Canberra, Sept 04: Australian police want to interview a key al-Qaeda suspect being held in Spain after investigations revealed he had made phone calls to two Australian Muslim leaders, Prime Minister John Howard has said. "(Australian) police have sought the permission already of the Spanish authorities to interview the man in Spain," Howard said yesterday, adding that the request was made some time ago but permission was yet to be granted.

Although Australia has significantly boosted investigations into terror activities since the October 12 Bali bombings, authorities here have yet to arrest or charge any alleged terrorists.
The Syrian national Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas and seven others were arrested in Spain on Nov 18, 2001, and charged in a Madrid court with belonging to al-Qaeda. Yarkas allegedly had close links to the Sept 11 terror plot.
Australian federal police said yesterday that Yarkas, also known by the alias Abu Dahdah, had been in phone contact with two Australian men before his arrest.
That confirmation came after Australian Broadcasting Corp. Reported it had Spanish court documents which linked Yarkas with Melbourne-based Sheik Mohammed Omran, and Bilal Khazal, leader of a Sydney Islamic group.

Howard said authorities have known about the contacts for some time and described Omran and Khazal as "people of interest" to security agencies.
Federal authorities were investigating the case and it was important they get access to Yarkas soon, he said.
Bureau Report