Madrid ‘mastermind’ extradition delayed

30 July 2004

MILAN – A Milan appeals court postponed Friday a decision on the extradition to Spain of Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed, alias “Mohammed the Egyptian”, considered one of the masterminds of the March 11 attacks in Madrid.

After a hearing at which the defendant was present, the judges decided that the decision on whether to turn the Egyptian over to Spain’s Audiencia Nacional, which specialises in high-profile and terrorism cases, would be made within the next few days.

Prosecutor Giacomo Caliendo argued for approval of the Spanish authorities’ request for extradition, while defence attorney Viviana Bossi argued against it, citing “procedural issues”.

Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed was arrested in Milan on 7 June after Italian authorities intercepted several telephone conversations in which he claimed responsibility for the Madrid massacre.

“The Egyptian” also faces charges in Milan of criminal conspiracy on behalf of international terrorism.

On Friday, he was transported under heavy security from Vodhera prison in southern Milan to the attorney general’s office.

When he saw numerous photographers at the entrance, Rabei, dressed all in white and sporting a long beard, tried to cover his face before going into the building escorted by several members of the prison police.

Extradition proceedings against “the Egyptian” began 14 July  when the attorney general’s office in Milan approved the request by Judge Juan del Olmo of the Audiencia Nacional, who is investigating the March 11 attacks.

The extradition request names Rabei as a suspect in a long list of crimes, including murder, destruction and possessing explosives for the purpose of terrorism and indicates he is probably “a member of the terrorist organization Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a component of al-Qaeda.”

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news