Key CIA Prisoner Hassan Ghul Detained by Kurdish Police

One official said Ghul was "definitely in Iraq to promote an Al Qaeda, Islamic extremist agenda." Ghul is described by officials as a facilitator known in terrorist circles as "the Gatekeeper" who moves money and people around the Middle East, Africa and possibly beyond. Officials added that Ghul has extensive contacts in Al Qaeda and wider terrorist communities, and is thought to have had some kind of connection to the 1998 East African embassy bombings, though officials stress those links are still being probed.

According to the report, it was Ghul who after years of tantalizing hints from other detainees finally provided the information that prompted the CIA to focus intensely on finding Abu Ahmed al Kuwaiti, pseudonym for the courier who would lead them to bin Laden.

Hassan Ghul, probably from Pakistani descent, was an Al Qaeda operative from the early 90s’. He was first mentioned in The 9/11 Commission report, where he was stated to be a currier between Al Qaeda senior operatives , such as Mushabib Al Hamlan , Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Shaik Mohammed.