Spain arrests arms dealer Al Kassar on US charges

MADRID, June 8 (Reuters) Spain has arrested flamboyant Syrian-born arms dealer Monzer al-Kassar on US charges of terrorism, Spain's National Police said today.

Al-Kassar has been charged by a Federal Court for the Southern District of New York with conspiring to kill Americans, supply terrorists, obtain anti-aircraft missiles and launder money, the police said.

A long-time Spanish resident known as the ''Prince of Marbella'' for his opulent lifestyle, al-Kassar was arrested at Madrid airport and will appear before a judge in the capital later today Under Spanish law, the United States will have 40 days to provide documents in support of any extradition request.

No US embassy spokesman was immediately available to comment on the case. Spanish police had no more details.

In 1995, Al-Kassar was acquitted by Spain's high court of a charge of piracy in connection with the 1985 ijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro by Palestinian guerrillas.

In 2003, the United Nations also accused him of breaking an arms embargo on Somalia. In an interview with Britain's Guardian newspaper last year at his Marbella mansion, al-Kassar denied links to the Iraq insurgency.

REUTERS SLD VC1535