Man once jailed in Malta faces bomb charges in US

An American who once abducted his children to Malta has been arrested and charged in the United States with trying to build a bomb and sell it to terrorists.

The US attorney's office in Houston told the press there that the authorities learned of Ronald Allen Grecula's alleged desire to sell bombs to terrorists after being contacted on April 27 by a confidential informant, a person Mr Grecula had befriended in a Maltese prison, where he spent time in connection with the kidnapping case.

Mr Grecula, who was arrested last Friday in Houston, told undercover agents he had "no loyalty for America", according to US Attorney Michael Shelby.

During a meeting with FBI agents, Mr Grecula indicated his willingness to build and sell an explosive device that was to be used by al-Qaeda or its affiliates against Americans, according to court documents.

Associated Press reported that Mr Grecula, 68, was angry at the government over the custody loss of his children, whom he had kidnapped and fled with to Malta.

He made his initial court appearance in the terror case yesterday without entering a plea. A detention hearing is scheduled for tomorrow.

He has been charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Mr Grecula returned to the US in March 2003 but stayed in touch with his prison friend, whose identity and sex are concealed in the arrest affidavit.

If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

Speaking during a news conference, Mr Shelby described the charges as serious. "The very first priority of this administration and this Department of Justice is to stop another 9/11 attack and this is a success story in that effort."

Mr Grecula had been charged with kidnapping his children, Berenger Julian and Emilie Gigi, then 10 and three, in a custody dispute in 2002.

Court documents said he asked the source to find a client for a large bomb he was willing to build and sell. He specifically mentioned al-Qaeda but indicated he would sell it to any such group.

Negotiations with the source and later undercover FBI agents continued between April and Friday, according to the complaint against him.

The Greculas had been awarded joint custody of the children by a court in Pennsylvania, a month before they were abducted, with primary physical custody vested in the mother.

His estranged wife, Monique, 32, managed to track him down in Malta and filed proceedings for the return of her children through her Maltese lawyer.

After the abduction, a court in Pennsylvania had awarded her exclusive custody. The custody order was confirmed by Mr Justice Raymond Pace on March 6, 2002, along with authorisation for the children's departure from Malta with their mother.

Ms Grecula claimed her husband was a fugitive from justice and a number of arrest warrants had been issued against him by the US courts and the FBI.

When she learnt her husband and children were in Malta she had obtained a warrant of prohibitory injunction to prevent him leaving the island with the children.

Ms Grecula called on the court to award her care and custody of the children and to authorise her return to the US with them.

She also asked the court to confirm the judgment of the Pennsylvania court awarding her full custody and the warrant of prohibitory injunction issued against her husband by a local court.

Mr Justice Pace had ruled that Mr Grecula had uprooted his children from familiar surroundings capriciously and deprived them of their mother.

Mr Grecula had pleaded at the time that he was in a position to spend time with the children in Malta where he wished to reside on a long-term basis.

He claimed his wife could not properly fulfil this primary care as she worked as an airline flight attendant and spent more time travelling than with the children.