A muslim cleric living in London has been named by the Spanish authorities as the pivotal figure in the al Qaeda terror network in Europe.
Abu Qatada, 40, of Acton, west London, is named in a Spanish judicial indictment as the "spiritual leader" of the global terror network in Europe and a key financier of its activities.
Qatada, a Palestinian with Jordanian nationality, has been placed at the top of an MI5 list of suspects facing internment under controversial new anti-terror laws approved by the House of Commons this week.
The investigation, which has so far led to 11 arrests in Madrid and Granada for involvement in the 11 September terror attacks, follows an intensive four-year surveillance operation of Islamic extremists by Spanish and US intelligence.
In a long indictment, Judge Baltasar Garzon, gives the clearest indication so far of a British connection to the atrocities in America.
Judge Garzon claims that Syrian-born Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, known as Abu Dahdah, was the leader of a Madrid-based al Qaeda cell, "directly linked to the preparation and carrying out" of the 11 September attacks.
According to the judge's sealed indictment- obtained by The Independent - Yarkas - who has been under observation by the Spanish authorities since at least 1997 - visited Britain 20 times before his arrest last week.
Garzon says that Yarkas had four main contacts in Britain, the most important being Abu Qatada, "spiritual leader of the mujahadin in Europe".
Al Qaeda operatives refer to themselves as mujahadin, whether operating as undercover terrorists or in fighting guerrilla operations in conflicts around the world.
Three other contacts of the Madrid al Qaeda cell are named as Abu Walid, Abu Al-Hareth and Abu Bashir. Walid is described in the indictment as "Qatada's second man" and is said to have moved from Britain to Afghanistan. Al-Hareth is described as the "Osama bin Laden unofficial representative in the UK".
- INDEPENDENT
Story archives:
Links: Terror in America - the Sept 11 attacks
Timeline: Major events since the Sept 11 attacks
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.