London phone link to hijack of planes

War on Terrorism: Investigation

New evidence of a British connection in the planning of the 11 September attacks emerged on Friday night when Britain was revealed as the source of telephone calls to one of the main suspects in the terror plot.

In court documents obtained in Spain, a British-based caller with a North African accent named only as "Shakur" had coded discussions relating to the hijackings in America.

Shakur was recorded speaking to Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, who was arrested in Spain last week and named as a central figure in the planning and execution of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

Mr Yarkas' telephone number was found in the former Hamburg apartment of a friend of Mohamed Atta, the man the authorities believe was the lead hijacker of the planes that were crashed in America. Atta travelled to Spain in July to meet important al-Qa'ida members to receive instructions on the forthcoming hijackings, Spanish officials say.

Spanish police found a map of a California airport ­ a destination for one of the hijacked planes before it was taken over ­ in the flat of one of the suspects from the Madrid al-Qa'ida cell, one of whom was a pilot. The British-based suspect identified as "Shakur" told Mr Yarkas in a heavily coded phone call intercepted on 27 August that he was "giving classes".

He went on: "In our classes we have entered the field of aviation and we have even cut the bird's throat", according to one translation. Another interpretation of the same passage by translators says "Shakur" was speaking in future tense and said: "We are even going to cut the eagle's throat."

The eagle is the national emblem of the United States.

In a further conversation, recorded on 26 September, Mr Shakur and Mr Yarkas appear to be discussing their concerns over being arrested, according to the interpretation of Spanish officials.

The call was made on the day that six Algerian terror suspects were arrested in Spain and other extremists were being rounded up by police across Europe.

Mr Shakur asked Mr Yarkas if he "has taken medicine for malaria". The Madrid-based suspect replied that "things are awful" and added: "I am still a little sick and the doctors have visited a sick man and they want to visit me too."

Spanish intelligence has not revealed details of the identity of "Shakur" except to say that he is aged about 34, is "short, fat and balding" and speaks with a North African accent.

Details of the recorded conversations were outlined in an indictment prepared by the Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon, which has led to eight suspects in Madrid being accused of being direct accomplices in the hijackings. British intelligence contributed to the evidence on which Judge Garzon's indictment was based and the authorities in London will have information on the real identity of "Shakur".

The fact that "Shakur" was in Britain is considered by some investigators to be crucial to the investigation. Prosecutors have already alleged that Lotfi Raissi, an Algerian pilot living near Heathrow, assisted the hijackers in flight training at American aviation schools. Mr Raissi is currently held in custody in Britain and is facing extradition to America.

Judge Garzon also identified the Islamic cleric Abu Qatada, who lives in London, as being a key contact of the al-Qa'ida cell based in Madrid.