Got Four in Japan

Tue, May 25, 2004 at 9:13:28 pm PDT

Japan Arrests Four in Al Qaeda-Linked Probe.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese police arrested four foreigners on Wednesday in a widening probe into suspected al Qaeda activities in the country. The government’s top spokesman said he hoped the police action would yield clues about the activities of Lionel Dumont, a French national of Algerian descent who was arrested in Germany last December and had spent over a year in Japan until September.

“We have information that an al Qaeda-linked individual...had contacts with various people in the country and was engaged in certain activities. I hope that the details will be revealed,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda told a news conference.

Police searched 10 locations on Wednesday following reports last week that Dumont, who has been linked to the al Qaeda network, had lived in Japan for several months after entering the country on a false passport in 2002.

“What is important for our nation’s security is that we prevent an international terrorist organization from operating,” Hosoda said.

Dumont was believed to have been involved in delivering equipment and funds to al Qaeda during his stay in Japan, media reports have said.

Wednesday’s investigation involved individuals with connections to Dumont, including a Bangladeshi man who police suspect has links to an Islamic group in Pakistan seeking independence for the Kashmir region, Japanese media said.

Police said they had arrested an Indian, a Malian and two Bangladeshis for violating immigration laws. Referring to the Indian, a police official said: “We are aware of reports about his links to the French person and will try to find more about it through our investigation.”

Television footage showed police officials at various buildings, including what were described as the homes of foreign Muslims and the office of a used car sales firm run by one of them.