Spanish judge accuses eight of taking part in Sept 11 attacks

A Spanish judge, has accused eight suspected Islamic terrorists, of playing a role in the September 11 attacks, and has ordered them to be held in prison.

In his jailing order, Judge Baltasar Garzon, said they were directly linked to the preparation and carrying out of the attacks.

He formally charged them with membership of al-Qaida, falsifying documents, robbery, arms possession, and as many terrorism crimes as there were victims on September 11.

Garzon said the charges were deduced from telephone conversations the group's leader, Syrian Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah, had before and after the attacks.

Entries in a diary, found in Germany also linked him to Mohammed Atta, one of the suspected suicide pilots.

The investigative magistrate sent the eight to prison shortly after more than 12 hours of questioning of 11 people detained on Tuesday.

Three were released without charges.

All but one were from Muslim countries although most had Spanish citizenship papers.

The judge issued international arrest orders for five other terrorist suspects.

The eight will remain in jail while Garzon prepares a case for trial against them, which Court officials say could take several years.