9/11 link to militant in Europe terror alert

HAMBURG, Germany — The Islamic militant whose disclosures under U.S. interrogation in Afghanistan triggered Europe's terror alert is an old friend of a man convicted in the 9/11 attacks and, as the strikes were being planned, frequented the same mosque where the Hamburg-based plotters often met, officials say.

Hamburg security officials in August shuttered the Taiba mosque, known until two years ago as al-Quds, because of fears it was becoming a magnet for homegrown extremists who, unlike foreigners, could not be expelled from the country.

Ahmad Wali Siddiqui, a 36-year-old German of Afghan descent arrested by the U.S. military in July in Afghanistan has emerged as the latest link between Germany and al-Qaida's worldwide terror campaign. Siddiqui is believed to have been part of the Hamburg militant scene that also included key 9/11 plotters.

Intelligence officials say he was a friend of Mounir el Motassadeq, who was convicted by a German court in 2006 of being an accessory to the murder of the 246 passengers and crew on the four jetliners used in the 2001 terrorist attacks, and also frequented the al-Quds mosque.

Motassadeq was found to have aided suicide hijackers Mohamed Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi and Ziad Jarrah by helping them keep up the appearance of being regular university students — paying their tuition and rent — though it was never established whether he knew of the planned timing, dimension or targets of the attacks.

"Siddiqui is a long-term member who has been a friend of Motassadeq since 1997," said a senior intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

U.S. officials say Siddiqui provided details on the alleged al-Qaida-linked plots against European capitals that prompted Washington to issue a travel alert for Europe over the weekend, followed by other countries such as Japan that issued similar warnings.

The suspected plot is believed to have involved plans for coordinated Mumbai-style attacks in European capitals — and prompted authorities to heighten surveillance at iconic sites such as London's Buckingham Palace or Paris' Eiffel Tower.

However, German officials including Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere warned against being "alarmist" and stressed there currently are no concrete indications of an imminent attack.

Siddiqui left Hamburg in March 2009 together with a group of 10 other jihadis known to German intelligence officials as the "The Tourist Group" to seek paramilitary training at a terror camp in Pakistan's lawless border region with Afghanistan, German authorities.