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Italy hears al Qaeda suspects case

Belgacem Mohamed Ben Aouadi

MILAN, Italy -- Four suspected al Qaeda members have gone on trial in Italy, one of whom is the alleged head of Osama bin Laden's European operations.

The four Tunisians are also accused with belonging to a terror group, crafting false passports and attempting to obtain explosives.

The most prominent defendant among the four is Essid Sami Ben Khemais, who police believe was sent from Afghanistan to supervise bin Laden's terrorist operations in Europe, the news agency The Associated Press said.

He was arrested in northern Italy last April as part of a sweeping investigation into bin Laden's al Qaeda network in Europe spearheaded by Italian and German authorities.

They face up to eight years in prison if convicted. But their defence lawyers are expected to seek the equivalent of a plea bargain in Tuesday's closed hearing that could reduce the maximum sentences to five years, AP added.

A decision could come as early as Tuesday or Wednesday.

All four defendants attended Tuesday's session, held at Milan's Palace of Justice.

While none of the four is accused of direct involvement in the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, prosecutor Stefano Dambruoso says each is a member of al Qaeda.

The men, as well as three others scheduled to go on trial on February 18 and a fourth who will be tried later, were arrested after a surveillance operation.

They are charged with supplying false documents, breaking immigration laws, and criminal association with the intent to obtain and transport arms, explosives and chemicals, AP said.

Ben Khemais is also suspected of having supervised a planned attack on the U.S. Embassy in Rome last January, Italian investigators say.

Ben Khemais is also being investigated by Spanish police into whether he met with Mohammad Atta in Spain last year, the man believed to have piloted the first plane into the twin towers on September 11.

The other defendants are Belgacem Mohamed Ben Aouadi, Bouchoucha Mokhtar and Charaabi Tarek.

Defence lawyers have said the men have no links to bin Laden and are not terrorists.

ANSA news agency quoted the lawyers as saying their clients are members of a Tunisian opposition group.