Ouassini Cherifi: King of the “Hugo Boss Pants Fallen Off the Truck” and Prince of the Fake Passport

Cherifi
Ouassini Cherifi at his 2011 trial (AFP)

Cherifi is an important name from the early-to mid-2000s in the European terrorism scene.  I decided to write about him not because of recent revelations, but because a number of my previous articles have touched upon him.  I think his story, what there is of it to tell, deserves a fuller treatment, because he cuts across groups and plots, and some from those days continue to appear in today’s conspiracies.  Another reason has become apparent in the course of researching and writing it which I will touch upon in the conclusion. Continue reading