Interpol has issued an arrest warrant for an Irish national who has been described by the US government as a central fundraiser for al-Qaeda in Europe. The cross-border police network has confirmed to The Sunday Business Post that it has issued its highest-level ‘red notice’ in relation to Muslim businessman and charity organiser Ibrahim Buisir, on foot of a Libyan arrest warrant.It is the first time Interpol has issued a global arrest warrant against an Irish national, in relation to alleged Islamic terror-related activities. In a public statement issued by the US Treasury Department in 2004, Buisir was identified as having ‘‘directed a European al-Qaeda cell that provided support to operations in Europe, by arranging travel and accommodations’’.
The 47-year-old was born in Benghazi, Libya, and lives in south Dublin with his wife and children. He was an executive member of the Islamic Foundation of Ireland and director of the Irish branch of the Islamic Relief Agency, an international charity that works alongside Unicef and many other organisations. Buisir denied any connection to terrorist fundraising at the time of the US Treasury statement.
Officials at the Libyan embassy in London declined to comment when contacted by this newspaper last week. Calls to BuisirÂ’s Dublin home were not answered.