http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,4872312%255E662,00... Spy chief flees to Australia By CHRIS GRIFFITH 10aug02 A MYSTERY Middle-Eastern buyer of $50 million of prime Brisbane real estate has been identified as Bahrain's fugitive deputy head of intelligence, sought by Interpol for fraud. Colonel Adel Jassim Felaifel this year fled to Australia from Bahrain, where he feared for his life because of political reforms. Searches show firms associated with him own property including the Queensland Government's old Family Services building in Brisbane and the former FAI Insurance Building - a $50 million portfolio. But two international figures - Omar Ali Babtain, president and chief executive of United Medical Group, and Khalid Bin Nasser Bin Abdulla Al Misnad, president of the Misnad Group, an international trading and building company - have lodged an application in Queensland's Supreme Court challenging Mr Felaifel's ownership of the Brisbane sites. In court documents Mr Felaifel has detailed his role from 1979-2000 as head of Bahrain's Security Intelligence Service "Shia section". "I investigated accusations of such political crimes, using normal police procedures, and questioned people accused of these crimes," Mr Felaifel said. But he strongly denied allegations of torture made against him in a court affidavit. Court documents say Interpol sought Mr Felaifel's arrest on a request from the Bahrain Government on May 20. Mr Babtain's affidavit said Mr Felaifel has a former wife and three small children in Bahrain, a wife and children in Sweden, a relationship with a former Gulf Air stewardess, an Australian national, and another Gulf Air stewardess "wife", Brisbane-born Anne Cherie Windsor, who owns five Queensland properties. Mr Babtain said Mr Felaifel sold him and Mr Misnad properties in the Middle East but never transferred the contracts. The two allege their money funded his Australian purchases. Mr Felaifel denies wrongdoing and says he is owed $25 million in debts. He said political circumstances in his country changed when the king died in 2000. "His son introduced political reforms, including freedom of political expression, and released political detainees." Mr Felaifel felt he had to leave the country for his safety on May 2 this year.