Anti-bin Laden fatwa backed

2005-05-10 15:33

Madrid - An alleged al-Qaeda member said on Tuesday that he endorsed a fatwa issued by Spanish Muslims against Osama bin Laden, condemning terrorism as he took the stand as a suspected member of a cell that allegedly helped plot the September 11 attacks.

Separately, the three-judge panel overseeing the trial rejected a defence request to release on bail a jailed suspect who filmed video of the World Trade Centre in 1997 and allegedly passed on a copy of the tape to al-Qaeda operatives.

Lawyers for Ghasoub al-Abrash Ghalyoun had argued the video was the innocent work of a tourist and that excerpts played in court when their client testified on April 27 failed to reveal anything incriminating.

But, the judges ruled that the trial was still in its early stages, with much more evidence to be presented and Ghalyoun must remain in jail for now.

'Spanish cells are legitimate'

In the first testimony of Tuesday's session, Syrian-born Abdalrahman Alarnot described himself as a hardworking owner of a construction company and said his dealings with the alleged financial mastermind of the Spanish cells were legitimate, not a front for funnelling money to Islamic extremists as alleged by prosecutors.

Alarnot also said he knew the alleged leader of the cell, Imad Yarkas, simply from going to same Madrid mosque and from informal soccer games among the Syrian immigrant community.

Under questioning from his lawyer, Alarnot said he supported a fatwa issued in March against bin Laden by the Islamic Commission of Spain, the main body representing the country's million-strong Muslim community.

The fatwa, or religious edict, called the al-Qaeda leader an enemy of Islam and urged others of their faith to denounce the al-Qaeda leader.

The commission said it was the world's first such edict against bin Laden.

Terrorism, acts of violence

Alarnot said on Tuesday: "I agree with the fatwa of the Islamic Commission of Spain. This is my criterion on terrorism and all acts of violence."

Alarnot was among 24 suspects on trial here as alleged members of an al-Qaeda cell.

Three of the suspects were accused specifically of using Spain as a staging ground to help plan the suicide airliner attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

They included Yarkas and Ghalyoun.

Alarnot was among the other 21, accused of terrorism, weapons possession or other offences, but not September 11 planning.

He testified on Tuesday that he went to Bosnia in 1995 at the request of his Albanian-born father to try to help relatives of theirs living in the Balkans - not for terrorism training on orders from Yarkas or an associate known as Chej Salah, as alleged by prosecutors.

- AP