Madrid hopes to extradite Al Qaeda suspects

13 February 2004

MADRID – The Spanish government asked Washington Friday for permission to extradite three more suspected members of Al Qaeda to stand trial on Spanish soil.
 
Madrid wants to extradite Omar Deghayes, Lahcen Ikassrien and  Jamiel Abdul Latif Al Banna, as part of an investigation carried out by High Court judge Baltasar Garzón into alleged terrorist activities.

The three are being held at the US base in Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

On Wednesday, Hamed Adberrahman Ahmed was handed over by the US authorities to the Spanish government to stand trial in Spain for alleged terrorist activities.

Ahmed, 29, who has a Spanish passport and is from Cueta, a Spanish territory in northern Africa, was arrested in Afghanistan as a suspected Al Qaeda terrorist.

He was held at the US camp in Cuba until the Bush administration granted permission Wednesday for him to be transferred to Spain to stand trial there.

Judge Garzon has argued that all four suspects should be tried in Spain for alleged terrorist offences committed on Spanish soil.

Barakat, one of the suspects named by Garzon, is alleged to be involved in the preparation of the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news