A half brother of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has testified before a French judge in connection with an inquiry into money laundering, judicial sources said on Tuesday.
French judge Renaud Van Ruymbeke interviewed Yeslam bin Laden on Monday as a witness in his probe into allegations he had been in contact with the al Qaeda leader as late as 2000, a year before the September 11 attacks on the United States.
As part of his investigation, Van Ruymbeke has already searched properties in France belonging to Yeslam bin Laden, who says he has not had any contact with his half brother - who tops the United States' most-wanted list - for some 20 years.
Jean-Charles Brisard, a private investigator working with lawyers representing families of September 11 victims, told an earlier hearing $300 million had been transferred to Pakistan in 2000 from a Swiss account linked to Yeslam bin Laden.
The judge, who questioned Yeslam bin Laden about the money on Monday, asked the Swiss judicial authorities about the transfer or the Swiss holdings of Yeslam bin Laden a year ago but has yet to receive any response.