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CNN Sunday Morning

Madrid Judge Sends Suspected Terrorists to Prison

Aired November 18, 2001 - 10:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: To Spain, where a judge in Madrid today sent eight suspected Islamic terrorists to prison, and accused them of belonging to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network. One court official said some of them may have even played a role in the September 11 attacks.

With more, here's CNN's Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AL GOODMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The suspects came to court under heavy police guard, arriving in separate convoys so that they couldn't talk to each other. Police released pictures of the alleged leaders of the suspected Islamic terrorist cell.

In court they face Spain's best-known judge Baltasar Garzon who personally investigated their activities. The suspects sent to jail by the judge were accused of terrorist activities. The officials say they had a supporting role in Osama bin Laden's terrorist network.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): They've recruited people in Spain, who were sent to training camps abroad, to later carry out terrorist attacks. The group also supplied fake documents.

GOODMAN: During the arrest, police seized weapons, cash, and computer records still being analyzed. Also, training videos, police say were shown to recruits. Here, Islamic fighters ambushing Russian soldiers in Chechnya. Some of the suspects, authorities say, had fought in Bosnia and Afghanistan.

Police are looking for ties between them and Mohammed Atta, who the FBI said led the September 11 hijackings. Atta made two trips to Spain this year, police say, to meet other terrorists.

It is the third round up since last summer of suspected Islamic radicals in Spain, this time in Madrid and Granada, in September, in six other towns. And in June. Mohammed Bensakhria, a reputed aide to bin Laden, arrested in yet another Spanish city. Officials say Spain may have been considered a safe haven for Islamic terrorists because of hundreds of thousands of Muslim immigrants, mainly from North Africa, live and work here.

The men arrested this week, police say, recruited people at Madrid's main mosque without the permission of local religious leaders. This man in an interview at the mosque before his arrest, said he was pro-Taliban. But Saturday, a small demonstration in favor of the suspects near the Madrid court. These men said they knew most of the suspects and insisted they were innocent.

(on camera): Are they terrorists, these friends of yours?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I don't think so. I don't think that, you know. It's not true, it's false, you know.

GOODMAN: Officials had said Islamic terrorists were not very active in Spain, but that was before the recent arrest. Now, evidence is mounting that Spain has been an important logistical base for Islamic militants.

Al Goodman, CNN, Madrid.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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