U.S. seeking access to al-Qaida suspect in Spanish custody

Associated Press WriterMADRID, Spain (AP) -- Faced with Spain's refusal to extradite suspects held in connection with Sept. 11, a senior U.S. official arrived Monday seeking access to eight detainees and suggested U.S. investigators wanted to interrogate them on Spanish soil.

"Obviously, we need to recognize sovereignty issues," said Jimmy Gurule, the U.S. Treasury undersecretary for enforcement.

But Gurule, who is in Spain as part of his investigation into the financing behind the attacks, said he would try to find out "where there is flexibility and where there is authority to share ... information. We really want to push the envelope as far as we possibly can."

Spanish authorities have made some of the most significant arrests since Sept. 11, including eight suspects charged with direct involvement in planning the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

But Spanish law prohibits extradition to places where suspects could face the death penalty or a military tribunal, which Spain, like many European nations, believes would not provide a suspect with a fair trial.

Nevertheless, the evidence made public so far suggests the eight suspects might be more valuable to U.S. authorities for the information they can provide on al-Qaida financing than they would be behind bars in the United States.

"The United States is interested in any evidence pertaining to terrorist financing involving the eight defendants who have been detained in Spain," Gurule said at a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Madrid. "I'm anxious to sit down with Spanish authorities and learn as much as I can about the al-Qaida-related defendants."

Syrian-born Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas and seven other alleged members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network were arrested last month on charges of membership in a terrorist organization.

According to police, Yarkas and at least one other man in Spanish custody knew the intended targets of the Sept. 11 attacks. Yarkas allegedly took orders from one of bin Laden's most senior deputies and made frequent trips across Europe to raise funds and recruit for al-Qaida.

Gurule, a former federal drug prosecutor, said he was particularly interested in indications that "Madrid was serving as a logistical base for the movement of money prior to 9/11."

He said 139 foreign countries have blocked $34 million in terrorist assets, in addition to $33 million frozen in the United States.

"There was some criticism very early on in our effort that it was going to be impossible to trace the money," Gurule said. "We have disproved that myth. We've been very successful in uncovering those schemes," he said.

Gurule was to meet later with Spanish Attorney-General Jesus Cardenal and officials at the economy and foreign ministries before flying to France and Britain as part of his European trip.

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On the Net:

White House site on financial steps in war against terrorism: http://www.whitehouse.gov/response/financialresponse.html

Spanish government anti-terrorism site, http://www.mir.es/oris/index.htm