Italy: Ex-Guantanamo inmates face terror charges in Milan

Milan, 1 Dec. (AKI) - Two Tunisians held at the United States military prison at Guantanamo Bay have been flown to Italy to face international terrorism charges. Abel Ben Mabrouk bin Hamida Boughanmi, 39, and Mohammed Tahir Riyadh Nasseri, 43, were handed over to the Italian authorities late Monday and flown to Milan where they face arrest warrants.

The pair are suspected of being members of the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), one of the main components of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb.

"Both the detainees are the subject of detention orders by Italian judicial authorities and they will be put on trial in Italy," the Italian justice ministry said in a statement

However, Italian media reports cited judicial sources who suggested that both men could be freed if their seven-year detention at Guantanamo is 'recognised' by the judges in their trial.

Both suspects were indicted by an Italian magistrate in 2007 and deny any involvement with terrorism-related offences.

Nasseri was interrogated by Milan judge Guido Salvini late on Monday. Reports said questions were raised about Nasseri's capture.

Nasseri was captured in Afghanistan and Boughanmi was caught on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Both men previously lived in Italy and have been held at Cuba's Guantanamo detention centre for more than seven years.

Italian media reports said that Nasseri and eight others had been accused of criminal association, aiding illegal immigration and terrorism charges stemming from 1997-2001.

They are also facing allegations that they organised logistics for jihadi fighters travelling from Italy to be trained in camps in Afghanistan.

According to an inquiry by Milanese authorities, Ben Mabrouk, who was once a barber at the Viale Jenner mosque in Milan, had planned an attack against the cathedral or Duomo in the northern city of Cremona, Milan's Duomo as well as the subway system.

The handing over of the detainees are part of an effort to deal with Guantanamo detainees internationally, to help the US close the camp.

US president Barack Obama has acknowledged that his deadline of January 2010 to close Guantanamo will be missed due to political and diplomatic hurdles.

In September, Italian justice minister Angelino Alfano and US attorney general Eric Holder signed a memorandum of understanding, which underlined the country's commitment to help close the prison in Cuba.

A total of 213 prisoners are still being held in the controversial facility.