Syrian arms dealer wanted by US detained in Spain (Roundup)

Jun 8, 2007, 8:51 GMT

Madrid - Spanish police detained Friday Syrian arms dealer Monzer al-Kassar, 61, wanted by the United States on terrorism- related charges, police said.

Al-Kassar was arrested at Madrid airport after arriving by air from the southern city of Malaga. His residence in the Costa del Sol tourist resort of Marbella has been placed under police guard.

Al-Kassar was to be interrogated Friday morning and later to be taken to Marbella where police are to search his home in his presence.

A New York court wants al-Kassar for a conspiracy to help a terrorist organization, to kill US citizens and officials, to acquire and use anti-air missiles and for money-laundering, according to Spanish sources.

Al-Kassar has been linked with numerous crimes including illegal arms and drugs deals and terrorism, all of which he has denied.

The Iraqi government regards al-Kassar one of the main forces behind the current insurgency. The Syrian has also been accused of arming Nicaraguan Contras and Somali warlords and of selling arms illegally to Croatia and Bosnia.

In the early 1990s, al-Kassar was jailed preventatively in Spain for 14 months on charges of involvement in the 1985 Palestinian hijacking of the Italian passenger ship Achille Lauro. He was released on bail and acquitted owing to a lack of evidence.