Anger as three Swedes placed on terror list

Date: 04/04/02

By Martin Banks

A GROUP of MEPs are protesting against the treatment of three Swedish men who have been put on the United Nations list of terrorist suspects.

The three - Abdirisak Aden, Ahmed Aliyusus and Abdulaziz Ali - are all of Somali origin and members of Al Barakaat, a network of organisations set up for Somalis around the world.

The UN has frozen their assets, claiming the group is a fundraising 'front' for the al-Qaeda terrorist network.

Three Swedish deputies, however, have condemned their treatment, saying the decision to place them on the list has been taken 'without a shred' of evidence.

Marianne Eriksson, of the European United Left (GUE), said: 'These men - and even the partner of one of them - have been left without any economic assets. It means they are without a salary or benefits. All this has been done without any legal evidence or preliminary investigation.

'Al Barakaat was set up to allow Somali people around the world to send money back to their families and relatives in Somalia. There is no evidence it has links to al-Qaeda.'

She added: 'We want to draw attention to their plight and the whole process under which they have been condemned.

'It shows that the UN framework on terrorism, which has been adopted by all EU member states, can be interpreted very widely.'

Eriksson, along with fellow Swedish MEPs Herman Schmid and Jonas Sjostedt, has donated money to a 'fighting fund' which has been set up to help the men.

'This is a legal injustice against the rights of these citizens and the EU has to make a stand against it,' said Schmid.

A group of MEPs have protested against the treatment of three Swedish men - all of Somali origin - who have been put on the United Nations list of terrorist suspects. The three are members of Al Barakaat, a network of organisations set up for Somalis around the world, which the UN claims is a fundraising 'front' for the al-Qaeda terrorist network.