On February 5, 2003, Al-Aruri as Abu Ashraf was mentioned in the speech of Secretary of State Colin Powell to the U.N. Security Council. As Abu Ashraf, he was shown on a partial organization chart which was linked to four cells operating in Europe. Cited were a “UK poison cell” a “Spain cell” a “French poison cell”, and a “possible Italy cell.”[8] Former Director of Intelligence and Counterintelligence at the U.S. Department of Energy and CIA veteran Rolf Mowatt-Larsen stated that "Secretary Powell’s information used for this part of speech proved to be accurate in the course of events."[9]