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Moroccans Arrest Suspected Senior al-Qaida Member Known as `The Bear'
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
By John Walcott & Jonathan S. Landay
Knight Ridder Newspapers

"This could be the biggest catch yet," one official told Knight Ridder. "He appears to know more than anyone else in custody about what al-Qaida is planning to do next."

WASHINGTON -- KRT
Moroccan officials have arrested a senior lieutenant of Osama bin Laden who's believed to have helped terrorists escape from Afghanistan and start planning new attacks in Europe, Africa and Asia.

According to U.S. officials who requested anonymity, Moroccan authorities arrested Abu Zubair al Haili early last week and have been interrogating him since then. The Moroccans have shared the information they've collected with American officials.

Abu Zubair was born in Saudi Arabia and is also called "The Bear" because he weighs more than 300 pounds.

One official said Abu Zubair's arrest could be the biggest victory yet in the United States-led war against terrorism.

"Does he have information that would be useful in the fight against terrorism?" said another U.S. official. "Undoubtedly."

The U.S. officials said Abu Zubair was a close associate of Abu Zubaydah, another senior bin Laden lieutenant who took command of al-Qaida terrorist operations earlier this year. But Abu Zubaydah was arrested in Pakistan in March and is now providing information about al-Qaida operations. The officials said Abu Zubair helped bring al-Qaida recruits to Afghanistan for training in camps run by Abu Zubaydah.
(More: Macon.com News Source)
2002 © Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

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Wednesday, June 19, 2002

Dan