SWISS ARREST MEMBERS OF AN APPARENT ISLAMIST

S E C R E T BERN 001044

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
NOFORN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2031
TAGS: PTER KCRM EAIR ASEC SZ
SUBJECT: SWISS ARREST MEMBERS OF AN APPARENT ISLAMIST
TERRORIST CELL

REF: A. TD-314/35300-06


B. TDX-315/34517-06

C. TDX-315/30502-06

D. TD-314/29060-06

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i. Carol Urban, Reasons
1.4 b/d

1.(S/NF) Summary: Swiss Federal Police arrested several
members of a Salafist terrorist cell on May 12 and 15
following months of surveillance. The action, Swiss
government sources (protect) told Embassy officers, was taken
due to political pressure after press leaks claimed that the
cell was looking into acquiring rocket propelled grenade
launchers to use against commercial airlines. According to
Swiss government contacts (protect),one cell member also
reportedly made reference to a potential attack on the World
Cup Soccer championship in Germany (scheduled June 9-July 9).
The Swiss press is conflating this story with its continued
coverage of Claude Covassi, a former undercover operative for
the Swiss internal intelligence service, DAP, who has been on
a campaign to discredit his former employer. End summary.

2.(S/NF) Per ref A & B information, the Swiss police arrested
several suspected members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting
Group (LIFG) in Zurich and Basel on May 12 and May 15. The
suspects were arrested for petty crimes, but some had been
under surveillance on suspicion that they were planning
attacks, including possibly the use of an RPG to target
Israeli or American aircraft in Zurich or Geneva. The Swiss
press reported on May 23 that a rocket-propelled grenade
launcher had been confiscated at one of the suspects' homes,
but the Embassy has since learned that there was no RPG found
by Swiss authorities.

3.(S/NF) Among the eight individuals arrested, two key
suspects were LIFG members Badr al-Juwaydi (DOB 29 July 1971)
and Rifa'I Bassam (DOB 7 June 1986). A complete list of
those arrested is at ref B. The two may also have ties to
the Algerian Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC).
In the investigation, Swiss police cooperated with
counterparts from Germany, France, Spain, and the UK. Swiss
sources report that, in the course of his activities, Juwaydi
has been in contact with other Islamic extremists, including
Ansar al-Islam suspect Burhan Barazanjy (ref C) and al-Qa'ida
Hamburg cell suspect "Mzoudi" (most likely Abdelghani Mzoudi,
see ref B).

4.(S/NF) Swiss contacts told Embassy officers that the
decision to arrest the LIFG suspects stemmed from recent
Swiss press reports concerning other investigations. Another
source claimed that Federal Councilor and Justice Minister
Christoph Blocher wanted the surveillance effort wrapped up
for budgetary reasons. Sources also said that Swiss police
had planned to incarcerate the suspects in advance of the
World Cup Soccer championships. Juwaydi had reportedly
warned a friend in Germany to leave the country during the
World Cup matches (ref A). The motivation for the early
arrests were probably a combination of all of these factors.

5.(S/NF) The Swiss press, led by the German-language tabloid
"Blick," has featured articles based on apparent leaks from
several ongoing investigations. While the press reporting
appears to conflate the Juwaydi/Bassam investigation with
others, much of the content tracks what sources have told the
Embassy. One area of confusion is the role played by former
Swiss undercover operative Claude Covassi in revealing the
RPG plot. Covassi made headlines two months ago in divulging
his role as informant for the Swiss internal intelligence
service, DAP, in the Geneva Islamic Center run by Hani
Ramadan -- grandson of Muslim Brotherhood founder Hasan al
Banna and the brother of controversial Islamic scholar Tariq
Ramadan. Covassi claimed that the DAP had tasked him to
implicate Hani Ramadan in extremist activities, but that when
he decided that Ramadan was clean, he fell out of DAP's
favor. Covassi also claimed that he was sent to Syria to
inform on Jihadist smuggling operations into Iraq. Covassi
claims to be in hiding (rumored locations include Egypt and
the Canary Islands) out of fear of Swiss authorities.

Comment
--------------

6.(S/NF) This front channel report is based on the referenced
TDs, with some additional press reporting, and should be
treated as a summary of those reports, rather than a source
in and of itself. Those seeking additional information on
this investigation should consult other USG channels.
Urban