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American Muslim arrested in Spanish al-Qaeda probe

Posted on September 30, 2010
by creepingsharia

via CBC News – World – Spain al-Qaeda probe snares U.S. man.

Spanish police have arrested a U.S. citizen on suspicion of sending money to al-Qaeda’s affiliate in North Africa.

This photo released by the Spanish Interior Ministry, shows Mohamed Omar Debhi, 43, a U.S. citizen of Algerian origin. This photo released by the Spanish Interior Ministry, shows Mohamed Omar Debhi, 43, a U.S. citizen of Algerian origin. (Spanish Interior Ministry/Associated Press)The Spanish Interior Ministry said Mohamed Omar Debhi, 43, an American of Algerian descent, was arrested Tuesday in Esplugues de Llobregat near Barcelona.

He is suspected of money laundering and passing some of the cash on to another man in Algeria, where it would go on to cells linked to al-Qaeda.

The Spanish government said more than $80,000 US was sent to Toufik Mizi in Algeria.

Mizi is being sought by Spain after avoiding arrest in 2008. He fled the country when police broke up a cell suspected of recruiting and providing support for al-Qaeda in North Africa.

The U.S. Embassy in Spain did not comment on the arrest.

A Spanish government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the arrest was not related to terrorism-related alerts issued this week in France and Britain

AP reports he lived in Texas:

The Interior Ministry official said Debhi at one point lived in Texas in a town with the postal code 77450. That corresponds to the town of Katy, near Houston. The ministry had no immediate information on when Debhi obtained U.S. citizenship, the official said.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Jeffrey Galvin said he had no immediate comment on the arrest.

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