Syrian arms dealer wanted by US jailed in Spain (2nd Roundup)

Jun 8, 2007, 12:47 GMT

Madrid - Spain's National Court on Friday ordered preventative detention for Syrian arms dealer Monzer al-Kassar, wanted by the United States on terrorism-related charges, after he was detained at Madrid airport.

Al-Kassar was arrested in the morning after flying in from the southern city of Malaga. He was then questioned by a judge for two hours, denying all the charges and refusing to be extradited to the US.

A New York court wants al-Kassar on 17 charges including a conspiracy to help a terrorist organization, to kill US citizens and officials, to acquire and use anti-air missiles and for money- laundering.

The specific arrest warrant on the basis of which he was detained is based on arms trafficking in Colombia. Al-Kassar denied any wrongdoing, saying he had only made a legal deal in Guatemala.

Al-Kassar was then taken to the Costa del Sol tourist resort of Marbella, where he has lived since 1980, to be present while police searched his home.

The court also blocked al-Kassar's bank accounts. The US now has 40 days to request his extradition.

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 as 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.