HOUSTON -- Spanish law enforcement officials announced Wednesday the arrest of a U.S. citizen suspected of laundering money for an Al-Qaeda affiliate operating in North Africa.
Spain's Ministry of Interior reported officers arrested Mohamed Omar Dehbi, 43, at home in a suburb of Barcelona. A source familiar with the arrest told Local 2 Investigates that Dehbi also has ties to the Houston area, although it is unclear exactly when or how much time he spent in the area.
Spanish officials stated Dehbi is suspected of sending more than 60,000 Euros to an associate in Algeria. A statement released by the Ministry of Interior spelled out allegations that Dehbi used fictitious companies and human couriers to send the money "to optimize purchase of materials used in their terrorist activities."
Spanish authorities stated computers, hard drives and numerous financial documents were taken from the home where Dehbi was arrested. The statement also indicated Dehbi is suspected of fraud and document forgery in Spain.
A search of Harris County property records showed Dehbi still has a post office box listed in his name at a business on Westheimer Road near Dairy Ashford Street.
Dehbi is also listed as the owner of a home in the Katy area. A man who answered the door at the home acknowledged Dehbi was the owner and that he had heard about the arrest, but he declined to answer questions. Harris County Property Records show Dehbi purchased the home in 1998. State records also show Dehbi had a Texas driver's license that listed the Katy area house as his home address.
Records on file with the Texas Secretary of State's Office also list Dehbi as a member of a company with an address in the Clear Lake area and a second post office box in the Houston area.
Despite officials in Spain stating that Dehbi is a U.S. citizen, Michael Tran with the U.S. State Department told Local 2 they are still trying to confirm that information and have asked the Spanish government for consular access to Dehbi.
When contacted by Local 2, the Houston office of the FBI refused to confirm or deny whether it was looking into Dehbi's Houston area connection.
