May 2008

Influential Muslim Cleric Fights Deportation in New Jersey

…Imam Mohammad Qatanani, accompanied by his wife and six children, had little to say as he walked past several hundred supporters holding signs and American flags on his way to court…Qatanani has been in the U.S. since 1996 and heads the Islamic Center of Passaic County. The imam is well known for working with the FBI following the 9/11 terrorist attacks and for calling on his followers to do the same, although supporters say he worked with law enforcement long before 9/11. Immigration authorities want to deport him because he didn't disclose a prior conviction in an Israeli military court when he applied for U.S. citizenship more than a decade ago…..(Fox, 9 May 08)

Supporters Rally in Newark as an Imam’s Trial Opens

…Imam Qatanani is on trial and facing deportation because of his detention in Israel in 1993, and questions about whether he lied about it on his application for permanent residency in 1999.  The imam, a Palestinian, has been hailed as voice of moderation and an interfaith leader. But inside the immigration court of Judge Alberto J. Riefkohl, Angel Alicea, an F.B.I agent, testified that in February 2005 Imam Qatanani admitted having been arrested and tried, contrary to his green card application……(New York Times, 9 May 08)

Vietnam to try American for terrorism

A Vietnamese-American and two Vietnamese nationals will be put on trial on charges of terrorism for allegedly planning to distribute anti-government pamphlets in Vietnam, an official said Thursday. Nguyen Quoc Quan, of Sacramento, and Vietnamese nationals Nguyen Hai and Nguyen The Vu face jail terms of up to seven years if convicted. Their trial begins Tuesday at the People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City, Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Dung said. The three were arrested last November at a house in Ho Chi Minh City along with Truong Van Ba, an American, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Van, a French national. Authorities allegedly found them preparing to circulate anti-government pamphlets on behalf of Viet Tan, a California-based pro-democracy group that Vietnam considers a terrorist organization…..(AP, 8 May 08)

India to probe Glasgow bomb doctor's links

An Indian doctor who was jailed in Britain for withholding information about planned car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow has returned to India but will now face questioning by local police, an officer said. Sabeel Ahmed, 26, arrived in the southern city of Bangalore on Thursday escorted by two British policemen, after serving 270 days in jail in Britain. He is the younger brother of Kafeel Ahmed, an engineer, who drove a jeep into the Glasgow airport terminal building on June 30 last year and set it alight. Kafeel died later in hospital from 90 percent burns…….(Reuters, 8 May 08)

Terror suspects Abdulla Ahmed Ali and Uma Islam discussed telling wives

Two members of an alleged terrorist cell planning to blow up transatlantic airliners discussed what to do if their wives found out about their plot, a court heard. The conversation was recorded by MI5 as the pair allegedly discussed whether their wives and children would come with them on their suicide mission.  The conversation allegedly took place between Abdulla Ahmed Ali, one of the leaders of the plot, and Umar Islam on August 9 2006, the day they were arrested……(Telegraph, 8 May 08)

Informant was told not to train suspects in Toledo terror trial

The Joint Terrorism Task Force emerged in the Toledo area just months before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, to ferret out possible threats to the United States, a special agent with the FBI testified yesterday. The government's key witness in a terrorism trial, Darren Griffin, Special Agent Shannon Coats added, was one of the "tools" used. Agent Coats, one of the FBI agents involved in the investigation of three local men charged with terrorism-related activities, testified in U.S. District Court about the role of Mr. Griffin as a cooperating witness in the case and the instructions Mr. Griffin received throughout the investigation.  The agent was the third witness to testify for the government in the trial of Mohammad Amawi, 28; Marwan El-Hindi, 45, and Wassim Mazloum, 26……(Toledo Blade, 7 May 08)

First member of "Lackawanna Six" to plead guilty leaves prison for Detroit halfway house

