Youssef Nada (Al Taqwa) Says He's Ready to Testify Before Congress
By Victor Comras
According to a press report today out of Lugano Switzerland, UN Designated Al Qaeda Financier Youssef Nada, has indicated a desire to appear before the US Congress to clear his name. Nada, who headed Bank Al Taqwa and other financial schemes implicated in terrorism financing was one of the first individuals designated by the U.S. Treasury Department and by the United Nations Al Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee for his involvement in providing funds to al Qaeda. He now lives in Campione d'Italia (a small Italian enclave on Lake Lugano surrounding by Switzerland). The Swiss Prosecutor's Office was forced to drop charges three weeks ago against Nada for terrorism financing because it lacked sufficient evidence on which to try him.(see my earlier blog)
Nada again proclaimed his innocence in an interview posted this morning in Italian on TicinOnline, a Swiss internet portal. He is appealing personally, he said to President Bush, The US Treasury Department, and Congress to reconsider his case. And he indicated that he is willing to testify before Congress in order to clear up the matter. Perhaps some Congressional Committee should take him up on the offer. But please -- without any grants of immunity!