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| Europe |
| Italy: Muslim group had 'no contact' with terror suspects |
| 2008-12-05 |
| (AKI) - Italy's largest Muslim group, the Union of Islamic Communities of Italy (UCOII) says it has no relationship with the two Moroccans suspected of planning terror attacks in the northern city of Milan. UCOII released a statement on Wednesday after the arrest of Ilhami Rachid and Abdelkader Ghaffir, alleged to have been planning attacks on sites including the city's famous Duomo cathedral. The organisation, led by Nour Dachan, said it had "no kind of contact or relations" with the two Moroccans. It also reaffirmed its opposition to any type of terrorist act, saying it was opposed to Islam. "In particular we reaffirm: the incompatibility of terrorism with Islamic doctrine, law and culture. The total and indisputable condemnation of actions that lead to the massacre of innocent people or attempts to destabilise society and the subsequent social and civil disorder," the statement said. Recorded telephone conversations published in the Italian media suggest that Rachid, 31, and Ghaffir, 42, were planning a terror attack on the city's famous cathedral, the Duomo, during this year's forthcoming Christmas festivities. Tapped conversations allegedly show they also planned attacks on a supermarket, a bar, night club car park, and two police stations, as well as the immigration office at police headquarters in Milan. The two men do not belong to any terrorist organisation, but closely followed jihadist websites, especially statements by the Al-Qaeda terror network, according to investigators. Rachid had 'indoctrinated' his two-year-old son, teaching him to recognise photos of Al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden and to call him 'Uncle Osama', investigators said. He also named a younger child 'Osma', according to investigators. Phone taps revealed he and Ghaffir had initially planned to use a van packed with explosives but then decided to use oxygen cylinders after searching and downloading the bomb-making information from the Internet. |
| Posted by:Fred |