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Abu Doha

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Abu Doha
أبو ضحى
Born
Hider Hanani

1963 (age 60–61)
NationalityAlgerian
Other namesAmar Makhlulif
OrganizationAl-Qaeda
AllegianceGSPC
Conviction(s)Immigration offences

Hider Hanani[1] (b. 1963), alias Amar Makhlulif and kunya Abu Doha (Arabic: أبو ضحى), is an Algerian alleged to be member of the al-Qaeda and GSPC terrorist networks.[2]

Hanani claimed asylum when he first arrived in Britain in 1994. He left the country for Afghanistan from 1996 to 1999, where he admittedly attended the Khalden training camp.[3]

As a result of a German terrorism investigation, Hanani was arrested at London Heathrow Airport in February 2001 while attempting to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on a forged passport.[4] Hanani was held on terrorism charges while his traveling companion Rabah Kadre was suspected of an immigration violation.[5]

Hanani was indicted in the United States in August 2001 for being the mastermind of the plot to bomb the Los Angeles airport during the 2000 millennium celebrations.[6] When Ahmed Ressam was apprehended, he had a business card with Hanani’s number and calling cards which were used to call it 11 days earlier.[7] Ressam's testimony provided evidence for the indictment, but after he stopped cooperating with prosecutors, they dropped the case in 2005.[8] Hanani has admitted meeting Ahmed Ressam in Jalalabad, but not being involved in the millennium bombing plot.[3]

After the U.S. extradition request was dropped, Hanani was held in prison under immigration powers by the British government.[9] Hanani was held in Belmarsh Prison.[2] In July 2008, the Special Immigration Appeals Commission released him on bail, under 24-hour house arrest.[9] Although the British press was forced to identified him only as "U", details in the ruling identifies him clearly as Hanani.[10][11] In February 2009, Hanani was returned to Belmarsh Prison on the orders of the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.[12] After writing a statement that said he and his world views had changed, Hanani was released to house arrest again in a ruling in July 2011.[9]

Other allegations

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A call from Frankfurt, Germany on 24 December 2000 to Hanani was intercepted by MI5. The caller asked for more money and referred to an upcoming mission. The intercept was passed to German police and resulted in the arrest of the Strasbourg cathedral bombing plotters.[13] At their trial, the German judge said Hanani encouraged the perpetrators to carry out the attack.[14] He was also linked to the plot in a trial in France.[4][15]

Italy investigated Hanani in connection with a plot to bomb the American embassy in Rome by a group in Milan, Italy.[4][16]

All three countries deferred to the United States' extradition request, but when that was dropped, they could not pursue Hanani because the trials in these incidents were over.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Terror suspect held for seven years without charge in British prison". Birmingham Mail. 3 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2016. mirror.
  2. ^ a b Burrell, Ian; Lichfield, John (15 January 2003). "Warning signs of Algerian terror cells as early as 1994". Independent. Archived from the original on 2016-02-13. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  3. ^ a b Gardham, Duncan (3 July 2008). "Terrorist 'linked to Osama bin Laden' released on bail". Telegraph. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  4. ^ a b c O'Neill, Sean (9 January 2003). "'Architect of terror' held in British jail cell". Telegraph. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  5. ^ Rotella, Sebastian (19 November 2002). "Detentions Signal Fear in Europe". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  6. ^ Meyer, Josh (29 August 2001). "Alleged Mastermind in LAX Bomb Plot Indicted". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  7. ^ "Algerian indicted in LA airport bomb plot". The Washington Times. 29 August 2001. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
  8. ^ Lawless, Jill (1 November 2006). "Millenium bomb-plot suspect still in British legal limbo". The Seattle Times. Associated Press. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  9. ^ a b c "U v Secretary of State for the Home Department" (PDF). Special Immigration Appeals Commission. 29 July 2011. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  10. ^ Burns, John (July 4, 2008). "2nd Terror Suspect Released in Britain". New York Times. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  11. ^ Rotella, Sebastian (29 June 2008). "Lacking evidence, Britain to free LAX bomb plot suspect". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  12. ^ Bhattacharyya, Anindya (3 March 2009). "Exposed: Britain's internal rendition". Socialist Worker. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  13. ^ Harris, Paul; Wazir, Burhan; Connolly, Kate (21 April 2002). "Al-Qaeda's bombers used Britain to plot slaughter". Guardian. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  14. ^ Crewdson, John (11 March 2003). "Germany sends 4 to prison in New Year's plot". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  15. ^ Cosgrove-Mather, Bootie (16 December 2004). "France Convicts Islamic Militants". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  16. ^ Sisti, Leo; Beelman, Maud S. (3 October 2001). "Arrested Italian cell sheds light on Bin Laden's European network". Center for Public Integrity. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  17. ^ Crumley, Bruce (30 October 2006). "The Terror Suspect Who May Go Free". Time. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
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