The first member of the so-called "Lackawanna Six" to plead guilty to attending an al-Qaida training camp has been moved from prison to a halfway house in Detroit. Faysal Galab, 32, was transferred from the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex on April 29, U.S. Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Felicia Ponce said Tuesday. Details about his new custody situation were unavailable. Ponce referred questions to the Community Corrections Office in Detroit, where two telephone messages were not returned…..(AP, 7 May 08)

Sabeel Ahmed to be deported to India on Wednesday night

Doctor Sabeel Ahmed will be deported to India late on Wednesday from the UK after serving 18 months in jail for withholding information about his brother, Kafeel Ahmed's plot to blow up Glasgow airport…In the June 30 attack, Kafeel was seen driving a jeep filled with propane canisters into the airport terminal and setting it alight. But the burning vehicle failed to break through the glass doors and no one was injured. Kafeel, an engineer, subsequently succumbed to his burns.  Sabeel, 28, who worked at the National Health Service and had admitted that he failed to inform police about Kafeel's plans to carry out the suicide bombing on June 30 last….(PTI, 7 May 08)

4 Greeks appeal 2004 conviction of membership in ELA terror group

…The four were arrested during a security crackdown before the 2004 Athens Olympics, and were found guilty the same year of membership in ELA, as well as weapons possession, complicity to murder and attempted murder. They were each sentenced to 25 years in prison, but have since been released on parole or compassionate grounds. One of the four, Christos Tsigaridas, 67, has acknowledged being associated with ELA but still denies having possessed weapons or participating in any attack. The other three — Irene Athanasaki, 54; Angeletos Kanas, 57, and Costas Agapiou, 58 — deny membership in ELA…..(AP, 7 May 08)

Jury hears 'suicide recordings'

A jury has heard recordings in which one of eight men accused of an aircraft bomb plot is alleged to be showing another how to present a suicide video. Woolwich Crown Court heard the bugged conversations took place at an east London flat the prosecution claims the men used as their bomb factory in 2006. The jury heard that the man said in the recordings: "Don't try and speak posh English... give a bit of aggression."…..(BBC, 7 May 08)

Terror accused upset by 'hit man' rumor

An alleged member of a home-grown Muslim terrorist cell was confronted over rumors that he carried weapons and had been ordered to carry out "hits" by his leader. Hatem Elmohandis, the information technology manager from the Australian International Academy, told the Victorian Supreme Court yesterday he confronted Aimen Joud, 23, a former student at the college, about the rumors during an online chat in June 2005.  Mr Elmohandis said he asked Mr Joud four questions: whether he had sworn an oath of allegiance to his sheik; whether he carried weapons; whether he was ordered to "do hits" on the orders of his leader; and whether he "ransacked at will"…..(Australian, 7 May 08)

Ex-USF student Youssef Megahed freed on bail

After spending nine months behind bars on explosives charges that drew national attention, Youssef Megahed posted $200,000 bail Monday and walked out of the federal courthouse in downtown Tampa… Megahed, 22, was scheduled to go to trial on Monday to defend himself against charges of illegally transporting explosive materials and a destructive device stemming from a traffic stop last August in South Carolina……(Tampa Bay, 6 May 08)

Terrorism suspect tries to quit his own trial

An Islamic convert facing terrorism charges was re-arrested after trying to walk out of his own trial Tuesday – saying simply that “I'm outta here” – after telling the court he wouldn't recognize Canadian law. The 20-year-old, who can't be identified because he was underage at the time of his arrest two years ago, had been released on bail. But he spent last night in jail, and his legal future is unclear…The only youth among 11 Torontonians accused of a variety of conspiracies is also the only suspect whose case has got to its trial phase…..(Globe & Mail, 6 May 08)

