Seattle man arrested over alleged links to al-Qaida

A man in the US who recently lived in London has been arrested over suspected links to al-Qaida.

James Ujaama was picked up by FBI agents from his aunt's home in Denver.

His brother, Mustafa, was also briefly detained.

They are well known in Seattle, where community leaders have applauded their work against drugs and prostitution.

Both were born in the US as James Ernest Thompson and Jon Thompson.

In a statement last week, Mustafa Ujaama said allegations against him and his brother are "utterly ridiculous". He said neither he nor his brother is a terrorist.

Investigators believe James Ujaama took computers to the Taliban in Afghanistan and worked on a British website advertising the "Ultimate Jihad Challenge," a paramilitary training course in the US.

British authorities shut down the site after the September 11 attacks.

James Ujaama also runs a Website called stopamerica.org, which opposes US foreign policy.

John Hartingh, a spokesman for the US attorney's office in Seattle, refused to comment when asked about the arrest. Ray Lauer, a spokesman for the FBI in Seattle, also refused to comment.