July 7th People's Independent Inquiry Forum -> Mohammed al-Ghabra

Mohammed al-Ghabra, Fixer for 21/7 plot

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numeral

Posted: Jul 15 2007, 08:25 AM

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Joined: 4-December 05

QUOTE

Fixer for 21/7 plot free in London

David Leppard

A SUSPECTED Al-Qaeda operative who is believed by MI5 to have played a key role in the events leading up to the July 21 failed bombings is at liberty and living in east London.

Mohammed al-Ghabra, a 27-year-old Syrian who has been given British citizenship, is said by security sources to have arranged for the leader of the failed 21/7 London suicide attacks to travel to Pakistan for terrorist training.

The sources said al-Ghabra instructed a second terrorist suspect to facilitate a four-month trip to Pakistan by Muktar Said Ibrahim, the leader of the July 21 gang.

Ibrahim learnt how to make bombs while in Pakistan. Four months later, he deployed his training in a bid to kill dozens of people on three London Tube trains and a bus.

Al-Ghabra � who last year was accused by the British and American financial authorities of association with terrorism � lives with his mother and sister in a maisonette in a cul-de-sac in Forest Gate, east London. He is unemployed and regularly attends the local mosque on Romford Road.

Patrick Mercer, the Tory MP and security expert, said: �It is extraordinary that a man who is alleged to be central to a mass murder plot is still at liberty. How can this be?�

Last week Ibrahim and three other bombers were convicted of conspiracy to murder at Woolwich crown court. The judge, Mr Justice Fulford QC, sentenced the gang to life imprisonment with a minimum of 40 years each. He said they would have murdered at least 50 people and injured hundreds more if their plot had succeeded.

After the court case, it emerged that in December 2004 Ibrahim was followed to Heathrow airport by 10 MI5 undercover agents. The MI5 team was tailing the man driving him, Rauf Mohammed, an Iraqi taxi driver who was suspected of working with al-Ghabra in helping radical British Muslims travel to Iraq to fight against British and American troops.

Ibrahim and two other passengers were in the car. A well-placed source said: �MI5 judged they were going to take part in holy war activities in Pakistan. It was thought this might include going to terrorist training camps.�

The source added: �We knew the journey was arranged by Rauf Mohammed, acting on the instructions of Mohammed al-Ghabra.�

The connection with Rauf Mohammed (who was later charged and acquitted of terrorism offences) led Ibrahim and his travelling companions to be questioned by Special Branch before they boarded their flight.

They were found to be carrying thousands of pounds in cash, a military first-aid kit and a ballistics manual. Nonetheless, MI5 allowed Ibrahim to travel to Pakistan. There he was trained by Al-Qaeda to make explosives and groomed to become a suicide bomber.

Despite his known links to Rauf Mohammed, Ibrahim was not stopped, searched or questioned by police when he returned to Heathrow on March 8, 2005.

The lack of surveillance made it possible for Ibrahim to recruit three other would-be suicide bombers to make unobserved bulk purchases of hydrogen peroxide, used to manufacture the bombs.

Security sources have confirmed that they were alerted to Ibrahim�s return to the country. But they said he was not then classified by MI5 as a priority target.

One source said: �He was regarded as a low-key follower. He wasn�t forgotten. But the intelligence on him was not as worrying as it was on a whole host of others who were being watched at full tilt.�

The decision, according to sources, was based on an assessment by the Pakistanis � who had been asked to track Ibrahim � that he did not pose a terrorist threat.

David Davis, the shadow home secretary, said yesterday: �It is simply extraordinary that the security service did not either prevent Ibrahim travelling abroad or put him under close surveillance when he returned. This is the third occasion in which the security services have failed to identify terrorists before they carried out their attacks.�

Speaking of al-Ghabra�s alleged role, Davis added: �It is also extraordinary, if true, that a prime facilitator of terrorist activity has neither been arrested or charged and is still at large.�

Al-Ghabra said last week: �I am not going to say anything. I say no comment.

My battle is through the courts and I refuse to be tried by the media.�

He was referring to allegations made against him last December when the British Treasury wrote to him saying it had �reasonable grounds for suspecting that you are, or may be, a person who facilitates the commission of acts of terrorism�.

In a statement issued at the time, it said: �Al-Ghabra has organised travel to Pakistan for individuals seeking to meet with senior Al-Qaeda individuals and to undertake jihad training. Several of these individuals have returned to the UK to engage in covert activity on behalf of Al-Qaeda.

�Additionally, al-Ghabra has provided material support and facilitated the travel

of UK-based individuals to Iraq to support the insurgents� fight against coalition forces.�

The Treasury claimed it had information showing he had undertaken jihadi training at a terrorist camp in Kashmir.

