Mohammed the Egyptian

Mohammed the Egyptian, or Rabei Osman Sayed Ahmed is considered by the prosecution to one of four masterminds behind the Madrid bombings. In October two thousand and three Osama bin Laden calls for attacks on Spain. In an intercepted telephone call the following May in Italy , where Osman lived, he is heard to say the idea for the Madrid attacks was entirely his, and that he had been prepared to participate himself.

He was arrested in Italy the following month and in November was found guilty of terrorist conspiracy and given ten years in jail. In December he was extradicted to Spain, along with the findings of the Italian judges. They said they had proof Osman was an influential member of al-Qaeda’s inner circle, and had led the terrorist’s Spanish cell.

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