Spain: arrest of an Algerian suspected of financing Al-Qaeda

An Algerian, suspected head of a network of drug trafficking and money laundering is suspected of financing the nebulous Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb, was imprisoned by a Spanish judge, according to a judicial source.

•     He had been arrested in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday in Bilbao (north) with 12 other alleged criminals, eleven Algerians and an Iraqi.
  
      Judge Eloy Velasco of the National Audience, the Spanish court on cases involving terrorism, decided to release on payment of 3,000 or 6,000 euros of these 12 other people, choosing to send to jail only the head of the network .
  
      The Spanish Minister of the Interior, Alfredo Perez Rubalcaba, had reported 14 arrests Wednesday while the police evoked 13. In his ruling, Judge Velasco speaks also only of 13 offenders.
  
      The judge accuses them of illegal association, drug trafficking and money laundering and opened an inquiry into whether the money thus obtained and subsequently sent to Algeria was used to finance terrorist activities.
  
      Justice and the Spanish police regularly conduct the past few years anti terrorism operations, particularly in the north-eastern Catalonia where a large Muslim community lives.
  
      Beginning in 2008, the Civil Guard has dismantled a radical Islamist group, mostly Pakistani, suspected of preparing an attack in Barcelona (northeast).
  
      The coup de filet had led to the arrest of 15 people, including 12 Pakistanis and 2 Indians. Components used to manufacture explosives and bombs were found.
  
      In June 2008, eight Algerian Islamists suspected of being linked to the Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb, were arrested in Castellon (east), Barcelona (north-east) and Pamplona (north).
  
      However, since the beginning of 2009, the pace of operations has been substantially reduced.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.