IMAD EDDIN BARAKAT YARKAS

by david March 14, 2007 · 'World Trade Center' / Europe / Spain

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Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, also known as Abu Dahdah, was born in Syria in 1963, a father of 6 children. He was a member of the Syrian Muslims Brotherhood and fled Syria to Spain in 1986. Imad Yarkas fought, in the early 90s’, in the 7 Mujahideen Brigade in Zenica, Bosnia, where an Arab battalion, led by Abdelkader Mokhtari, fought in support of the Bosnian Muslims. Imad Yarkas moved to Spain in 1995 after a visit in Afghanistan where, he later admitted in his trial, he met a senior Al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah .

In Spain Imad Yarkas lived in Madrid and was an Imam in a local Mosque. When Imad Yarkas came to Spain he represent himself also as a second hand car dealer, he also began to encourage and recruit young Spanish Muslims to travel to Afghanistan for military training. Imad Yarkas activity put him under the supervision of the Spanish police and security services. One of his followers Jamal Zougam was later a key operative in executing the Madrid Trains Bombing on 03/11/2004.

Imad Yarkas began, from 08/1998, to telephone frequently members of “ Hamburg Cell ” in Germany and in 01/2000 met in Spain, for the first time, Mamoun Darkazanli. They had at least four meetings in Spain in which Mohammed Zouaydi, an Al Qaeda financier, attended also.

With another activist in his group, Driss Chebli , Imad Yarkas organized the Tarragona Meeting, on 07/16/2001 in Spain, considered to be the last meeting to coordinate The 9/11.

Two weeks before The 9/11 Imad Yarkas received a phone call, taped by the Spanish police, from “Shakur”, later identified as Farid Hilali, saying: “We have entered the field of aviation, and we’ve even cut the throat of the bird”. A phrase considered after The 9/11 as a code referring to The 9/11. Imad Yarkass’ phone number was also found in Mohamed Atta s’ flat in Hamburg.

Imad Yarkas was arrested in 11/2001 with another 23 Islamic militant suspects and was charged of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with The 9/11 attacks in the USA, being a member of a terror organization and other minor charges. The Spanish Al-Qaeda trial was opened in Madrid on 04/21/2005.

Imad Yarkas was convicted, on 09/26/2005, and sentenced to 27 years imprisonment for assisting The 9/11. On 06/01/2006 the Supreme Spanish Court acquitted Imad Yarkas from the charge of assisting The 9/11 and his sentence was reduced to 12 years as a member of a terror organization.

Summary ;

There is no doubt that Imad Yarkas was a part of the Al Qaeda network in Europe. Probably a middle man that knows every body and every body knows him and can be relied upon. The title given to him by some officials as the Head of Al Qaeda in Spain is an exaggeration.

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