Man labeled as terrorist demands state apology
American national had photo publicized alongside accusations he financed Al-Qaeda
A businessman is demanding an apology from the Spanish government for publicizing his photo complete with accusations that he financed Al Qaeda - charges that were subsequently dropped.
"My daughters, aged between three and 16, who go to the American school, were known as 'the daughters of the terrorist'," says 44-year-old Omar Dehbi, an American national of Algerian origin. "It was hell."
Police arrested Dehbi, a businessman who trades in heavy machinery, in September 2010 at his Barcelona home. He was charged with financing the North African Wing of Al Qaeda (AQMI) to the tune of 60,000 euros.
The day after his arrest, his photo and name were circulated by Spain's interior ministry and instantly appeared in global media outlets. The case was dropped for lack of evidence in March.
The publication of detainees' details is standard practice in all arrests related to terrorism in Spain, unlike in other European countries.
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