Counterterrorism Blog

Yesterday, as my colleague Doug Farah noted below, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Dr. Abdul Lateef Saleh pursuant to Executive Order 13224 for providing support to Usama bin Laden and al Qaida.  According to the Treasury, Saleh is "closely associated with Usama bin Laden" and received $600,000 from UBL in order to "encourage the establishment of extremist groups in Albania."  Furthermore:

"Saleh is closely associated with a number of non-governmental organizations in Albania with links to the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a terrorist organization tied to al Qaida.  Saleh founded and organized an Albanian jihadist organization that has been financed by the Al Haramain Foundation, a non-governmental organization linked to al Qaida... Al­ Haramain recruited members from this organization, which Saleh directly assisted in vetting... In 1998, six individuals were arrested in Albania, two of which were tried and executed in Egypt as perpetrators of terrorist attacks.  In their testimony, the individuals said it was Saleh who had helped them come to Albania.  Saleh was identified as 'the one who had helped them in every respect, beginning with picking them up at the airport.'"

However, the story does not end there.  In fact, according to at least one document translated and released by the Al-Haramain Foundation, Dr. Abdul Lateef Saleh was engaging in various activities in support of Usama Bin Laden and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad while simultaneously serving as the Charge D'Affaires of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tirana, Albania.  In a memorandum dated May 1, 1999 under the letterhead of the Saudi embassy in Tirana, Dr. Abdul Lateef Saleh addressed Sheikh Salih bin Abdulaziz Al-alsheikh (the Vice Minister of Islamic Affairs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and then-"General Supervisor" of the Al-Haramain Foundation) seeking "to express my appreciation and praise for the efforts of Al-Haramain Foundation in the Albanian Republic... We thank you for the cooperation of the Foundation in Albania with the Embassy of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd Ibn Abdul-Aziz--may Allah preserve him.  If anything, this indicates the deep ties among Saudi society both governmentally and with its people."  Saleh signed the letter under the official title "Charge de Affaires" at the Saudi embassy.

Click to view document c/o Globalterroralert.com

[*UPDATE*]: In the interests of full reporting, I've received a message from my friend and esteemed colleague in Europe Jean-Charles Brisard who suggests that his research indicates the possibility of two different Abdul Lateef Saleh's working with Al-Haramain in Albania.  JCB also notes:

"An important issue that is not mentioned in the US Treasury designation is the involvement of Saleh in the [International Islamic Relief Organization] IIRO in Albania, prior to joining the Muwafaq Foundation.  Saleh was indeed the medical supervisor for the IIRO for years.  He opened several hospitals and mosques for the Mujahideen in the country, including in Kukes, a known base and training camp for the Arab fighters."