Saudi businessman suspected of financing bin Laden

Turkey's government has frozen financial assets belonging to a Saudi businessman suspected of providing financial support to Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, according to reports.

The Saudi's lawyer insisted his client had no connection to bin Laden.

Tax inspectors have ordered Yasin al-Qadi's controlling shares in two Istanbul-based companies to be frozen pending further investigation.

It follows the discovery that the two firms owed 3 trillion lira (stg£1.05m) in unpaid taxes, according to reports.

Government officials were unavailable to confirm the report.

Aydin Cosar, a lawyer for al-Qadi, said they had not received any official notification that the assets had been frozen, and added that they would likely appeal any an order if they were notified.

"There is absolutely no evidence that Yasin al-Qadi has any connection with Osama bin Laden," Cosar said.

One of the two companies controlled by al-Qadi was a construction and trading firm, and the other was a film company.

Al-Qadi's assets in the United States and Britain have already been frozen, after he was named on a list released by the US Treasury of 39 people and groups suspected of providing financial assistance to bin Laden's al-Qaida network.

Al-Qadi formerly headed the Saudi-based Muwafaq ("Blessed Relief") Foundation, which US officials said was a front for transferring millions of dollars from wealthy Saudi businessmen to bin Laden and his al-Qaida network.

Al-Qadi, a resident of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has denied any connection to bin Laden, and has launched an appeal against the British court order freezing his assets there.