A Reminder About Sami Al-Arian

Lately, we hear much from supporters of detained ex-University of South Florida computer engineering professor Sami Al-Arian, who pleaded guilty to (was convicted of) the Federal felony violation of providing assistance and support to members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization. Al-Arian was sentenced to 57 months prison time for his crime. He was also ordered to be deported from the United States at the completion of his criminal incarceration. During his incarceration, prosecutors in northern Virginia have sought to have Al-Arian testify before a Federal grand jury investigating an Islamic charity that was linked to a Tampa-based PIJ front think-tank run by Al-Arian and several of his cronies. To date, Al-Arian has refused to testify before the Virginia grand jury and has been held in civil contempt… Al-Arian’s supporters ignore the close financial, operational and personnel relationships he and his Tampa PIJ front organization shared with the Virginia charity being investigated; relationships that included at least $50,000 in transactions and the “exchange” of a PIJ-linked operative via immigration fraud (clearly, those Federal prosecutors in Virginia have solid reason to seek Al-Arian’s testimony)…..(Counterterrorism Blog, 6 May 08)

Trial delayed for Egyptian student facing explosives charges

The trial of an Egyptian college student facing federal explosives charges was delayed Monday _ the day it had been scheduled to start _ when prosecutors filed a last-minute appeal. Youssef Samir Megahed, 22, was released on $200,000 bail later Monday, the first time he has been free since he and a fellow student were arrested after a traffic stop in South Carolina in August…..(AP, 6 May 08)

Trial nears for student accused of transporting explosives

For more than eight months, Youssef Samir Megahed has been in jail, a wild detour from the seemingly innocuous road trip to see Atlantic Coast beaches that he says he and a friend were enjoying.  The U.S. government views the trip differently, accusing Megahed and Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed of transporting explosives materials in the trunk of their car as they traveled through South Carolina… However, a judge's ruling Friday to throw out some evidence against him could delay the trial…..(AP, 4 May 08)

German terrorism judge to visit Lebanon jail, magazine says

A German judge trying a Lebanese student for an attempted train bombing is to question the alleged co-plotter in a Lebanese prison, according to a German news magazine on Sunday. Focus said Lebanese prosecutor-general Said Mirza had acceded to a German request for access to Jihad Hamad, who has already been sent to jail for 12 years for the failed 2006 attempt to blow up two German trains. The other Islamist, Youssef al-Hajj Dib, 23, is in German custody and currently on trial in the western city of Dusseldorf……(DPA, 4 May 08)

Details of July 7 'bomb factory' disclosed

The first pictures of the bomb factory allegedly used by the July 7 terror gang to assemble the home-made explosives that killed 52 people have been shown to a jury.  Chemical residues, bulbs, wires, batteries and traces of high explosives were said to have been discovered in a flat in Leeds where the four devices were prepared.  The photographs were taken inside 18 Alexandra Grove, the "principal" site for the construction of the bombs, a court was told……(Telegraph, 3 May 08)

Alleged terror leader 'threw a tantrum'

An accused terror leader became enraged and began to cry when queried about the validity of his teachings, a court heard yesterday. The Supreme Court was told Abdul Nacer Benbrika also bemoaned Muslims who refused to stand up for Islamic law during a series of religious classes in 2004. An undercover agent, known as SIO39, told the jury the classes were attended by other men accused of forming a home-grown terror cell bent on committing violent jihad in Australia…..(Australian, 2 May 08)

Airline plot accused 'had codes'

Documents containing coded phrases were found in a house connected to Umar Islam, a defendant in the airliner bomb plot trial, Woolwich Crown Court heard. The papers held tables with codes for places such as the American and British embassies and the intelligence services, the jury was told…Mr Wright also gave the jury a breakdown of the mobile phones, calling cards, landlines and sim cards which the defendants are alleged to have used to keep in contact with each other.  Evidence showing how Assad Sarwar used different Lycatel phone cards to call co-defendants Abdulla Ahmed Ali and Mohammed Gulzar, was also presented to the jury….(BBC, 2 May 08)

