AN ENDURING THREAT: EUROPE’S ISLAMIST TERROR NETWORKS THEN AND NOW Criminal history: 879 Dealt drugs while living in Milan in the 1990s. Convicted of “criminal association with 880 a terrorist enterprise” in December 2004. Extradited to Italy in connection with arms/explosives 881 882 trafficking, aiding illegal immigration and receiving stolen goods and released in 2007. Known to the authorities: Designated as involved in logistical support or terrorism in the US in August 883 2002 following his arrest in connection to the Strasbourg plot. Networks and associates: -! The ‘Frankfurt Cell’: Mohamed Bensakhria, Slimane Khalfaoui, Rabah Kadre, Yacine Aknouche, Abdelkader Tcharek, Merouane Berrahal, Laurent Mourad Djoumakh, Samir Korchi, Nicolas Belloni [Convicted alongside as members of the ‘Frankfurt cell’ in December 884 2004]; Fouhad Sabour, Lamine Maroni, Salim Boukhari, Aeroubi Beandali [‘Frankfurt cell’ 885 members convicted in March 2003]. ABDELKADER TCHAREK Role: 886 Providedlogistical support to leader Mohammed Bensakhria and convicted of involvement in the 887 plot to bomb Strasbourg Christmas market. Bio: An Algerian arrested with five other Algerians in Strasbourg in November 2001 before being transferred to Paris over allegations that he had provided logistical support to Strasbourg plot leader Mohammed Bensakhria. Tcharek was also accused of having violated immigration procedures and 888 utilising false documents for terrorist purposes. He was convicted of “criminal association with a terrorist 889 enterprise” in December 2004 and sentenced to two and a half years in prison, with an 18 month 890 suspension. Foreign training/combat: Unclear Movements: Unclear Criminal history: 891 Convicted of “criminal association with a terrorist enterprise” in December 2004. Known to the authorities: Unclear ! ! 879‘Tunisian May Hold Key to Guantanamo Trials’, CBS News, 13 November 2009. 880 ‘Jail for Strasbourg bomb plotters’, BBC News, 16 December 2004. 881 ‘The United States and Italy Designate Twenty-Five New Financiers of Terror’, US Department of the Treasury Press Release, 29 August 2002, available at: https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/po3380.aspx, last visited: 9 August 2016. 882 ‘Security Council Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee Deletes Six Individuals from Its Sanctions List’, United Nations Security Council Press Release, 30 April 2015. 883 ‘The United States and Italy Designate Twenty-Five New Financiers of Terror’, US Department of the Treasury Press Release, 29 August 2002. 884 ‘French court convicts group in Strasbourg Christmas market bomb’, Agence France Presse, 16 December 2004. 885 Boyes, R., ‘Algerians jailed for Christmas bomb plot’, The Times, 11 March 2003; and Tremlett, G, ‘Spanish police arrest Bin Laden suspect’, Guardian, 23 June 2001. 886 ‘Algerian faces charges of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts’, Agence France Presse, 14 November 2001. 887 ‘French court convicts group in Strasbourg Christmas market bomb trial’, Agence France Presse, 16 December 2004. 888 ‘Algerian faces charges of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts’, Agence France Presse, 14 November 2001. 889 ‘Jail for Strasbourg bomb plotters’, BBC News, 16 December 2004. 890 ‘French court convicts group in Strasbourg Christmas market bomb trial’, Agence France Presse, 16 December 2004. 891 ‘Jail for Strasbourg bomb plotters’, BBC News, 16 December 2004. ! ! 71 !