Friday, 22 December 2006

http://www.reporter.bz/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1665&Itemid=2

By Joseph Stamp Romero - Staff Reporter

Police say Fugitive with Al Qaeda connections captured in Belize

Belize City police have deported a U.S. national who was hiding out in Belize from U.S. officials, after he violated the terms of his parole by jumping boarder to avoid assisting in a federal case.

On Monday, a predawn search of a mosque at the corner of Faber's Road and Central American Boulevard, led Police to capture the fugitive Ernest James Ujaama, 41.

A member of the Al Qaeda resistance group in Afghanistan he was born Ernest James Thompson in the United States of America and was a key witness in a case the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the was investigating.

City police received an anonymous tip, and surrounded the building where Ujaama was hiding.

However, they were greeted with resistance when he fought and wounded Insp. Alford Grinage. He was later treated and released from the K.H.M.H. Ujaama has since been deported to Florida, after which he will be flown to Washington, where the warrant for his arrest was issued.

Investigations reveal Ujaama entered Belize using a Mexican passport issued in the name Jose Luis Ramirez about 10 days ago.

Ujaama has used several aliases such as James Ujaama and Bilal Ahmed. Authorities say he is the 15th fugitive to be captured in Belize through the collaborative efforts of Interpol.