JURIST - Paper Chase: Spain authorities charge Russian nationals with terrorism

[JURIST] A judge in Spain on Sunday charged two Russian nationals with possession of explosives and membership in a terrorist organization, after they were arrested last week on suspicion of plotting an attack. Spanish authorities reportedly suspect [BBC report] that the two are members of al Qaeda [JURIST news archive]. They were arrested in Spain last week along with a Turkish national, and Spanish authorities have said they believed the three men were plotting an attack in Spain or another part of Europe. The Turkish suspect was charged on Friday with possession of explosives, and Spanish police last week were given an additional 48 hours to present evidence against the two Russian nationals. The two men will remain in custody until the proceedings begin.

Authorities around the world have been tracking down members and supporters of the al Qaeda and other terrorists groups. Last month, French authorities announced [JURIST report] that they arrested a suspected terrorist who was born in Tunisia in 1977 and resided in the French city of Toulon and allegedly has ties to al Qaeda. In June a New York native and terrorism suspect pleaded guilty [JURIST report] to charges that he provided the al Qaeda with money and computer assistance. In February Egyptian authorities reportedly arrested [JURIST report] a former al Qaeda military commander at an airport in Cairo. Saif al-Adel was detained upon his arrival after noticing that his name appeared on the passenger list on a flight from Pakistan. During the same month, a judge for the US District Court for the Western District of Kentucky allowed [JURIST report] certain secret evidence to be used against a suspect who was charged with attempting to provide material support to terrorists and terrorist organizations and conspiracy to transfer weapons to terrorist organizations, specifically al Qaeda.