Danger within

The 31-year-old men, Omer O. and Sermet I., had a date at a regional appeals court in Koblenz on Monday, Sept. 14.

The men, from Sindelfingen near Stuttgart, are said to have been members of the Islamist terror group al-Qaeda since 2004 at the latest.

They are accused of providing money and equipment for terrorist camps. Omer O. is purported to have provided cash and materials, including bulletproof vests and a laptop, to al Qaeda in 2005 and 2006. Moreover, he is said to have recruited at least two potential fighters for the terror group from Germany.

Afghanistan training camp

In early 2006, prosecutors say, Omer O. spent time in a terrorist-training camp on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, where he learned to use weapons. Likewise, Sermet I. is said to have brought money and fighting materials to al Qaeda.

The Koblenz court appearances are part of an ongoing case. In July, the court convicted German-Pakistani businessman Aleem N. for al Qaeda membership, and on eight counts of breaching German export laws. He was sentenced to eight years behind bars.

In July, prosecutors said Aleem N. supported al Qaeda for years, raising money, distributing propaganda material and recruiting new members. He was thought to be a key figure for the organization's German operations.

Sauerland contacts

Aleem N. was first arrested in February of 2008, on allegations that he belonged to al Qaeda. Omer O. and Saleem I. are said to have worked for, and together with, Aleem N.

Aleem N. is also believed to have maintained contacts with two German converts to Islam arrested earlier this year along with a Turk on terrorism charges. The trio, picked up in the Sauerland region of Germany, are accused of making explosives intended for use against Americans living in Germany.

Al Qaeda was established in 1989 by Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan. The West has been trying to destroy it since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

jen/dpa/AFP
Editor: Nancy Isenson