Posted on 12/13/2005 7:50:55 AM PST by dead
STOCKHOLM - A 39-year-old Swede accused of terrorism by the United States has been arrested in Prague, Swedish tabloid Expressen reported.
The man, who was not identified, is wanted by the US Central Intelligence Agency spy agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which accuse him of being terror mastermind Osama bin Laden's "man in Sweden", Expressen wrote.
The US has tried to obtain his extradition for several years, accusing him of setting up Al-Qaeda training camps in the US state of Oregon in 1999, but Sweden has refused to hand him over, the paper said.
The man was on a Czech Airlines flight from Stockholm to Beirut on Sunday, but never got there after stopping over in Prague, the paper said.
The Swedish foreign ministry confirmed that a Swedish man was arrested in Prague but would not confirm the newspaper's report.
"We confirm that a Swedish citizen around 40 years old has been arrested.
The arrest followed an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol," ministry spokeswoman Sofia Karlberg said.
The paper said that the Swede was also accused of having links to the group that carried out the July 7 bombings in London.
Expressen met the 39-year-old earlier this year when he denied having anything to do with the London bombings.
However, he stressed that he "loved bin Laden".
"You don't have to be a terrorist to love bin Laden," he told the paper.
According to Expressen, the man was accused in Sweden of plotting terrorist attacks several years ago but was freed for lack of evidence.
He was later sentenced to a year behind bars on a weapons offence.
Sapa-AFP
No sweedish meatballs m aybe but...we're having Italian meatballs this Christmas!!!
Hmm, funny they don't give is undoubtedly not very Swedish sounding name.
"You don't have to be a terrorist to love bin Laden," he told the paper.
But it certainly helps a lot.
Volvo's are just another Ford these days. Saab is just a General Motors brand name.
Or massages!
Oh man, not now! I just got my "Complete works of ABBA" set finished.
You're right, nothing like Sven Olgestad or Bjorn Edvinnson, of course.
If you really want a meaningful sacrifice, give up the Swedish Bikini Team.
Old Europe / New Europe ping!
Or even like a guy I knew from Mexico City, whose name is Sven, who looks pretty Swedish, but speaks Spanish with a Mexico City accent and English with a faint Mexican accent. (His paternal grandparents were from Sweden, while his maternal grandparents were from Cleveland, IIRC).
The goats have a special feeling for him, too...
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++= No more Scandia - Ikea and those weird overrated and overpriced Volvos they make. Goodness...What will we do?
Funny. In real life, I have to visit both Sweden and the Czech Republic soon for business. I wish we could call it Czechia like the Germans have decided to do (die Tschekei). Some of you call it Czech...which is cool. But can I say "I am going to Prague, Czech tomorrow?"
I won't boycott the Swedish blondes...if they are pro-Bush (I tell women upfront in Europe that I can only date pro-Bush women). They are not that hard to find. As a result, I don't have to search as long as I have to do in the American blue states.
What concerns me about this catch: Why did this guy think he was safe in Lebanon?? And did he really think that the Swedish authorities weren't watching him or wouldn't cooperate with the CIA in terms of saying "he is on his way to Beirut via Prague?"
Something is fishy here. Or we have a really dumb guy. Or he was set up somehow?
For some reason, apparently, the bad guys seem to like to go to Prague.
May have to do with their habits, whatever they may be, and their way of planning.
[For some reason, apparently, the bad guys seem to like to go to Prague.]
Actually, I think I remember reporting this on the FBI.gov website: In October 2002, I was invited to a castle/hotel in the suburbs of Prague where scientists were meeting with defense officials of various countries to talk about their inventions (I was being interviewed by a scientist for some work). When I was waiting for a taxi to bring me back to the train station in Prague, I found myself walking around outside to get fresh air despite a slight drizzle of rain.
Outside the castle wall, behind a huge chain at the entrance, was parked a car filled with men who looked Middle Eastern. I went back inside and reported this to the reception girls...one made a phone call. I went back outside and looked at the car again. They started the car and left.
Those were the days before my cell phone had a camera in it.
I'd be a lot more aggressive today. Whereas many liberals have reverted to pre-911 mentalities...I think a lot of us are only just beginning to be aware of where danger might come from.
Absolutely,after all, We need to load that flight up to make it cost effective.don't we???
I'd just as soon they opened his window for him at 30,000 feet.
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