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| Britain | ||
| Brother says detainee went to camp run by Islamic sect | ||
| 2006-08-16 | ||
The brother of one of the 23 suspects held on suspicion of plotting to blow up passenger jets revealed last night that he had attended camps run by an Islamic group linked by western intelligence to terrorism. Amjad Sarwar, whose brother Assad, 26, was seized from his home in High Wycombe last week, revealed that he had attended weekend study groups run by the Tablighi Jamaat sect. The Guardian has reported that at least two of the suspects arrested in Walthamstow last week also attended the study camps. Mr Sarwar said his brother was not a terrorist and had nothing to do with the alleged plot.
Mr Sarwar spoke as anti-terrorist officers prepared today to ask a judge for more time to question the 23 suspects after working intensively to gather exhibits from the suspects' homes, internet cafes and woodland. Counter-terrorism officers, who made another arrest in Thames Valley yesterday, are understood to be confident about their case against the suspects. Officers have searched 46 properties since the raids last Thursday, including homes and businesses linked to those arrested in east London, High Wycombe and Birmingham. Searches are continuing in 22 places, including woods in High Wycombe, and suspects' homes. Counter-terrorist officials made clear yesterday that they had gathered a considerable amount of detailed evidence during the many months of their investigation, codenamed Operation Overt. Evidence which could be used in court includes the results of bugging and video surveillance by MI5 and anti-terrorist police. This would be in addition to any physical evidence the police may gather, such as weapons or potentially incriminating explosives or chemicals. It is understood the police will apply today for extensions on all of the suspects, including a mother being held with her child. Officials were optimistic last night that a significant number of those arrested would be charged. They are fully aware of the need to get convictions in a climate of growing public scepticism about what the government says is the nature and scale of the threat. Senior figures have said the operation was no "Forest Gate", referring to the raid in east London last June in which a man was shot before he and his brother were released without charge. Speaking to Channel 4 news last night, Mr Sarwar described how his brother had become increasingly religious and abandoned his university degree. But he said he was not a terrorist. "They've got it all wrong. He is an innocent guy." His brother attended Tablighi Jamaat weekend study groups as part of his increasingly devout outlook. "He was at Tablighi Jamaat, which is a sect in Islam which encourages the youth to grow beards, pray five times a day; and how the prophet lived on a daily basis. He thought religion is more important than study because you can find work easily in this country". Asked why he thought his brother had been arrested he said: "He attended a mosque which had small talks on Islamic stuff and they must've got mixed up and arrested him for that reason." His brother could have been in "the wrong place at the wrong time", he said.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #4 Alquida now considered an islamic sect? |
| Posted by: Inspector Clueso 2006-08-16 16:10 |
| #3 "Brother says detainee went to camp run by Islamic sect" Well, I for one am just shocked! Hooda thunk it? (Besides, you know, everyone with two functioning brain cells....) |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-08-16 15:49 |
| #2 He isn't a terrorist he is religious. This might be true from his brothers perspective because the religion and terrorism are the same thing. If you follow the religion you accept jihad. Jihad and terrorism are the same thing. So in the warped religion of Islam there are no terrorists just religious people. Q.E.D. ROPMA |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2006-08-16 15:18 |
| #1 His brother could have been in "the wrong place at the wrong time", he said. You mean like all those folks in the World Trade Center on 9/11? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-08-16 14:55 |