From this:

Spanish authorities knew as early as 2001 that Jamal Zougam, a central suspect in the Madrid bombings, had contacts with accused terrorists linked to al-Qaida, an investigator told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Despite his suspicious ties, Zougam maneuvered with ease in Spain while making extensive contacts with key militants, from the alleged leader of the Spanish al-Qaida cell to a Kurdish guerrilla group in Iraq, according to court documents and wiretapped conversations.

Zougam also traveled back and forth to his hometown of Tangiers, Morocco, which he left on April 20, 2003 -- just weeks before a deadly bombing in Casablanca, Morocco killed 45 people, including 12 attackers.

Zougam was placed under surveillance after the Casablanca bombings, Moroccan officials told AP. He was one of three Moroccans arrested over the weekend after Thursday's bombings in Madrid, which killed 201 people...