Germany seeks second fugitive suspect in U.S. terrorist attacks

WIRE: 09/21/2001 9:49 am ET


Germany seeks second fugitive suspect in U.S. terrorist attacks

The Associated Press



KARLSRUHE, Germany (AP) German authorities said Friday they are seeking a second fugitive suspect in their investigation into the terrorist attacks in the United States.
Arrest warrants were issued for Ramzi Binalshibh, 29, a Yemeni national, and Said Bahaji, 26, a German of Moroccan origin, Germany's chief prosecutor said. Bahaji had already been widely reported as a suspect.

Both are suspected of helping plot last week's attacks on New York and Washington together with three of the hijackers who lived in Germany, Federal Prosecutor Kay Nehm said.

He said they are being sought on charges of forming a terrorist organization and at least 5,000 counts of murder.

Both Binalshibh and Bahaji lived in Hamburg, the prosecutor's office said. Bahaji lived in the same apartment as Mohamed Atta, identified by the FBI as being on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center. Binalshibh was registered as living at the same address, the office said in a statement.

Bahaji and Binalshibh had prepared for the Sept. 11 attacks since at least 1999, prosecutors said in a written statement.

It said Bahaji left Germany in early September, flying via Turkey to Pakistan; and that Binalshibh was last seen in Hamburg in August.