The Iraqi-based Islamic terrorist and kidnapper Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is believed to have ten terrorists activists operating in Ireland, The Sunday Business Post can reveal.
| Any of them named 'Patrick' or 'Michael'? |
The Jordanian radical, who reportedly ordered the beheading of British hostage Ken Bigley last Thursday, has had a terrorist an agent in Ireland since 2002, according to transcripts of German police interviews with Osama bin Laden's former bodyguard. The testimony will be broadcast in a special edition of RTE's Prime Time on Tuesday. The Garda Siochäna, which followed up the leads from the German probe, said their enquiries established that the informant was only scratching the surface. Garda detectives identified upwards of ten al-Zarqawi terrorists activists, primarily based in Dublin. The terrorists' agents' principal activities are fundraising, organising bogus passports and identity cards, and providing safe houses. Detectives told this newspaper that one terrorist militant was allegedly linked with the ricin poison plot in England early last year. Six people were arrested in January 2003 in connection with the plot, when traces of ricin were found in a makeshift laboratory. Fingerprints that were found on material seized by police led them to Dublin.
| And this fellow is still roaming free because ... |
Informed sources said that the prints matched those of a terrorist man who came to the attention of the Garda Special Branch. The terrorist suspect is now on the run. Garda detectives who have seen European police reports said this weekend that al-Zarqawi's group, called al-Tawhid, now represented a bigger threat than bin Laden's organisation. Detectives said al-Tawhid terrorists activists in Dublin were believed to have moved money to Iraq by Hawala, an informal and ancient trust-based system for transferring funds. "Money is also just brought out in cash on a flight from Dublin Airport," said a garda source. Credit card skimming and cheque and welfare fraud are two of the terrorist group's other means of raising money. "We're talking millions in total [raised by various terrorist militant Islamist groups]," a garda source said.
| All the standard tools of the trade. |
Officers from the gardai's Middle Eastern section are believed to be learning Arabic as part of a drive to cultivate Mahmoud the Weasel informants. They currently receive assistance from the Army's G2 unit, where a number of officers speak the language. Sources close to the section are reluctant to complain about lack of resources, but said the legislation they are now working under is woefully inadequate. |