Muslim charged of inciting terror

TIRANA, Oct 13 – An Albanian Muslim was arrested and charged of inciting terror acts, authorities said Tuesday.
Artan Kristo was arrested Monday in the port city of Durres, 33 kilometers west of capital Tirana, and accused of, “Ʃnciting, making public calls and propaganda on committing terror acts,” according to a statement of the Prosecutor General’s office.
A two-month investigation with prosecutors using different tools of investigation concluded there was enough evidence to charge Kristo of inciting terror with calls at an internet site, it said giving no more detail.
The statement gave no clarification what terror calls were made there.
The local media reported that Kristo, 31, used another name – Muhammed Abdullahi Ebu Umer El Albani – on the internet site.
Gazeta Shqiptare newspaper wrote that the internet site was, “Ƥedicated to an extremist trend of the Albanian (Muslim) believers … making propaganda for terrorist attacks from young Albanian Muslim believers.”
The daily added that after graduating in theology in some Arab countries he led the Al Haramain Islamic Foundation in Albania until it was declared illegal in 2004.
The Panorama newspaper wrote that Kristo had tried to use suspected money to fund projects in Albania, something that was opposed by a senior official of the Muslim Community, who was later killed in his office in Tirana in 2003.
Three years later Kristo was detained and questioned on that murder as a suspect but released after no evidence was found.
There was an angry reaction from Muslim believers in Durres, not believing that Kristo could be involved in such criminal acts.
In recent years Albania has blocked several bank accounts, investments and other assets of Arab citizens living and working in Albania, and Islamic civic organizations, including those of Al Haramain, accused by the United Nations of funding terrorist activities.
The government has also passed laws allowing it to seize assets believed to be linked to terror financing.