Jury at trial of three accused of July 7 link see blasts footage

Footage of the moments two of the July 7 bombers detonated their devices on the London transport network was shown to a jury yesterday at the trial of three men accused of helping to plan the attacks.  Previously unreleased film showed clouds of smoke filling a platform at Liverpool Street station 40 seconds after Shezhad Tanweer detonated his bomb. The court also saw the chaos and horrified reaction of those near the No 30 bus in Tavistock Square after Hasib Hussain detonated explosives in his rucksack…..(Guardian, 2 May 08)

Al-Arian Boycott

The Muslim Student Association (MSA) maintains approximately 600 chapters at colleges across the country, fronting as a cultural and religious organization. Realistically, however, the MSA is a radical political group that was initially founded by members of the Muslim Brotherhood, the godfather of al-Qaeda and Hamas. The purpose of the MSA is to promote jihad in institutions of higher learning.  At the University of California- Irvine (UCI), the Muslim Student Union (MSU) is also a part of the Muslim Student Association and has openly supported terrorist groups. Presently the MSU aims to "build an environment that enhances good, discourages bad, and provides networks of resources, knowledge, people, and companionship to its members." The MSU offers "daily congregational prayers, daily free iftars … over eight weekly classes, a quarterly magazine Alkalima, coalition building with other clubs on campus, and a gateway to the larger Muslim community …" MSU also provides career advice and a study program to help Muslims at UCI…..(FrontPage, 2 May 08)

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad's "Education Wing"

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that convicted Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative Sami Al-Arian ended his hunger strike, which he began, allegedly, in protest of the Eastern District of Virginia's insistence that he testify before a grand jury investigating the terrorist connections of a Northern Virginia think tank, the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). Al-Arian is currently in the custody of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, awaiting deportation to an as of yet undetermined country……(IPT, 1 May 08)

Defense's exam of top witness in terror trial ends

…Over four days of cross-examination, attorneys for Marwan El-Hindi, 45; Mohammad Amawi, 28, and Wassim Mazloum, 26, questioned Darren Griffin about both his past and his time as a confidential informant. Specifically, attorneys for each defense team asked Mr. Griffin about the tactics he used during conversations with the three defendants.  Attorney Charles Boss, who represents Mr. El-Hindi, asked about a February, 2005, meeting between Mr. Griffin and the three men. He questioned Mr. Griffin on whether he was "gathering information," as was his order from the FBI, or instead dominating, and in some cases leading, the conversation into talk of sniper training…..(Toledo Blade, 1 May 08)

Haq's brother testifies Jewish Federation shooter obsessive

Naveed Haq was never very adept socially, but after he began slipping deeper and deeper into mental illness, he became obsessed with trying to improve his appearance and win friends, his younger brother testified in court this morning… Naveed Haq is on trial for forcing his way into the federation offices and fatally shooting employee Pamela Waechter and wounding five other women on July 28, 2006. Haq, 32, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to one count of aggravated first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder and numerous other charges, including malicious harassment — the state's hate-crime law…..(Seattle Times, 2 May 08)

April 2008

Toledo defendant didn't fund terrorism, lawyer says

Despite being labeled by federal prosecutors as the man with the means to fund terrorism-related activities, Marwan El-Hindi never gave a nickel to jihadist training and, in fact, could be heard on recordings saying he was not interested in training for holy war, his defense attorney said yesterday. During day-long questioning of Darren Griffin in U.S. District Court in Toledo yesterday, Mr. El-Hindi's attorney questioned the government's key witness about what actions Mr. El-Hindi took to further terrorism during the government's three-year investigation. Defense attorney Charles Boss pointed out that Mr. El-Hindi never gave money to further terrorism-related activities, never trained on weapons, and could be heard on multiple occasions talking about recruitment - but for his many business schemes……(Toledo Blade, 30 Apr 08)

Jailed Former Professor Ends Hunger Strike

A former professor who pleaded guilty to conspiring to aid a Palestinian terrorist group but has refused to testify before a grand jury in a related investigation has ended a nearly two-month hunger strike in a southeast Virginia jail, his supporters said Wednesday. Sami al-Arian, 50, suspended his fast Tuesday after 57 days. The Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace says family and friends urged the former University of South Florida computer science professor to resume eating after he collapsed last week in the Hampton Roads Regional Jail because of dangerously low blood pressure and blood sugar levels…..(NBC4, 30 Apr 08)

Third trial date set for alleged Sears Tower terror plot

A third trial date has been set in Miami in the case of six men accused of plotting to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and several FBI offices.

