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Germany Arrests 11 Suspected Terrorists
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
(23:55 UTC)
By Jonathan Braude
Voice of America

Aeurobui Beandali, who is on trial on charges of planning to bomb a public market at the foot of Strasbourg cathedral said the cathedral was not the real target, despite a video recording of the market found by police on which a voice says "You will all go to hell, God willing."

BERLIN -- VOA
German police and border security forces arrested 11
Palestinians in raids around the country Tuesday, on suspicion they were planning terrorist attacks. At the same time, a suspect in a trial of Al Qaeda members claimed his group was planning an attack on a synagogue in France.

It was a co-ordinated raid in towns and cities all over Germany. Anti-terrorist units raided 19 different apartments in towns as far apart as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. They arrested 11 people and seized computer disks and document-forging equipment, as well as faked passports.

The arrested men are accused of having set up a terrorist cell in Germany and of planning various attacks in the country.

The authorities say they were also involved helping Islamic fighters heading for Afghanistan with faked documents and cash raised from donations.

German media reports suggest they were involved in weapons procurement too and some of the men may also have trained in Al Qaeda's camps in Afghanistan.

According to Federal chief public prosecutor Kay Nehm, the eleven Palestinians were members of a London-based Islamic group known as Al Tahwid - a name which he said means "believer in the one God."

He said Al Tahwid's members are Sunni Muslims.
(More: VOA News Source)
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Dan