Spanish police probe link withVan Gogh murder

11 November 2004

MADRID — Spanish police are investigating a possible link between a detained Moroccan national and a suspect held in the Netherlands over the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, the Spanish interior ministry said.

A ministry spokesman said the Spanish authorities were probing a possible link between Abdeladim Akouad, arrested at Morocco’s request in Barcelona in October 2003, and an unnamed suspect in the Van Gogh case.

Moroccan authorities want to question Akouad over the 16 May, 2003 Casablanca bombings which killed 42 people, including four Spaniards.

Akouad is suspected of belonging to the radical underground group Salafia Jihadia and is being held on suspicion of links to a criminal group and possible involvement with preparing terrorist acts.

Moroccan authorities found a splinter group of Salafia Jihadia responsible for the Casablanca bombings.

On Tuesday, top Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon said he saw no discernible link between radical Islamic cells in Spain and the gunning down of controversial director van Gogh, killed by a suspected Islamic radical on 2 November.

“This is not a line of enquiry that we are following,” Garzon said.

Van Gogh’s suspected killer, Mohammed Bouyeri, who has dual Moroccan and
Dutch nationality, was arrested shortly afterwards.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news