MADRID, 21 April 2004 — A Spanish High Court judge has released the first Saudi detained in connection with the March 11 Madrid train bombings, a court official said yesterday.
Abdulkarim A. Rahim Awleya, who worked at Madrid’s largest mosque, knew the alleged leader of the cell behind the attacks, Serhane ben Abdelmajid Farkhet, nicknamed “the Tunisian”, the official was quoted as saying by Reuters.
The Saudi was arrested in Madrid on Thursday together with Moroccan Khalid Zeimi Pardo, and the first Egyptian held over the attacks, Assad Hohamedeid Abd El-Maksoud.
The other two men will continue to give testimony late into the night, before the judge decides whether to release or formally accuse them.
Former Interior Minister Angel Acebes said all three of them knew other suspects in the case, and the Moroccan had raised suspicion by disappearing from public view on the day of the attacks.
