| Submit your comments on this article |
| Europe |
| Spanish crook led Moroccans to dynamite |
| 2004-03-20 |
| A Spaniard with a criminal record led four Moroccans to an explosives warehouse at a mine to steal dynamite used in the Madrid terror bombings, a newspaper reported Saturday. The unidentified Spaniard, a former miner in the northern Asturias region, was among five people arrested Thursday. He insisted he only led the Moroccans to the warehouse and did not help with the robbery or know the Moroccans had Islamic extremist links, El Pais reported, quoting police sources. The Spaniard has a record for drug and weapons possession, the newspaper said. The Moroccans remain at large and have not been identified, it added. Interior Ministry officials could not be reached to comment on the report. The Moroccans told the Spaniard they ran a mine in Morocco but had trouble obtaining explosives. The Spaniard offered to help them get dynamite, and in return was apparently given drugs, El Pais said. The Spaniard met with the Moroccans in the Asturian town of Aviles in late February and led them to an explosives warehouse at a mine, the report said. The explosives were stolen on or about Feb. 29, the paper said. The Spaniard was arrested Thursday in Aviles, El Pais said. Four Moroccans were also arrested Thursday outside Madrid. Police think all or part of the estimated 220 pounds of dynamite used in the Madrid bombings came from that warehouse, the paper said. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 He insisted he only led the Moroccans to the warehouse and did not help with the robbery or know the Moroccans had Islamic extremist links "they seemed like Simple Shepherds™ to me, which explained the need for dynamite" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-3-20 11:52:41 AM |