C.E.R.N employee held on suspicion of al-Qaeda association
An employee of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (C.E.R.N.) has been arrested on suspicion of providing potential terrorist targets to North African terror organizations. The French secret service has allegedly intercepted messages that were being sent to the Algerian arm of al-Qaeda. The thirty-two-year-old man was picked up along with his brother after and eighteen month surveillance operation. Both brothers are of Algerian descent.
The brothers had come to the attention of the French secret service during investigations into internet communications that were to do with the recruitment of extremists wishing to fight in Afghanistan. Emails were intercepted as they passed between the two brothers and suspected al-Qaeda operatives in North Africa.
Investigators say that although the man had expressed a desire to work with terrorists in supplying information on possible targets he had not actually prepared the targets. The French Interior Minister, Brice Hortefeux has said that by managing to detain the CERN worker the country may have avoided the worst possible disaster. CERN is saying however that the suspect had never been given access to nuclear elements that could be useful to terrorist groups. They say the man worked with an affiliated group analysing data, none of which could have any military significance.