The Syrians and Al Qaeda? Everybody is into the act! LA Times.
Probe Links Syria, Terror Network: Italian investigation finds the country was a hub for shuttling money and recruits to Iraq.
By Sebastian Rotella
Times Staff Writer
April 16, 2003
MILAN, Italy -- Syria has functioned as a hub for an Al Qaeda network that moved Islamic extremists and funds from Italy to northeastern Iraq, where the recruits fought alongside the recently defeated Ansar al Islam terrorist group, according to an Italian investigation.
The investigation, which began last year, could intensify the growing debate about Syria's alleged ties to terrorism.
Two weeks ago, Italian police arrested seven alleged Al Qaeda operatives. They were charged with sending about 40 extremists through Syria to terrorist bases operated jointly by Al Qaeda and Ansar al Islam, whose stronghold in northeast Iraq was recently overrun by Kurdish and U.S. troops.
Transcripts of wiretapped conversations among the suspected operatives and others paint a detailed picture of overseers in Syria coordinating the movement of recruits and money between Europe and Iraq, according to court documents obtained by The Times.
An Italian judicial order dated March 31 said the conversations show that a Kurdish spiritual leader, identified as Mullah Fuad, was the respected "gatekeeper in Syria for volunteers intent on reaching Iraq.
"REST AT:http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/diplomacy/la-war-syria16apr16,1,5982532.story?coll=la-home-headlines |