The US Treasury froze his bank accounts, saying it was �designating� al-Ghabra as someone �who provides material and logistical support to Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations�.

Al-Ghabra said when these allegations were made: �If I am a money-maker and this is why they have decided to put the sanctions against me, how could I have so many financial problems myself?�

He denied that he played any role in the so-called pipeline of young Muslim men that were travelling to fight with the insurgents in Iraq.

He said MI5 had repeatedly accused him in interviews with his friends of being a terrorist money man.

�I don�t have the capability of supporting anyone financially, barely myself. If anyone has the evidence, please show it to me. I am not the banker.�

Four years ago, al-Ghabra was charged with fraud and possession of a document or record that could be useful to terrorism. He spent nine months on remand before being acquitted in July 2004.

Additional reporting: Robert Booth

amirrortotheenemy	Posted: Jul 15 2007, 01:27 PM
Group: J7 Forum Team Posts: 4,027 Member No.: 235 Joined: 6-November 06	Mohammed Al Ghabra is a trustee of the Al Ikhlas Foundation (aka Muslim Prisoners Support Group) that interestingly enough has it's area of operations in Thailand as well as England and Wales.

Bridget	Posted: Jul 15 2007, 11:22 PM
Group: J7 Admins Posts: 10,530 Member No.: 2 Joined: 26-November 05	What a small world. There's a post on this thread about his known association with none other than Haroon Rashid Aswat.

Bridget

Posted: Jul 15 2007, 11:38 PM

Group: J7 Admins
Posts: 10,530
Member No.: 2
Joined: 26-November 05

From the Bank of England website:

QUOTE

News Release
Financial Sanctions: Terrorist Financing & Al-Qa'ida and the Taliban

21 December 2006

This news release is issued in respect of the financial measures taken against Al-Qa'ida and the Taliban, and terrorism.

The Bank of England, as agent for Her Majesty's Treasury, issues this news release to advise that on 12 December 2006 the United Nations Sanctions Committee approved the addition of Mohammed Al Ghabra to the UN Consolidated List maintained under Resolution 1390 (2002). The individual therefore falls within the UK financial sanctions regime under the Al-Qaida and Taliban (United Nations Measures) Order 2006.

The direction given by the Treasury under Article 4 of the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 in respect of the same individual, Mohammed Al Ghabra, remains in force and the Bank of England, as agent for Her Majesty's Treasury, has today issued a revised Notice containing additional identifying information in relation to Mohammed Al Ghabra.

The amendment to the identifying information is set out below.

AMENDMENT
(Additional information shown in italics)

1. AL GHABRA, Mohammed
DOB: 1 June 1980
POB: Damascus, Syria
a.k.a: ADAM, Danial
Nationality: British
Passport Details: 094629366 (British)
Address: East London, United Kingdom

The additional information will be added to the consolidated list which is maintained on the Financial Sanctions pages.

Financial institutions and other persons are requested to check whether they maintain any accounts or otherwise hold any funds or economic resources for the individual named above and, if so, they should freeze the accounts or other funds and report their findings to the Bank of England.

The Bank's Notice and news release dated 13 December 2006 advised of a Treasury Direction given under Article 4 of the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2657) in relation to Mohammed Al Ghabra. Previous Notices and news releases related to Terrorism, Al-Qa'ida and the Taliban and a consolidated list of individuals and entities subject to these and other UK financial sanctions regimes are available from the Financial Sanctions pages.
Key Resources

Bank of England Notice
Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/2657)
General Notice of an Article 4 Direction
Download PDF (23k),
13 December 2006 (revised 21 December 2006)
[Back to the top] Back to 2006

The US Treasury Dept press release is dated 2 days prior to the B of E's.

QUOTE

December 19, 2006
HP-206

Treasury Designates Individual Supporting Al Qaida, Other Terrorist Organizations

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Mohammed Al Ghabra, a naturalized British citizen who provides material and logistical support to al Qaida and other terrorist organizations.

"Mohammed Al Ghabra has backed al Qaida and other violent jihadist groups, facilitating travel for recruits seeking to meet with al Qaida leaders and take part in terrorist training," said Adam Szubin, Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). "We must act against those who fund and facilitate al Qaida's agenda of violence against innocents."

Al Ghabra has organized travel to Pakistan for individuals seeking to meet with senior al Qaida individuals and to undertake jihad training. Several of these individuals have returned to the UK to engage in covert activity on behalf of al Qaida. Additionally, Al Ghabra has provided material support and facilitated the travel of UK-based individuals to Iraq to support the insurgents fight against coalition forces.

