Norweigian Court Orders Leader of Islamic Militant Group to Remain in Custody

February 2, 2004

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3451289.stm

On February 2, 2004 the BBC News reported, "A Norwegian court has ordered the founder of an Islamic militant group to remain in custody for another four weeks. Mullah Krekar, head of the Kurdish group Ansar al-Islam, was charged last December with plotting the murder of his political rivals in northern Iraq. 'The accused, with reasonable grounds, can still be suspected of illegal acts,' a court statement said. US officials say Ansar al-Islam may be behind Sunday's suicide bombings in northern Iraq, which killed 56 people. The US also suspects the group has links to the al-Qaeda network. The Iraqi Kurdish mullah has repeatedly claimed he is no longer leader of Ansar al-Islam, and denies terror links."