Benitachell man accused of terrorism speaks out

THE young Moroccan arrested in Benitachell last August for his alleged links to Islamic terrorism wrote a letter to the Spanish press claiming he had nothing to do with jihadist groups and speaks of torture inflicted while in Spanish prison. “I am neither a terrorist nor a radical; I am just a normal person,” and “I condemn terrorism”, wrote Faical Errai.

The 26-year old was accused of performing work for the recruiting and dispatching of terrorists to conflict zones as well as raise money for terrorist organizations, following Guardia Civil investigations.

“I am just a computer programmer and I do not want to pay for what I am not, and less for a crime of terrorism,” Errai insisted.

Since his arrest and after giving evidence at the National High Court, is in custody in Villena, where he has been transferred after a stay in the isolation block of the Alcala Meco prison in Madrid.

In the letter he says he has been “beaten and tortured” and “threatened with being sent on a plane to America” and never seeing his family again and spending “more than 200 days in the isolation block.”

On the internet “there are thousands of Islamist pages against government corruption and thousands of young people are part of them through social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Arab forums.

“The revolt of the Arab people are for freedom of expression and dignity and democracy, and for a better future for all.”

“I just went into Internet chat rooms to meet people from around the world,” he said.

By Nicole Hallett