Redouan al-Issar

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Redouan al-Issar (also known as Abu Khaled or simply "The Syrian") was born in Syria in the late fifties or early sixties. He is by profession a geologist. According to the General Intelligence and Security Office (AIVD), the Dutch intelligence agency, he was the spiritual leader of the alleged Islamist terrorist cell the Hofstad Network.

In 1995 Redouan came to Germany to seek asylum. He claimed that he had been in prison in Syria for 14 years, where he had been tortured. Redouan was arrested in Schiedam in the Netherlands as an illegal alien in October 2003. He was deported to Germany.

It is alleged by the AIVD that on 2 November 2004, the day that the Dutch film director Theo van Gogh was killed by Mohammed Bouyeri, Redouan al-Issar left the Netherlands and fled to Syria. The AIVD believe that he is currently imprisoned in Syria, in the Fereh Palestine prison in Damascus after being arrested in Hama. Syrian authorities however deny that he is costody. Even if he were, he would not be likely to be extradited, since he is a Syrian national.

Redouan is currently wanted by the Dutch authorities in connection with the activities of the Hofstad Network. He is suspected to be a member of the muslim terrorist group Takfir wal-Hijra, planning a Jihad against Jews, Christians and other disbelievers. He is also wanted by the Moroccan government in connection with the Casablanca Attacks, a series of suicide bombings on 16 May 2003, in which 45 persons were killed including the 12 suicide bombers.