Two trials in the "Liberty City Seven" case have ended in mistrials. One defendant was acquitted. The third trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 6, 2009……(AP, 30 Apr 08)

Venezuelan ex - general sentenced in 2003 bombings

A dissident former general has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for bombing attacks on Spanish and Colombian diplomatic missions in Venezuela's capital. The state-run Bolivarian News Agency reported Wednesday that former National Guard Gen. Felipe Rodriguez was convicted of conspiracy and aggravated burning of property for the 2003 attacks……(AP, 30 Apr 08)

Spy showed accused terrorist 'how to make bomb'

An undercover security intelligence officer who infiltrated an alleged terrorist group took the alleged leader out to the bush and showed him how to detonate an ice-cream container full of explosives, the Supreme Court heard today. The witness, known only as Security Intelligence Officer (SIO) 39, provided audio evidence in the trial of 12 men facing various terrorism-related charges. Fadl Sayadi, 27, of Coburg, Ahmed Raad, 24, of Fawkner, Aimen Joud, 22, of Hoppers Crossing, Abdullah Merhi, 22, of Fawkner, Amer Haddara, 27, of Yarraville, Shane Kent, 30, of Meadow Heights, Majed Raad, 23, of Coburg, Hany Taha, 32, of Hadfield, Shoue Hammoud, 27, of Hadfield, Bassam Raad, 25, of Brunswick and Ezzit Raad, 25, of Preston and the alleged leader of the group Abdul Nacer Benbrika, 47, of Dallas, have all pleaded not guilty……(Age, 30 Apr 08)

Court dissects searches found on Naveed Haq's laptop

Naveed Haq used his computer to find the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, where he shot six people, but police say his laptop also revealed searches for public offices, mental illness Web sites and pornography. In court on Monday, Seattle Police Detective Tim Luckie detailed the activity on Haq's computer in the days before the July 2006 shooting, which left one woman dead and five badly wounded…..(Seattle PI, 30 Apr 08)

State of al-Qaida's core leadership questioned by terror trial observers

A shadowy senior figure in the alleged British plot to blow up Air Canada and other transatlantic airliners suggests al-Qaida's core leadership is on the march again, say terrorism experts. Mohammed Gulzar, 26, is among eight young British Muslims on trial in London for conspiracy to commit murder and other offences. They were allegedly planning to detonate liquid explosives hidden in soft drink bottles aboard seven passenger jets leaving London for North America in August 2006. Prosecution evidence on Tuesday portrayed Gulzar as the group's ringleader…..(CanWest 29 Apr 08)

Defense attorney calls relationship between key witness and terrorism suspect a "lie"

Calling the nearly three years of interactions between Marwan El-Hindi and Darren Griffin a "lie," Mr. El-Hindi’s defense attorney questioned the government’s key witness for 2½ hours Tuesday morning, pointing out that during the length of the investigation Mr. El-Hindi never gave money to further terrorism-related activities and never trained on weapons. Mr. Griffin took the stand in U.S. District Court in Toledo for an 11th day in the trial of three local men charged with terrorism-related crimes…..(Toledo Blade, 29 Apr 08)

Hamdan statements at Gitmo hearing

Statements from Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a former driver for Osama bin Laden, during a 40-minute exchange with the military judge presiding over his war-crimes tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. The Yemeni detainee spoke through an Arabic interpreter…..(AP, 29 Apr 08)

Sweden keeps Somali terror suspects in custody

The Stockholm District Court extended the detention of two Swedish citizens suspected of financing terrorism in Somalia, a public prosecutor said on Monday. Public prosecutor Ronnie Jacobsson said the court ordered the extension until May 8 of two men of Somali origin held on suspicion of collecting money and sending it to al Shabaab, a militant group that Sweden considers a terrorist organization. The two, aged 42 and 38, were taken into custody on February 28 after joint raids in Sweden and Norway led to the detention of six people…..(Reuters, 29 Apr 08)

Former deputy PM Tariq Aziz faces trial

He was the international face of Saddam Hussein's regime _ defending Iraq and taunting the West for more than a decade. Now, Tariq Aziz awaits an Iraqi court as the latest member of the Saddam's inner circle to face trial.

