August 1, 2005
JS-2668
Treasury Designates Three Individuals Linked to Al Qaida Terror
Cell in Italy
The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated three individuals residing in Italy pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for providing financial and/or material support to the Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, a group tied to al Qaida.
"Today's action targets individuals operating an al Qaida-linked terrorist cell in Italy that recruited combatants, raised funds for terrorist activities and even planned terrorist attacks," said Stuart Levey, the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI). "We will continue to stand with Italy and our other allies around the world to attack the financing of terrorism."
Ahmed El Bouhali, Faycal Boughanemi and Abdelkader Laagoub are members of a fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organization established in Cremona, Italy in 1998 with the aim of committing terrorist attacks in Italy and other countries, including Morocco and Tunisia.
Information available to the U.S. Government shows the Cremona organization has contacts with al Qaida and Ansar Al Islam cells operating in Italy and abroad. Additionally, the group has ties to the extremist organization, Moroccan Islamic Combatant Group, which was designated by the United States on November 22, 2002 under E.O. 13224.
Mourad Trabelsi and Noureddine Drissi are members of the Cremona terrorist cell and have been designated by the United States. Notably Trabelsi headed the group until April 2003, when both he and Drissi were arrested.
Investigations by Italian authorities have produced evidence that the Cremona terrorist organization recruited volunteers for paramilitary training, collected funds for terrorism, and planned terrorist attacks.
Identifying Information
Ahmed El Bouhali
AKA: El Bouhali
DOB: 31 May 1963
POB: Sidi Kacem, Morocco
Nationality: Moroccan
Address: vicolo S. Rocco, n. 10 – Casalbuttano
Cremona – Italy
El Bouhali was investigated and prosecuted by Italian authorities for participating in a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist activities. El Bouhali formed the Cremona cell in 1998 and headed it until summer 2001, together with Mourad Trabelsi and Abdelkader Laagoub.
Italian investigators confiscated instruction manuals on paramilitary activities belonging to El Bouhali, which included information on constructing weapons, bombs and instruments for detecting government communications. In addition, leaflets on clandestine Islamic organizations and videotapes containing Bin Laden's and other terrorist leaders' messages inciting violence were found. These materials were used by El Bouhali to recruit people for terrorist activities in Iraq.
Faycal Boughanemi
AKA: Faical Boughanemi
DOB: 28 October 1966
POB: Tunis, Tunisia
Nationality: Tunisian
Address: viale Cambonino, 5/B
Cremona – Italy
Boughanemi was investigated and prosecuted by Italian authorities for participating in a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist activities; he is in Italian custody. He was a member of the Cremona cell from minimally 2002 – 2004.
Bouganemi helped to plan and recruit individuals for terrorist attacks in Tunisia. In addition, he conspired to carry out terrorist attacks in Italy, namely in Cremona's Cathedral and Milan's Underground, in response to "Italy's foreign policy."
In addition, Boughanemi provided legal assistance to Trabelsi Mourad and his family.
Abdelkader Laagoub
DOB: 23 April 1966
POB: Casablanca, Morocco
Nationality: Moroccan
Address: via Europe, 4 – Paderno Ponchielli
Cremona – Italy
Laagoub was investigated and prosecuted by Italian authorities for participating in a criminal conspiracy to commit terrorist activities; he is in Italian custody. Laagoub helped form the Cremona cell in 1998, and headed it until February 2004, together with El Bouhali and Trabelsi Mourad.
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