Pak hunts for a German Al-Qaeda member

LAHORE: The Pakistani intelligence agencies have been asked to look out for an Al-Qaeda-linked German national, Saeed Bahaji, wanted by the British authorities in connection with the recently busted plot to bomb ten US-bound transatlantic airplanes.

According to intelligence sources, Bahaji, an Internet expert, is already a fugitive in the 9/11 terror attacks. Information provided to the Pakistani agencies by their British counterparts shows that Bahaji is basically a Moroccan German who was a member of Al-Qaeda’s sleeper cell in Hamburg, who fled to Pakistan a week before the 9/11 attacks.

Intelligence information shows that Bahaji’s name struck when the British authorities were probing the diversion of charity funds from Britain to several Islamic charities in Pakistan. The information shows that the UK-based Crescent Relief, had a connection to the family of Rashid Rauf, arrested in Pakistan and alleged to be a key plotter. The charity was incorporated in 2000, and its founding directors included businessman Abdul Rauf, the father of the Rashid.

Saeed, one of the 24 suspects arrested in England, had communicated in 2005 with Bahaji through e-mails to his wife, Nese. Bahaji is one of the few surviving members of Al-Qaeda who has successfully avoided arrest, despite his being a most wanted fugitive on account of two reasons — being the room mate of Mohammad Atta, the lead hijacker of the 9/11 attacks, and Ramzi Binalshibh, a coordinator of the attacks, already arrested from Pakistan.