Aziz, 72, the only Christian among Saddam's mostly Sunni Muslim coterie, and five other defendants face charges in the 1992 execution of dozens of merchants accused of profiteering.

The trial, scheduled to begin Tuesday, could represent the last high-profile Saddam era figure to face prosecution for alleged atrocities.….(AP, 29 Apr 08)

State Secrets

…Oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Al Haramain Islamic Foundation, Inc. v. George W. Bush took place in August, 2007, and focussed almost exclusively on the document. Al Haramain’s lawyers might think that the document was proof of surveillance, Thomas Bondy, the government’s lawyer, argued, but they could be wrong. “Although they think or believe or claim they were surveilled,” Bondy concluded, “it’s possible that they weren’t.” “Basically,” Eisenberg told me later, the government is “saying that when it comes to matters of national security there is no truth. We will not confirm or deny. So it doesn’t matter what you know.” The appeals-court judges ruled in November that, because of the “cascade of acknowledgments” of the wiretapping program, Al Haramain’s case could not be thrown out on the ground that its subject matter was a secret…..(New Yorker, 28 Apr 08)

11 Somalis sentenced to life for piracy

A court in Somalia's northern breakaway state of Puntland on Monday sentenced 11 people to life imprisonment for piracy…"The High Court of Puntland sentenced 11 pirates to life in prison," Puntland state administration officer Bile Mohamud Qabowsade said. "Seven of them were caught during a raid last week while the other four were detained for collaborating with the pirates," he said. "The court found them guilty... of taking people hostage with the aim of obtaining a ransom,"…..(AFP, 28 Apr 08)

Sacked Haj panel chief to be tried under Official Secrets Act

Sacked Udaipur’s Haj Committee chief Moinuddin Rizvi is set to face trial along with a Pakistan national in connection with an espionage case as a Delhi court has framed penal charges against the duo under the Official Secrets Act. Additional Sessions Judge H S Sharma recently ordered for initiating the trial of the accused by starting the recording of the prosecution witnesses in the case from August 4. Rizvi, a former UP PWD official based at Udaipur in Rajasthan, and Mohd Yusuf, a Pakistan national, have been charged for their alleged offences of spying and executing a criminal conspiracy prejudicial to the safety and interests of India. On May 25 last year, the Special Cell had arrested 62-year-old Rizvi on charges of handing over sensitive maps of military installations to the Pakistani agent Yusuf…..(Express India, 27 Apr 08)

Terror accused walk free from court

…A jury had failed to reach a verdict on Omar Zaheer, 28, who was charged with fundraising for terrorism, following a trial at Kingston Crown Court. Khan was tried with Rajib Khan, 29, of Luton, who also found not guilty….(UK Press, 26 Apr 08)

Terror suspect who won court battle is named as a ‘top al-Qaeda agent’

A suspected terrorist who scored a legal victory against the Government this week is a senior al-Qaeda operative living openly in London, security agencies say.  The man, who can be identified only as G, is one of five people who challenged the Treasury’s powers to freeze terrorist suspects’ bank accounts in a successful High Court action.  Yesterday security sources described him as “a key player” who acts as a conduit between British-based extremists and the al-Qaeda leadership hiding out in Pakistan and Afghanistan.  Under the Government’s al-Qaeda Order, G was one of 58 people forced to apply to the Treasury for a licence to obtain £10 a week for basic expenses…..(Times Online, 26 Apr 08)

