| Submit your comments on this article |
| Britain |
| Algerian refuses to deny al-Qaeda link |
| 2005-09-09 |
| An Algerian who claimed to be a "drifter" but refused to deny any connection with any "al-Qaeda network" today became the first none loyalist or republican alleged terrorist to be tried under Northern Ireland's none jury Diplock Court system. Belfast Crown Court judge Mr Justice Weatherup will be trying the case alone of 27-year-old Abbas Boutrab who denies possessing and collecting information "for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism". Boutrab, also charged under three other aliases, also denies, having and using a doctored Italian passport. and handling a stolen Nokia phone. Among the documents, which were allegedly downloaded from the internet, were plans to construct a device to bomb an aircraft, how to smuggle the bomb onboard, and how to make a silencer from simple household items such metal tubing, a pot scourer and rubber door stops. Prosecuting QC John Creaney claimed that Boutrab had been travelling around Europe under several assumed names for a decade before his arrest in April 2003 at an address in Whitehouse Court on the outskirts of Belfast. During his first police interview when asked if he was involved "in Islamic terrorism", Boutrab replied, "I am not answering". Mr Creaney said that he gave "a similar reply" when asked, "are you a member of any organisation connected to the Al Quaeda network?". The prosecuting lawyer further revealled that by the 23rd of Boutrab`s 30 police interviews, his solicitor on his behalf stated, "he has asked me to say in relation to the aliases, some of which he accepts, that they were used simply to facilitate his drifter lifestyle throughout Europe - not for terrorist purposes". However, refuting this claim Mr Creaney said it was the Crown case the aliases were used "to conceal himself as he carried out his sinister activities" and that "they were elaborate and carried out over a period of ten years". |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |