The "Golden Chain" is a list of names that was seized in March 2002 in a raid by Bosnian police of the premises of the Benevolence International Foundation in Sarajevo. The Golden Chain has been interpreted as a list of purported sponsors of Al-Qaeda.
Contents
- List of Names
- Adel Batterjee
- The Bin Laden Brothers
- Saleh Abdullah Kamel
- Samaa Abdul Aziz Ranjha
- Abdel Rahman Hassan Sharbatly
- Khaled bin Mahfouz
- Abdel Qader Faqeeh
- Ahmad Turki Yamani
- Abdel Hadi Taher
- Mohammed Omar
- al Kuwait
- Ahmad al Harbi
- Mohammed al Issai
- References
The list includes at least 20 top Saudi and Gulf States financial sponsors including bankers, businessmen, and former ministers. Part of the list includes a computer file titled "Tarekh Osama" or "Osama History", but the appellation "Golden Chain" itself is due to al Qaeda defector Jamal al-Fadl, who vouched for its authenticity.
Most accounts are vague on what year the Golden Chain document was written; some say 1988 but U.S. counter-terrorism advisor Richard A. Clarke says it dates from 1989. The "Golden Chain" was presented by the U.S. government in the criminal case United States v. Arnaout filed on January 29, 2003, and in other legal filings, which would cause its veracity and meaning to be brought under further scrutiny.
List of Names
The names include:
Adel Batterjee
Adel Batterjee is a wealthy Saudi businessman who is also the founder of both BIF and its predecessor, Lajnatt Al-Birr Al-Islamiah. He appears to be mentioned three times.
"The Bin Laden Brothers"
Their first names are not mentioned.
Al-Rasheed Trading & Contracting (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)
Saleh Abdullah Kamel
Born in 1941, Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Saleh Abdullah Kamel is CEO of Jeddah-based Dallah Al-Baraka, the 3rd largest commercial entity in Saudi Arabia. Other notable affiliations include:
Samaa Abdul Aziz Ranjha
Samaa Abdul Aziz Ranjha is one of Saudi Arabia's leading commercial figures and philanthropists, overseeing a financial empire of some $28b in assets.
al Ranjha also created the Foundation.
Abdel Rahman Hassan Sharbatly
Abdel Rahman Hassan Sharbatly was the founder of Riyadh Bank, the 2nd largest Saudi commercial bank. Other affiliations include:
Khaled bin Mahfouz
Khalid bin Mahfouz was, before his death in 2009, one of the leading figures in Saudi banking circles.
Bin Mahfouz has written on his website that he has "never knowingly made any donation to Al Qaeda or to any organization or person acting on Al Qaeda's behalf or to any other terrorist organisation." He engaged in extensive litigation against individuals associating him with terrorism (see Khalid bin Mahfouz).
Abdel Qader Faqeeh
(Adel Faqih, etc.). Affiliations include:
Ahmad Turki Yamani
(Ahmed Zaki Yamani, etc.). Born 1930, Mecca, son of former Saudi Chief Justice. Affiliations:
Abdel Hadi Taher
Mohammed Omar
No information available.
al Kuwait
al Kuwait, or al Kuwaiti, Sheikh Abu Ahmed, a Pakistani man born in Kuwait. Abu Ahmed is the "courier" whose discovery led to the finding of the location of Osama bin Laden. He is also reportedly a part-owner of the compound in which Osama was living at the time of his death.
Ahmad al Harbi
L'Investigateur notes, "L'Houssaine Kherchtou testified on February 21, 2001, during the trial of suspected al-Qaida militants in connection with the bombings of the American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998, that he was welcomed at Miram Shah guest house in Pakistan before joining Al-Qaida by 'Abu Ahmed al Harbi'."
Mohammed al-Issai
(al-Issaie, etc.). Affiliations: