NEW YORK: The United States is seeking extradition from France of an alleged Al Qaeda suspect who has been charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with conspiracy to kill Ameri­cans, a press release by a US attorney’s office said on Thursday.

Christian Ganczarski, also known as Abu Mohamed, is a German citizen born in Poland. He has been in a prison in France for the last 15 years.

In a sealed indictment made public on Wednesday, attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Today we publicly announce charges against Ganczarski alleging that he participated in the planning of plots to kill Americans with high-level Al Qaeda terrorists Khaled Shaikh Mohammad, Osama bin Laden and others.”

Ganczarski allegedly provided the Al Qaeda with expertise in logistics, computers, radio communications and the maintenance of weapons systems that wou­­­ld be used against Ame­ricans soldiers after the 9/11 attacks, said James O’Neill, New York’s police chief.

“He rubbed shoulders with Osama bin Laden and the men who planned and executed plots from the bombing of US embassies in East Africa that killed 225 people, to the 9/11 attacks that cost 3,000 lives, most of them here in New York,” Mr O’Neill said.

Ganczarski is believed to have worked for Al Qaeda, stayed in its camps and guest houses. He travelled from Germany to Pakistan and Afghanistan at least five times between 1999 and 2001, O’Neill said. During these trips, he became associated with the Al Qaeda and developed close relationships with Osama bin Laden and Abu Hafs el Masri.

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018