Share

'Bin Laden bodyguard' held in Tunisia over terror probe

A man who allegedly worked as Osama bin Laden's bodyguard has been detained in Tunisia as part of a terrorism probe after his expulsion from Germany, a prosecution spokesperson said on Saturday.

Known as Sami A by German authorities and Sami Idoudi in his home country, the Tunisian "has been taken into custody following a judicial decision by the prosecutor of Tunis," said spokesperson Sofiene Sliti.

He was wanted on "suspicion of involvement in extremist activities in Germany", following an investigation by the anti-terrorism unit, Sliti added.

Tunisian legislation allows cases to be brought against citizens accused of terrorism crimes abroad, Sliti said.

The 42-year-old suspect returned to Tunis on Friday, following a lengthy legal battle in Germany over his deportation.

Idoudi had lived in Germany for more than two decades, staying in the country despite his asylum request being denied in 2007 as courts cited the danger of torture in Tunisia.

* Sign up to News24's top Africa news in your inbox: SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLO AFRICA NEWSLETTER

FOLLOW News24 Africa on Twitter and Facebook

The legal dispute is set to continue as a German court on Friday ordered Idoudi be returned to the country, after a ruling blocking the expulsion arrived once his plane was already airborne.

The court said his expulsion was illegal and accused authorities of "knowingly" defying the order by completing his transfer to authorities in Tunis.

The Tunisian authorities "have not received any official written request" for his return, said Sliti, who also represents the country's anti-terrorism unit.

He was unable to confirm whether Tunisian authorities intended to send the detainee back to Germany.

Considered a security threat over his suspected ties to Islamist groups, Idoudi has for years had to report to police but was never charged with an offence.

He has always denied being the former bodyguard of late al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks on the United States.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Do you think corruption-accused National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula will survive a motion of no confidence against her?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
No, her days are numbered
41% - 570 votes
Yes, the ANC caucus will protect her
59% - 816 votes
Vote
Rand - Dollar
18.88
+0.3%
Rand - Pound
23.86
+0.2%
Rand - Euro
20.39
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.33
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.12
+0.2%
Platinum
908.05
0.0%
Palladium
1,014.94
0.0%
Gold
2,232.75
-0.0%
Silver
24.95
-0.1%
Brent Crude
87.00
+1.8%
Top 40
68,346
0.0%
All Share
74,536
0.0%
Resource 10
57,251
0.0%
Industrial 25
103,936
0.0%
Financial 15
16,502
0.0%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE