Man Seized Over Singapore Bomb Plan

Independent (UK) ^ | 8-3-2002 | Andrew Buncombe

[blam]

Man seized over Singapore bomb plan

By Andrew Buncombe in Washington
03 August 2002

A Canadian man accused of organising a plot backed by al-Qa'ida to blow up the British High Commission and US embassy in Singapore has been seized by the American authorities and is being questioned at a secret location.

It was revealed yesterday that Mohammed Mansour Jabarah, 20, s being held at a military base in the north-east of the US as a material witness.

Heng-Chee Chan, Singapore's ambassador to the US, told The Washington Post that Mr Jabarah, using the pseudonym "Sammy", was the ringleader of a plot to blow up missions belonging to Britain, the US, Israel and Australia.

Authorities said the plot was organised by the militant group Jemmah Islamiah but had logistical support from al-Qa'ida. More than a dozen alleged members of Jemmah Islamiah were arrested last December, but Mr Jabarah escaped.

He was seized and interrogated in Oman before being handed over to the Canadian authorities and then to the US.

Canadian officials said Mr Jabarah had been born in Kuwait, but was brought up in St Catharines, Ontario, and was a Canadian citizen.

Mr Jabarah had "significant operational authority" in the aborted attacks, officials said, although he is not believed to be a leader in al-Qa'ida. He is, however, said to have provided officials with information about al-Qa'ida training camps.

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said they were aware of the reports of Mr Jabarah's arrest but could not comment. They refused to say whether security at the High Commission had been increased as a result of the revelations.

"We are satisfied that security is commensurate with the current situation," the spokesman said. No one from the High Commission in Singapore was available to comment.

Mr Chan said Mr Jabarah had worked with another alleged terrorist, "Mike". He said: "Sammy was leading and directing the plan and Mike was teaching the Singaporeans how to construct bombs. They travelled to and from Singapore on different dates to escape detection.

"This is a trans-national network. They work across borders. We believe the al-Qa'ida network works in this way – they contact local groups that have their own objectives and causes. What they add is another element – they upgrade the skills and knowledge and technology of the local group."

Phil Gibson, a spokesman for Canada's intelligence agency, said the investigation of al-Qa'ida was "extensive, intricate and ongoing".

[Shermy]

US Questions Canadian Al Qaeda Suspect at NY Base-Officials
Fri Aug 2,10:23 AM ET
By Charles Aldinger

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A suspected Canadian al Qaeda operative accused of organizing a plot to blow up the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Singapore is being held by the Justice Department ( news - web sites) at Fort Hamilton military base in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. officials said on Friday.



The officials, who asked not to be identified, said Mohammed Mansour Jabarah, 20, who was arrested in Oman, was being held as a material witness and being questioned in the case.

They provided no further details of Jabarah, a native of Kuwait and a Canadian citizen. But a Western diplomat told Reuters in Canada this week that Jabarah was providing interrogators with valuable information on plans of Islamic activists.

In a bizarre saga, one branch of the Canadian government formally asked the United States on Wednesday for the whereabouts of Jabarah, whom another branch of the government had helped turn over to U.S. authorities.

A spokesman for Canada's Foreign Affairs Department, Carl Schwenger, said the Canadian Embassy asked the State Department to find out where Jabarah was and whether he wanted to meet Canadian diplomats.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service helped in the hand over of Jabarah to the United States but was giving out few details about how or why.

Canadian officials said Jabarah was born to Kuwaiti parents but was brought up in St. Catharines, Ontario, and was a Canadian citizen.

The Washington Post reported on Friday that Jabarah had not been charged, but that U.S. officials were considering possible charges against him.

BOMBING PLOTS IN SINGAPORE

A Singapore Home Affairs Ministry statement, made available to Reuters in Ottawa, said Jabarah had been a leading figure in plots to bomb several targets in Singapore, including the U.S. and Israeli embassies.

Singaporean police arrested more than a dozen militants in December in connection with the plots, but Jabarah escaped. Media reports said he later was arrested and questioned in Oman, then was turned over to Canadian authorities before being sent to the United States.

The Singapore statement said Jabarah entered Singapore in mid-October of last year and went by the name "Sammy." The statement added that he had met with local members of the Jemaah Islamiah, a group seeking to create a pan-regional, conservative Muslim state.

Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper reported on Wednesday that Jabarah's father said his son was taken from Oman by Canadian intelligence officials. The Toronto Star said Canadian intelligence agents handed him over to the United States at Niagara Falls.

The Washington Post reported that although authorities did not believe Jabarah was a senior al Qaeda leader, one U.S. official said he had significant "operational authority" in running the aborted attacks in Singapore. Al Qaeda is Saudi-born extremist Osama bin Laden ( news - web sites)'s guerrilla network.

Jabarah also has told interrogators about training provided at al Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan ( news - web sites), an official told the Post.

Phil Gibson, a spokesman for Canada's spy agency, told the Post that Jabarah voluntarily went to Canada from Oman and voluntarily went on to the United States.

"We can't discuss whether he has been charged," Gibson said. "The investigation of al Qaeda is extensive, intricate and ongoing. ... I am not going to jeopardize the ongoing investigation by answering a line of questions about our investigation."

[Shermy]

What do you think of the above article? Did Canadian intelligence give the finger to Foreign Affairs?

[blam]

"What do you think of the above article? Did Canadian intelligence give the finger to Foreign Affairs?"

That description does fit the circumstances.

"Phil Gibson, a spokesman for Canada's spy agency, told the Post that Jabarah voluntarily went to Canada from Oman and voluntarily went on to the United States.

Hee, hee.