Muslim cleric fighting deportation linked to terror group

When he faces an immigration judge in two weeks, a popular Muslim cleric fighting deportation may have to counter claims that he confessed to being a member of a terrorist group. According to Israeli military authorities, Imam Mohammad Qatanani admitted being a member of the militant Hamas organization during interrogation in 1993 in Israel…..(AP, 26 Apr 08)

Google searches suggest Haq was hunting for targets

Searching Google, it took Naveed Haq just under 15 minutes to find his target just before he left his Tri-Cities home for Seattle, where he would shoot six women at the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle. According to the testimony of a Seattle police computer-forensic specialist Thursday in Haq's murder trial, Haq sat down at his laptop just after 5:15 p.m. on July 27, 2006, and began entering Internet search terms. The string of searches he performed, which appears to have begun randomly and soon led him to the Jewish Federation….(Seattle Times, 25 Apr 08)

Md. man gets same prison term for supporting terror group

A former teacher at a Muslim school in Maryland was again sentenced to 15 years in prison Friday for providing support to a Pakistani terrorist group, even though a federal appeals court had ordered the trial judge to reconsider the original sentence. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond earlier this year ordered a new sentencing hearing for Ali Asad Chandia, saying the judge needed to explain why he applied a rarely used "terrorism enhancement" that more than doubled Chandia's prison time to 15 years…..(AP, 25 Apr 08)

Three more Sears Tower terror suspects get bail

Three more suspects accused of plotting to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and several FBI offices are getting out on bail. U.S. District Judge Joan Lenard on Friday approved $50,000 bail for defendants Stanley Phanor, Rotschild Augustine and Burson Augustin. The judge earlier authorized similar bail for Naudimar Herrera. Members of the so-called "Liberty City Seven" have been in custody since their June 2006 arrests….(Herald Tribune, 25 Apr 08

Man in court on terrorism charges

A man charged under the Terrorism Act with two offences has appeared via video link at the Old Bailey. Nathan Worrell, 35, was arrested in January at his home in Grimsby and is accused of possessing documents for making explosives and poisons. A second charge alleges Mr Worrell collected records "likely to be useful" in terrorism….(BBC, 25 Apr 08)

Details of alleged bomb plot revealed

Lawyers for two Toronto-area suspects alleged to be involved in a 2006 truck-bomb conspiracy have failed to seal details of allegations that the suspects planned to bomb government targets including the Toronto Regional Office of CSIS, the Toronto Stock Exchange, and an unspecified military base. An inner circle of the adult accused, referred to by the Crown as simply "the Mississauga group," allegedly earmarked "three targets for the truck bombs," court documents that were released yesterday allege…..(Globe & Mail, 24 Apr 08)

Defense questions witness in Toledo terror trial

What federal prosecutors said was a trip to Jordan to further the creation of a terrorist cell was characterized yesterday by Mohammad Amawi's defense attorney as a chance for his client to take a free vacation in August, 2005, to visit his family overseas. "Mr. Amawi did not have to bear the expense of flying back to Jordan to visit his family?" attorney Timothy Ivey asked of the government's key witness, Darren Griffin. "Correct," Mr. Griffin replied. Mr. Ivey then pointed out that Mr. Griffin gave money to Mr. Amawi's family for their car, paid to have some of Mr. Amawi's personal items shipped overseas to him, and even left him a satellite phone on which Mr. Amawi rang up a $47,000 bill…….(Toledo Blade, 24 Apr 08)

Six Suspects Will Be Tried a Third Time in Sears Plot

Federal prosecutors said Wednesday that they would try for a third time to convict six men accused of conspiring to destroy the Sears Tower in Chicago and join the ranks of Al Qaeda. Judge Joan A. Lenard said the next trial would proceed in “the late fall or early winter.” In the previous trials, government lawyers contended that the men — Narseal Batiste, Patrick Abraham, Burson Augustine, Rotschild Augustine, Naudimar Herrera and Stanley G. Phanor — wanted to wage a “ground war” against American citizens and had pledged their loyalty for Islamic extremism to F.B.I. informants posing as members of Al Qaeda….(New York Times, 24 Apr 08)

