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Spain: Al Jazeera journalist back in prison

01 November 2004

Tayseer Alouni, a correspondent in Spain for the Qatari television station Al Jazeera, and nine others accused of belonging to a Spanish-based al-Qaeda cell, were detained in preventative custody on 19 November 2004 on orders from the prosecuting magistrate Pedro Rubira, who deemed that there was a high risk that they may flee before their trial. Four other suspects have had the charges against them dropped due to lack of evidence. The accused were placed in preventative custody because of the seriousness of the charges against them, "membership of a terrorist organisation of an Islamist nature", and because the investigation process is over and a trial imminent "which is why the risk of an escape increases for these types of crime, especially when the charges regard a terrorist organisation that has sufficient mechanisms [in place] to prevent their militants from being at the disposal of the justice system, and thus preventing them from being tried". All of the accused claim that they had no intention of fleeing and that they are innocent. They have social and family links in Spain, where most of them have already been living for 20 years. Alouni and another of the accused, Jamal Hussein, also have health problems that may worsen in prison. In fact, Alouni, who was arrested on 11 September 2003, was subsequently released on 23 October 2003 (see Statewatch Vol. 13 nos 5 & 6) as a result of his heart condition. His lawyer also has documents to show that he is suffering from a depression.

El País, 20.11.04.