An accused leader of al-Qaida in Europe - who can take on the appearance of a Westerner when he wants to - is getting fresh scrutiny in the London bombing investigation, thanks to his globe-hopping travels and associations that read like a who's who of international terrorism. Authorities have few clues about the location of Mustafa Setmarian Nasar, whom British officials once had in their grasp and on whose head the United States has put a price of up to $5 million. Nasar's background and travels, described in detail by Western officials and in court and intelligence documents, make him a case study of the intricate connections that tie Muslim extremists around globe and the challenges in tracking highly mobile and easily disguised suspects. He's a Syrian native and a Spanish citizen. International intelligence agencies have traced Nasar's movements to Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and at least two European capitals. His name emerged shortly after London's July 7 bombings as a possible suspect, though any ties to those attacks remain unclear at best. A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity while the London investigations continue, said Nasar's record suggests he is more of an ideologue and writer than operational planner. Yet he has a network of dangerous international contacts, and authorities haven't eliminated the possibility that he plays a role in operations.
He was once in British custody for suspected involvement in bombings that rocked Paris in 1995. Lacking evidence, the British let him go. Spanish authorities allege he played a key role in setting up al-Qaida's structure there and may have been the mastermind of the 2004 Madrid train bombings, which killed 191. Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant. Nasar's 2004 book, ``The International Islamic Resistance Call,'' lays out in 1,600 pages strategies for attacking Islam's enemies. He lists those as ``Jews, Americans, British, Russian and any and all of the NATO countries, as well as any country that takes the position of oppressing Islam and Muslims,'' according to a translation from the Washington-based SITE Institute. Rita Katz, director of the institute, which studies terror groups, said the autobiographical book and related videos are a how-to for radical ``holy warriors.''