Al Qaeda Prisoner Doesn't Pray, Drinks Whiskey Instead

(Ankara, Turkey) Apprehended four days ago in Istanbul, top Al Qaeda operative Luai Sakra is suspected to be the financier of the 2003 bombings in Istanbul and planned attacks on Israeli vessels.

During his off-the-record talks with police forces, Sakra gave misleading information about the planned attack whereas he gave a rather credible account of the November 15-20 attacks in Istanbul.

When told that he would be granted time and space to perform his religious rituals, Sakra shocked the authorities by saying that he doesn't "do the namaz." He also announced that he is an avid alcohol consumer, an action strictly forbidden by Islam. His personal favourites are whiskey and wine, Sakra revealed.

Sakra is considered one of the 5 most important figures in Al Qaeda and he had a few other things to say.

- Sakra claimed that he helped the militants who involved the 9/11 Attacks. Sarka said: "I provided them passport and other things."

- Sakra: "I knew London bombing."

- Sakra: "I do not pray. I drink alcohol and like very much drinking."

- Turkish police asked Sakra whether he like to pray after the operation. But he rejected the offer and said "I do not pray. I do not like praying."

- "I do drink alcohol and I prefer like whisky and wine," Sakra added.

- Sakra also confessed that he knew the London attack before the assaults happened.

- Sakra however claims that he knew nothing about the Egypt bombings.

It's somewhat hard to envision Sakra as a hard line al Qaeda biggie since he apparently lacks the fundamentalist persona. I'd say he appears to be no more than an everyday opportunistic thug. Of course, that description seems to apply to many of the terrorists. There's more at the link.


[Update 8/15/05, 0535 EDT]

Chad Evans notes that Sakra also told his Turkish interrogators that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is in Northern Iraq.


[Update 8/25/05]

In another report, Chad Evans has more detailed information about Sakra. Apparently, Sakra had tipped off the Syrian Secret Service of the planned 9/11 attacks beforehand. The Syrians told the CIA, but after the attack. Also, whereas Sakra told Turkish investigators (above) that he supplied the 9/11 attackers with "passport and other things," Chad reports that the "other things" included money. It's unknown where the money came from, however, it seems certain that Sakra was very familiar with the Hamburg cell responsible for 9/11.