In addition, Al Ghabra has also provided material and logistical support to other terrorist organizations based in Pakistan, such as Harakat ul-Jihad-I-Islami (HUJI). While in Pakistan, Al Ghabra met with Haroon Rachid Aswat, who is currently detained in the U.K. and subject to a U.S. extradition request on terrorism charges.

Apart from the financial and logistical support activities that led to his designation, Al Ghabra maintains contact with a significant number of terrorists, including senior al Qaida officials in Pakistan. In 2002, Al Ghabra met with and stayed at the home of Faraj Al-Libi, who, until he was detained by Pakistani authorities in 2005, served as al Qaida's Director of Operations. Al Ghabra is also in regular contact with UK-based Islamist extremists and has been involved in the radicalizing of individuals in the UK through the distribution of extremist media.

Al Ghabra also has strong links to the Kashmiri militant group Harakat Ul-Mujahidin (HuM), which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations. Information shows that Al Ghabra himself has undertaken jihadi training at a HuM training camp in Kashmir. Al Ghabra intended to fight in Kashmir but was prevented from doing so by HuM as they needed individuals to return to the UK to raise funds.

Identifier Information
Mohammed Al Ghabra
DOB: June 1, 1980
POB: Damascus, Syria
Nationality: British
U.K. Passport: 094629366
Address: East London
United Kingdom (UK)

Mohammed Al Ghabra was designated today pursuant to Executive Order 13224, which is aimed at financially isolating terrorists, terrorist facilitators, and financiers. This designation freezes any assets Al Ghabra may have under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits all financial and commercial transactions by any U.S. person and Al Ghabra.

This post has been edited by Bridget on Jul 15 2007, 11:41 PM

Bridget

Posted: Jul 15 2007, 11:46 PM

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Posts: 10,530
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Joined: 26-November 05

QUOTE

al-Ghabra, Mohammed

Aliases: No known aliases
Group: al-Qaeda
Role: Member (Alleged)

Current Location: London, United Kingdom

Biography: Born in Syria in 1980, UK-national Mohammed al-Ghabra was designated a terrorist by the United States Government in December 2006. His assets in the US and UK have been frozen.

In 2004, al-Ghabra spent 9 months in a high-security prison in south London, charged with fraud and possession of a document or record that could be useful to terrorism. He was released after he was acquitted in a British court.

According to the United States Treasury Department, al-Ghabra has ties to several terrorist entities and groups, including al-Qaeda, Harakat ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HUJI), and Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM). Reportedly, he has met with senior al-Qaeda leaders and was known to have lived with al-Qaeda operations director Faraj al-Libi in Pakistan.

The US Government asserts that al-Ghabra�s main contribution to the jihadi cause has been through financial and logistical support, aiding recruits with travel to training camps and meetings with senior al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan and circulating jihadi propaganda. He is accused of helping UK nationals travel to Iraq to participate in the Iraqi insurgency. Additionally, al-Ghabra has allegedly received terrorist training at a Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM) camp in Kashmir but is not known to have participated directly in terrorist operations.

An active member of Muslim Prisoner Support, a rights advocacy group, al-Ghabra also supports the views of Respect, an anti-war party headed by former Labour MP George Galloway. He maintains that he has no ties to terrorism and that his anti-war views are as radical as those of �any ordinary� Muslim. Al-Ghabra currently lives with his mother and sister in East London.

useful database

it would be interesting to know exactly when al-Ghabra was in custody.

Bridget

Posted: Jul 15 2007, 11:50 PM

Group: J7 Admins
Posts: 10,530
Member No.: 2
Joined: 26-November 05

QUOTE

The most poignant message came from Muhammad al Ghabra who had spent 9 months behind HMP Belmarsh walls, without any charge and only to be released having been cleared by all 12 members of the Jury. His message called upon Muslims not to forget their brothers and sisters in prison, who were experiencing Ramadan in solitude. He also highlighted the need for Muslims not to fear the UK authorities and to get involved in campaign work to release Muslim prisoners.

Muslim Prisoners Support Group website

justthefacts

Posted: Jul 16 2007, 12:37 AM

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Joined: 5-July 07

QUOTE (Bridget @ Jul 15 2007, 11:38 PM)

1. AL GHABRA, Mohammed
DOB: 1 June 1980
POB: Damascus, Syria
a.k.a: ADAM, Danial
Nationality: British
Passport Details: 094629366 (British)
Address: East London, United Kingdom

"In an undercover operation in late 1994, 1,262 Syrian Jews were brought to Israel. The spiritual leader of the Syrian Jewish community for 25 years, Rabbi Avraham Hamra, was among those who left Syria and went to New York (he now lives in Israel). Syria had granted exit visas on condition that the Jews not go to Israel."

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsourc...syrianjews.html

Could that be when he got his British passport?

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