Karlsruhe, Germany, May 16: German federal prosecutors said today they had charged an alleged member of a Palestinian group with membership of a "terrorist" organisation for plotting attacks in Germany. Sahdi Mohd Mustafa A., A Jordanian of Palestinian origin, is said to belong to Al-Tawhid, a group described in a statement from the prosecutor's office as a supporter of Al-Qaeda's campaign against the United States and its allies. Al-Tawhid's operational leader is Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi, an alleged senior Al-Qaeda figure, according to the statement.
The 26-year-old accused, who has been in custody since April last year, is said to have helped plot attacks in Germany. His task was to identify targets and procure weapons.
He is also charged with forging passports. According to the prosecutor's office, the cell in Germany initially focused on collecting money and smuggling activists. Gradually, under Zarqawi's urging, they developed a plot to carry out a gun attack on a populated square in a German city and in another city to set off hand grenades near a Jewish or Israeli target.
The aim was "to kill as many people as possible," the statement said.
Sahdi Mohd Mustafa A. ordered a gun and a crate of hand grenades from a contact in the western city of Duesseldorf, the statement said.
He was arrested before they were delivered, along with the weapons contact and three other alleged accomplices. Bureau Report