Germans arrest Tunisia synagogue bomber's alleged contact

EFE | 4/16/02

[kattracks]

Berlin, Apr 16, 2002 (EFE via COMTEX) -- German security services on Tuesday arrested an alleged Al Qaeda terrorist suspected of involvement in last week's bomb attack on a historic Tunisian synagogue in which ten German tourists were among the 16 people killed.

The Federal Criminal Investigation Department (BKA) said they had taken into custody in the central city of Duisberg a person they believe had been in contact with the driver of the truck loaded with natural gas canisters that crashed into the synagogue.

Tunisian authorities had said they believed the blast on the island of Djerba was an accident, but German officials maintained all along they had "clear indications" that it was a suicide terrorist attack.

The newsweekly Stern claimed that just prior to the explosion, one of the people on the delivery truck spoke to a person in Germany linked to Saudi renegade Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda international terror network.

    gc/bl/BJ

http://www.efe.es

Copyright (c) 2002. Agencia EFE S.A.

[Enlightiator]

Incredible. Tunisian officials, town officials, even Rabbi's from the synagogue, were qouoted as saying that this was an accident, that Muslims and Jews lived side by side here. I was convienced. Now it appears that Al Qaeda WAS involved, as was claimed in one Arab newspaper. Simply incredible.

[germanicus]

There is no safe haven for Jews anywhere. Israel may be their only hope in the future because at least they can defend themselves there. Also, maybe the EU members need a few more reminders (sadly) of who the real enemy is. There is more to come.

[sheik yerbouty]

People will say the strangest things with a gun to their heads.

[gd124]

This doesn't make sense. Why would the bomber have a contact in Germany if they planned to blow up a synagogue in Tunisia?

Were the Germans that were killed Jewish? Were they in the synagogue?

If there was some kind of Jewish package holiday to Tunisia that the bomber knew about then that would explain the arrests.

[dennisw]

 

 

Photos from Germany!

 

 

An unidentified Palestinian demonstrator carries his daughter who wears a mock belt of explosives as they protest Israel's military offensive in Palestinian territories in Berlin Germany, Saturday, April 13, 2002. (AP Photo/Jan Bauer)

 

 

Demonstrators carry a Palestinian boy draped in a Palestinian flag, representing a symbolic funeral, near the US embassy in Berlin Germany, Monday, April 1, 2002. The demonstrators took part in a final rally of an Easter March for Peace, demanding an end of the fighting between Palestinians and Israelis. The US embassy is in the background, third from right.(AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

[ppaul]

[dennisw]

Kristalnacht I think

[aristeides]

EXPLOSION AUF DJERBA: Steckt Bin Laden hinter dem Anschlag?.

[ARCADIA]

I hate when they destroy historic, archeological sites. My biggest objection to a war in Iran is the potential destruction of Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian sites.

A building lasts thousands of years, war, natural disasters, etc. And, then some idiot destroys it.

[aristeides]

The contact man arrested in Duisburg turns out to be a German who converted to Islam: EXPLOSION AUF DJERBA: Mutmaßlicher Kontaktmann ist Deutscher.

[aristeides]

The German authorities have now released the guy they arrested, concluding they had no legal basis for holding him: EXPLOSION AUF DJERBA: Mutmaßlicher Kontaktmann wieder frei.

[aristeides]

Der Spiegel today releases more information connecting the bombing to al Qaeda: "Ich brauche nur noch den Befehl" ["All I need now is the order"]. The person thought to have set off the bomb was a Tunisian working in a travel agency who was thought not to be a practising Moslem.

[aristeides]

Der Spiegel today has a transcript of the phone conversation: "Vergiss nicht, für mich zu beten!" ["Don't forget to pray for me!"].

[aristeides]

Also according to Der Spiegel today, a group calling itself the "Tunisian Division of Al Qaeda" sent a threatening letter to the German embassy in Tunisia at the beginning of the year: "Deutsche Waren werden verbrannt und vergiftet" ["German Products will be burned and poisoned"].