An alleged member of al-Qaeda, Sayed Tayib al-Madani (also Abu Fadhl al-Makkee,[1] Sidi Tayyib[2]) was said to have served on the initial Shura council of the group,[3] and to have been a financial overseer who had to approve any expenditure over $1000 while the group was organising itself in the Sudan.[4]
Early activity
editA veteran of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, al-Madani lost part of his lower leg during a battle.[5] He began running operations at Taba farms, where he sold sugar, palm oil and soap from approximately 1991.[6] By 1993, he was acting as the chief financial officer of al-Qaeda in the Sudan, and was noted instructing a member to travel through Baku, Azerbaijan to reach Chechnya to aid Ibn Khattab.[7]
According to the testimony of Jamal Fadl, who claimed to share a Bank Shmal account with al-Madani, al-Madani was involved in a 1993 pursuit of nuclear weapons for the organisation and claimed to have found a source for uranium and asked Fadl to pass on his requisition for $1.5 million.[6] Fadl also claimed that al-Madani had an account with Barclay's Bank in England.[6] Approximately two years later, he also arranged the transport of Mujahideen to support Ibn Khattab's arrival in Chechnya.[6]
Arrest
editIn May 1997, al-Madani turned himself in to Saudi authorities in 1997, and was subsequently arrested.[8] American efforts to interrogate him were rebuffed by the Saudis,[9] and he was pardoned the same year in exchange for his cooperation.[4][10] In September 1998, after al-Madani had already been released, Vice President Al Gore met with Crown Prince Abdullah, and again repeated the request for access.[9]
Some have suggested that he was thereafter targeted for assassination by the National Islamic Front.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Fox News reported that "the west" had recruited al-Madani post-1998.[11]
References
edit- ^ Jamal al-Fadl testimony, United States vs. Osama bin Laden et al., trial transcript, Day 2, Feb. 6, 2001
- ^ Davies, Hugh. Daily Telegraph, "Saudis detain member of anti-American terror group", August 2, 1997
- ^ A Second Look at the Saudis: Chapter 4
- ^ a b Risen, James (2006-01-05). State of War: The Secret History of the C.I.A. and the Bush Administration. Simon and Schuster. p. 181. ISBN 9780743297578.
- ^ Wadih El Hage to U.S. grand jury, Sept. 24, 1997
- ^ a b c d Trial Transcript, United States v. Usama bin Laden, et al. (February 7, 2001)
- ^ Fitzgerald, Patrick J. United States of America v. Enaam M. Arnaout, "Governments Evidentiary Proffer Supporting the Admissibility of Co-Conspirator Statements", before Hon. Suzanne B. Conlon
- ^ 9/11 Commission Report, p. 68
- ^ a b 9/11 Commission Report, p. 122
- ^ Abu-Nasr, Donna. Associated Press, "Bin Laden aims to rid 'infidels'", September 15, 2001
- ^ Fox News, An Elusive Warlord's Deadly Sleepers, September 17, 2001