Spanish judge charges 35 for al Qaeda September 11 link

A Spanish judge yesterday formally charged 35 men, including al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and a journalist for Arab TV network Al Jazeera, with involvement in the September 11 attacks on the United States.

As part of his investigation into an al Qaeda cell operating in Spain, High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon called for Interpol to arrest bin Laden and extradite him to Spain, where he says there was evidence the September 11 plot was partly hatched.

US-led forces have not found bin Laden since the attacks killed more than 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

"The September 11 attacks were partially planned in Spain, where several of the accused played an active and vital part in perfecting the terrorist actions in the United States," read a copy of Garzon's 700-page ruling obtained by Reuters.

The crusading judge remanded in custody 11 suspects already held by Spain for forming part of the al Qaeda network.

These included Tayseer Alouni, a well-known Al Jazeera correspondent who interviewed bin Laden shortly after September 11, and Imad Eddim Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah, suspected by authorities of heading the al Qaeda cell in Spain.

Garzon issued capture orders for a further 16 men, including bin Laden and some of his main lieutenants such as Saudi-born Zaiva Abideen Muhamad Asan, alias Abu Zubaidah, currently held in prison by the United States.

The judge, who rose to international prominence with a failed attempt to extradite and try former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet, kept six more on conditional bail and said he would take a decision at a later date on the final two accused.

Garzon's investigation into al Qaeda grabbed world headlines this month with Alouni's arrest, sparking outrage among Arab human rights groups, journalists and colleagues at Qatar-based Al Jazeera, who called it an attack on press freedom.