Germany charges suspected al Qaeda recruiter

BERLIN, May 16 (Reuters) - German prosecutors today charged a Moroccan-born German citizen with giving financial support to al Qaeda, establishing a terrorist association abroad and helping to recruit new members.

The 37-year-old man, identified as Redouane E H, is suspected of having transferred 5,000 euros to Syria and Egypt to buy equipment for militants to use in explosives training, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

He was charged with supporting both al Qaeda and the Iraqi insurgency group known as al Qaeda in Iraq, the statement said.

Prosecutors also accused the man, arrested in Hamburg last July, of establishing a terrorist organisation abroad in 2006 with four other people.

The group was set up to fight a ''Holy War'' against what it described as ''crusaders'' in Sudan and intended to carry out orders from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, said the statement.

Redouane E H is suspected of providing information, taking care of technical issues and recruitment, according to the statement.

Reuters BDP VV2203