Official Indictment Links Local and Foreign Arms Dealers to Terrorism

Jurnalul national daily had its information from intelligence sources confirmed by the official indictment made public from the prosecutor’s office: suspected Syrian terrorist Omar Hayssam was allegedly involved into international arms dealing; those groups helped him flee Romania while he was investigated for allegedly masterminding the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq last year.

The indictment against Mustafa Tartousi, the owner of the ship Hayssam is believed to have fled Romania, and against Hayssam’s brother, Moukhles Omar, states that prosecutors had leads supporting the idea that Hayssam got help from the organized criminal group they were pursuing for international arms dealing.

"From preliminary data and documents to the case results that an organized group specialized in international arms dealing and money laundering from the proceeds was linked to the UN-blacklisted states and governments suspected to give financial and logistical support to terrorist groups," the indictment said.

"The same data shows that Romanian and foreign citizens assembled in financial and economic groups work jointly for the above aim," stated the official document to which Jurnalul national had exclusive access.

Intelligence sources told Jurnalul national that the actual operation to whisk Hayssam out of Romania was conducted by the Syrian military intelligence services, with help from the above organized crime group.

When Hayssam disappeared he was allegedly on the verge of cooperating with the Romanian authorities regarding the make of these criminal groups.

He allegedly left Romania from Constanta Black Sea port on June 30, on board of Iman-T ship. The ship log showed it reached Turkey coast on July 1st, Alexandria-Egypt on July 5th, and Tartous-Syria two days later. Upon its return to Romania the cargo ship was impounded by the Romanian authorities for the duration of the investigation.

Translated by Anca Paduraru