Baltasar Garzon,
who investigates "terrorism linked to Islamic fundamenatlism"
,
told
El Periodico that although Iran's al-Qaida cell did not necessarily issue orders, it did coordinate operations.
He said: "Currently there is coordination, a series of objectives clearly
established (by al-Qaida), but there is no need for an order for an
act to be executed ... It's diffused terrorism."
Garzon issued an
international arrest warrant last September for
Usama bin Ladin in the framework of an
inquiry into a Spanish al-Qaida cell.
He also hit the headlines in Spain this week as the presiding
judge in the case against a Spanish al-Qaida suspect, extradited from
the US prison at the Guantanamo naval base in Cuba.
|
"Currently there is coordination, a series of objectives clearly established (by al-Qaida), but there is no need for an order for an act to be executed ... It's diffused terrorism"
Judge Baltasar Garzon |
Iranian denials
Although Iran has admitted it is detaining al-Qaida suspects, it denies allowing the network to operate from its territory.
Tehran said last December it had arrested 130 suspected members of al-Qaida and was ready to extradite some of them.
President Muhammad Khatami said: "those who have committed crimes in Iran will be judged in Iran and the others will be extradited to their country of origin ...
"There is no place for al-Qaida, no place for any terrorist, for those who act against peace in the world."
Khatami added al-Qaida was "very hostile" to the Iranian government.