Sheik Non-Lubricated (12 pack)
Posted on 09/03/2003 9:18:42 AM PDT by knighthawk
Melbourne man Sheik Mohammed Omran has denied he has ever had contact with Spain's top Al Qaeda suspect.
The ABC has obtained Spanish court documents that allege Sheik Omran, and another Australian, were both in contact with the Spanish man, Abu Dahdah.
Dahdah is being held as Spain's top Al Qaeda suspect.
He allegedly met the ringleader of the September 11 attacks, Mohammed Atta.
Spanish court documents allege repeated contacts between Abu Dahdah and both Melbourne man Sheikh Mohammed Omran and Sydney man Bilal Khazal.
The court documents say Mr Khazal and Sheik Omran also met another alleged terrorist in London.
The documents say Abu Dahdah called Sheik Omran on an Australian mobile number and listed the Sheik in his diary.
Sheik Omran says he has never been approached by authorities about the matter.
"I don't think you are concerned about this more than the Australian intelligence," he said.
"And if they don't worry about that, that means it is a ... rubbish claim."
Bilal Khazal did not respond to questions from the ABC.
Sheik Omran is the spiritual leader of the conservative Islamic group Ahlus-Sunnah Wal Jamaah, with hundreds of Australian members.
The Australian Federal Police say the two men are persons of interest, and they have revealed they have at least 65 ongoing investigations into people potentially involved in terrorist activity.
A spokeswoman for the Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, says the Government is aware of the Spanish court documents referred to.
She says the public can be assured that authorities are conducting ongoing investigations into links between people in Australia and Al Qaeda and affiliate groups.
The Attorney's office says consistent with the practice of successive Australian governments in relation to security matters, they will not be making any further comment on this issue.
Jean-Charles Brisard, a French intelligence expert who has prepared papers on terrorist funding for the UN Security Council and advised the French Government, has studied the Spanish case closely.
Mr Brisard questions whether Australians are doing enough to reign in the activities of Sheik Omran and Bilal Khazal.
"For both of them...their organisations in Australia have connections, links, or quite voluntarily make propaganda for other organisations that are clearly identified as followers of Al Qaeda."
Sheik Non-Lubricated (12 pack)
And they are saying US forces have Sadir's place surrounded.
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