Al-Qaida suspects go on trial in Netherlands

Four men believed linked to al-Qaida today go on trial in the Netherlands accused of plotting attacks on US targets across Europe.

Two Algerians, a Frenchman and a Dutchman have been accused of running a terrorist support network out of a Rotterdam apartment to assist in strikes against the US Embassy in Paris and a military base in Belgium where munitions are stored.

Today, prosecutors will present their full case for the first time since three of the four men were arrested on September 13, 2001 – two days after the terrorist attacks in the US.

The evidence will include statements from the defendants and interviews with suspects in other cases abroad, prosecution spokeswoman Pollyan Spoon said yesterday.

The alleged Dutch cell was uncovered as police carried out a Europe-wide sweep following the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

Three times, judges have extended the pretrial custody of Frenchman Jerome Courtailler, said to be the group’s leader, and Algerian Abdelghani Rabia. Another Algerian, Amine Mezbar, was extradited to the Netherlands in July.

The fourth defendant, a Dutchman of Ethiopian origin named Saaid Ibrahim, was released early this year because of insufficient evidence, but still faces charges.

Ms Spoon said judges would consider the admissibility of reports from the Dutch intelligence service.

All four suspects and their lawyers were expected to be at the hearings, scheduled to run through to Wednesday.

While prosecutors say they have substantial evidence linking the men to terrorist plots, they will be tried under pre-September 11 laws that do not address terrorism. If convicted, they will receive shorter prison terms than if they had been tried under new legislation.

Searches of the men’s apartment turned up stolen passports, videotapes of Osama bin Laden, manuals on explosives and land mines, and equipment often used to falsify documents.

At a hearing in September, lead trial prosecutor Theo D’Anjou said the men had given depositions revealing plans to strike at the military base in Belgium.

The Dutch cell allegedly worked in concert with Nizar Trabelsi, a Tunisian soccer player believed to have been the designated suicide bomber for the Paris attack, who was arrested on the same day in Belgium. In a radio interview from prison, Trabelsi admitted his role in the plot.

Prosecutors say that in addition to the Paris embassy, the group targeted the Kleine-Brogel military base in north east Belgium, where about 100 US Air Force personnel are stationed. Environmental groups claim the munitions dump also stores 26 B61 free-fall nuclear bombs.

Two other trials are due to start in the Netherlands in coming months involving 10 more suspects accused of terrorist activity.