Germany: Al-Qaida assigned Siddiqui, Makanesi with “destroying the financial and economic systems of Europe”

Ahmad Wali Siddiqui

KOBLENZ, Germany (JPost) – The third week of hearings to determine if Ahmad Wali Siddiqui, a German-Afghani, participated as a member of the terror groups al-Qaeda and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan unfolded on Monday and Tuesday. The proceedings shed light on planned attacks to decimate and undermine Europe’s economy in the fall of 2010 and strong ties between Iran and senior al- Qaida officials.

Convicted German Islamist Rami Makanesi appeared on Monday at the trial, but refused to testify about his role in terror activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as slated bombing plans in Europe. A Frankfurt court convicted the broad shouldered and stocky Makanesi last year for his membership in al-Qaeda, and sentenced him to nearly five years in prison.

According to a federal prosecutor at the trial, Makanesi “was the only source of information” about the campaign to destroy Europe’s economic infrastructure in 2010.

Al-Qaida assigned Siddiqui and Makanesi to return to Europe with the aim of “destroying the financial and economic systems of Europe,” according to testimony at the hearing on Tuesday. The proceeding on Tuesday revealed a window into al-Qaida’s strategy to drain Germany’s economy of resources. Testifying on Tuesday, a federal prosecutor, who interrogated Makanesi, said the terror group sought to increase security measures to “damage the economy.”

More...