forgers arrested in anti-terrorist swoop”
By: thinkSPAIN , Tuesday, February 3, 2009
SNIPPET: “13 people were arrested this morning in coordinated early-morning raids in Barcelona and Valencia and police are now investigating whether they have links with the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation.”
SNIPPET: “Investigators suspect all 13 of stealing passports in Spanish cities then sending them to Thailand, where they were manipulated before being supplied to cirminal organisations in the aforementioned countries.
Amongst the objects found by the police this morning were numerous passports, some blank and others forged, passport size photos, equipment and materials for carrying out forgeries, computer equipment, mobile ‘phones and numerous documents.”
Additional thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2177978/posts
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“4 Indians held in Spain for alleged Al-Qaeda links”
Agencies
New Delhi, February 04, 2009
First Published: 12:34 IST(4/2/2009)
Last Updated: 13:15 IST(4/2/2009)
SNIPPET: “Spanish police arrested 15 people, including four Indians and one Pakistani, suspected of forging passports and other documents for terror outfit Al-Qaida, according to the reports.
10 of the suspects were arrested from Barcelona, while four Indians and one Pakistani national were arrested from Misalta as part of the same operation.
As per the SER radio report, police searched several addresses, seizing dozens of passports and falsification equipment.”
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