A Spanish judge has formally charged 35 men with involvement in the September 11th attacks on the United States.
Among those charged by High Court Judge Baltasar Garzon as part of his investigation into an al-Qaeda cell in Spain are al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and a journalist for Arab TV network Al Jazeera.Judge Garzon yesterday called on Interpol to arrest bin Laden and extradite him to Spain, where he says there was evidence the September 11th plot was hatched.
US-led forces have not found bin Laden since the attacks killed more than 3,000 people on September 11th, 2001.Mr Tayseer Alouni, an Al Jazeera correspondent who interviewed bin Laden shortly after September 11th, was also charged. Syrian-born Alouni was arrested this month and was ordered to remain in prison without bail pending trial.
Also charged was Imad Eddim Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah, suspected by authorities of heading an al-Qaeda cell in Spain and has already been detained by authorities.
Spain has already arrested a number of suspects it says were involved in the attacks. Judge Garzon said they should remain in jail.
The judge came to international attention with a failed attempt to extradite and try former Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet.