Algerian held in NZ on Al Qaeda suspicion

Noted & Quoted in: ABC News Online

ABC NewsOnline

Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel has confirmed a man is being held but has given no details.

"We have security concerns and investigations are proceeding," she said.

The newspaper says the man was travelling on South African documents, some of which were shredded on the aircraft before landing in New Zealand.

Last year, media reports from Vancouver linked Zaoui to bin Laden's network in Asia.

The Asian Post said a previously unidentified group, called FIDA, or Sacrifice, was being investigated in Malaysia and a man called Zaoui was the frontman who worked closely with FIDA affiliates in Switzerland and the United States.