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Al-Qaeda suspects go on trial
09/05/2006 12:53 - (SA)
Duesseldorf - Three men went on trial in Germany on Tuesday charged with being members of al-Qaeda or financially supporting Osama bin Laden's network.
The most serious charges are against Ibrahim Mohamed K, 30, a Syrian student whom prosecutors believe was a mid-ranking official in the terror group with direct links to bin Laden.
He came to Germany as an asylum seeker, but was arrested in the western city of Mainz in January last year.
Prosecutors say he recruited two Palestinian brothers, Yasser Abu S, 32, and Ismail Abu S, 29, to work for al-Qaeda.
The elder brother became a member of the organisation and had been due to carry out a suicide bombing mission in Iraq which was thwarted by his arrest, prosecutors say.
The younger man worked to raise funds for al-Qaeda, co-operating with the other accused to run a life insurance scam.
The two brothers were arrested in Germany.
All three men deny the charges.
The trial is taking place amid high security in the western city of Duesseldorf.
The presiding judge, Ottmar Breidling, took charge of the trials of other Islamic extremists, including Metin Kaplan, also known as the "Caliph of Cologne", who was extradited from Germany in October 2004 after a long court battle.
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