Former bin Laden bodyguard in Germany

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BOCHUM, Germany, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A Tunisian who allegedly once served as a bodyguard to Osama bin Laden has been living in Bochum, Germany, for more than eight years, authorities say.

The man, identified as "Sami A.," is suspected of recruiting Muslims to terrorism, but investigators do not have the evidence to charge him, Deutsche Welle reported.

"We view Sami A. as a dangerous preacher," Burkhard Freier, president of the North Rhine Westphalia branch of the secret police, said this week.

The newspaper WAZ reported that Sami A. was involved in the training of two young men now on trial in Dusseldorf. Both had contact with him at mosques in Bochum.

Ahmed Aweiner, a resident of Bochum, told the public broadcast network WDR that Sami A. was not allowed to preach at the Khaled mosque there because of his extreme views.

"We have to protect our youth; we have to protect our society," he said.