Egyptian claims mistaken identity in al-Qaida case
Source: Agencies |
March 1, 2012, Thursday
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AN Egyptian with the same name as a long-sought senior al-Qaida leader was arrested yesterday in Cairo, but he denied any link to the terrorist network and said it was a case of mistaken identity. Two US officials agreed.
Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi was arrested on his arrival at Cairo airport from Pakistan via Dubai and was taken for questioning, security and airport officials said.
The FBI has listed that name on its most-wanted list as an alias for the senior al-Qaida leader known as Saif al-Adel, an Egyptian who has been indicted by the United States for an alleged role in the August 7, 1998 bombings of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people. He also was linked to the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Two US officials, however, also said the arrested man appears to have been mistaken for the wanted al-Qaida leader.
The FBI said it was still sorting out details of the case.
"We are aware that an individual has been taken into custody and every effort is being made to verify the identity of the person in custody," said William Carter, a spokesman at FBI headquarters.
Saif al-Adel is a veteran figure in al-Qaida, believed to have been the head of its military committee. After the US-led invasion of Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks, he fled to Iran, where he was reportedly held under house arrest, though it is believed he continued to be active and in recent years reportedly made trips to Pakistan.
Former militants who know both men have previously said they are two different people.
Makkawi told reporters he was not Saif al-Adel and that he had nothing to do with the terror group since 1989. He said he traveled to Egypt using travel documents issued by the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad.
"What has been said about me is lies. I never took part in actions against people or installations," he said.
"I decided to come to Egypt to live in peace and because I am certain of my innocence."
A senior Egyptian security official involved in the case supported Makkawi's assertion of innocence. The official said Makkawi was a former army officer who left Egypt in the 1980s to join the fight against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
The official said Makkawi was wanted for questioning in Egypt in a case dating back to 1994 that involves the activities of the militant Jihad group.
Noman Benotman, a Libyan who was once a member of a jihadist group linked to al-Qaida, says the man arrested is Makkawi, not Saif al-Adel.
Benotman, who said he has spoken to security officials in Egypt, said Makkawi flew to Egypt "to clear his name."
Mohammed Ibrahim Makkawi was arrested on his arrival at Cairo airport from Pakistan via Dubai and was taken for questioning, security and airport officials said.
The FBI has listed that name on its most-wanted list as an alias for the senior al-Qaida leader known as Saif al-Adel, an Egyptian who has been indicted by the United States for an alleged role in the August 7, 1998 bombings of US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya that killed 224 people. He also was linked to the 2002 killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Two US officials, however, also said the arrested man appears to have been mistaken for the wanted al-Qaida leader.
The FBI said it was still sorting out details of the case.
"We are aware that an individual has been taken into custody and every effort is being made to verify the identity of the person in custody," said William Carter, a spokesman at FBI headquarters.
Saif al-Adel is a veteran figure in al-Qaida, believed to have been the head of its military committee. After the US-led invasion of Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks, he fled to Iran, where he was reportedly held under house arrest, though it is believed he continued to be active and in recent years reportedly made trips to Pakistan.
Former militants who know both men have previously said they are two different people.
Makkawi told reporters he was not Saif al-Adel and that he had nothing to do with the terror group since 1989. He said he traveled to Egypt using travel documents issued by the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad.
"What has been said about me is lies. I never took part in actions against people or installations," he said.
"I decided to come to Egypt to live in peace and because I am certain of my innocence."
A senior Egyptian security official involved in the case supported Makkawi's assertion of innocence. The official said Makkawi was a former army officer who left Egypt in the 1980s to join the fight against Soviet forces in Afghanistan.
The official said Makkawi was wanted for questioning in Egypt in a case dating back to 1994 that involves the activities of the militant Jihad group.
Noman Benotman, a Libyan who was once a member of a jihadist group linked to al-Qaida, says the man arrested is Makkawi, not Saif al-Adel.
Benotman, who said he has spoken to security officials in Egypt, said Makkawi flew to Egypt "to clear his name."
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