Two terror suspects’were police informers’

29 April 2004

MADRID – Two suspects arrested in connection with the Madrid terrorist bombings were police informers before the atrocity, it was revealed Thursday.

The Spanish daily El Mundo reported that Rafa Zuher, who allegedly helped to get the explosives for the attacks, was in regular contact with a police captain.

Zuher, a Moroccan, was said to be a regular informer for the Guardia Civil, passing information about drugs deals.

Ex-miner Emilio Suarez Trashorras, the only Spaniard to be charged in connection with the attacks, was also said to have passed information to police on a regular basis about drugs and arms deals.

Trashorras is accused of helping to supply 200kg of explosives from mines in Asturias, in northern Spain, which were later used by the terrorists in the attacks.

The ten explosions on four trains during the rush-hour in Madrid killed 192 people and injured more than 1,500.

Twenty-three people are still being treated in hospital for serious injuries.

The newspaper reported that Zuher worked as a nightclub bouncer and knew Jamal Ahmidan, nicknamed ‘The Chinese’, who was said to have been a key member of the terrorist group behind the attacks.

Zuher was also said to have helped another key figure of the terrorist group, Jamal Zougam, to get the explosives which were used in the bombings.

After serving time in prison, he put Zougam in contact with Trashorras.

Trashorras was said to have fed police contacts regular information.

The newspaper has claimed other suspects arrested in connection with the terror attacks were also police informers before the bombings.

But it has not named the other suspects.

The judge in charge of the 11 March investigation has ordered that Zuher, who was arrested on 20 March,  should be held in a different prison to the other suspects, to avoid prejudicing the case against him.

It was not clear if the same order had been made in relation to Trashorras.

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 Subject: Spanish news