Hamed Abderrahmane, a Spanish national freed in February from over two years in detention at the US base at Guantanamo, Cuba, was sentenced on Oct. 5 by a Madrid court to six years in prison for belonging to a "terrorist organization." Abderrahmane denied belonging to al-Qaeda and described himself as a "martyr."

One witness in the case was Syrian Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah, who received a 27-year sentence last month for collaborating with al-Qaeda. Abderrahmane, who hails from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa, was arrested in Pakistan in October 2001. (AFP, Oct. 6)

See our last post on the terror crackdown in Spain. We also question whether growing up in a Spanish colonial holding contributed to Abderrahmane's radicalization. See also our last post on al-Qaeda.