Terror suspects win legal challenge over assets: court

Five men who had their assets frozen by the government over their alleged involvement in terrorism won a legal challenge against the move Thursday. The British nationals, who were suspected of links to terrorist acts but never charged, became subject to so-called orders-in-council restricting their financial activities last year. Orders-in-council are a fast-track way of passing legislation without the usual Parliamentary debate and votes. In this case, the orders were laid before Parliament the day after they were made and came into force the following day…..(AFP, 24 Apr 08)

U.S. to Make Third Attempt To Prosecute Miami Group

…In arguing for a new trial, Gregorie pointed to taped conversations obtained by the FBI in which the leader of the "Liberty City Seven," Narseal Batiste, made threatening comments about citizens of the United States. "In referring to Americans, Mr. Batiste said he wanted to kill all the devils," Gregorie told the judge…..(Washington Post, 24 Apr 08)

Appeals Court Stymies Government Investigation of Safa Group
The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has stymied government efforts to secure records in its long-running investigation of individuals involved in the Safa Group, whom they suspect of "providing material support to terrorists, money laundering, and tax evasion."…..(NEFA, 23 Apr 08)  Documents

July 7 plotter 'was due to go to Afghanistan'

…Suicide bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan held detailed talks with another terror suspect on how to get to Afghanistan for an “operation” but later changed his mind and attacked London instead, it was alleged…A transcript of the surveillance recording was played to a jury in the trial of three men accused of conspiring to cause explosions with Khan and the other July 7 bombers.

Waheed Ali, 24, from Tower Hamlets, east London, Mohammed Shakil, 31, and Sadeer Saleem, 27, both from Beeston, Leeds, all deny the charge……(Telegraph, 23 Apr 08)

Man in middle of terrorism case is held in Hampton Roads jail

A former University of South Florida professor once suspected of being a leading terrorism financier is now in the Hampton Roads Regional Jail, on a hunger strike and suicide watch. Sami Al-Arian, 50, had hoped to be deported after serving a federal prison term for a terrorism-related conviction but remains mired in a dispute with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Alexandria. Prosecutors want him to testify before a grand jury, but he has refused to obey court orders to do so. Al-Arian was transferred to the regional jail in Portsmouth April 15…..(Hampton Roads, 22 Apr 08)

UN appeals judges overturn convictions, cut sentences for 2 Bosnian Muslim commanders

A U.N. appeals panel overturned the murder conviction and reduced the sentence Tuesday of a Bosnian army commander in charge of Muslim fighters who murdered and tortured Bosnian Serbs and Croats in the Balkan wars in 1993. Enver Hadzihasanovic was originally convicted by the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal in March 2006 of one murder count for failing to prevent the "mujahadeen" volunteers from killing two prisoners, and refusing to punish them afterward. One of the prisoners was beheaded, and several other captives were beaten…..(AP, 22 Apr 08)

7/7 suspect says Pakistan ticket was 'one way'

One of the July 7 bombers was told travelling to Pakistan was a "one way ticket" during a secretly recorded conversation about fighting abroad, a court heard today. Mohammed Siddique Khan was advised on how to evade authorities, what kit would be needed and how to carry out scams in this country to raise funds by a "committed terrorist" known as Ausman.…..(Metro, 22 Apr 08)

Key Toledo terror trial witness back on stand tomorrow

Cross-examination of the government’s key witness in the trial of three Toledo-area men accused of terrorism-related charges will begin tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Toledo, a day later than scheduled. The questioning of Darren Griffin by defense attorneys for Marwan El-Hindi, 45; Mohammad Amawi, 28, and Wassim Mazloum, 26, was postponed a day to work out evidentiary issues…..(Toledo Blade, 22 Apr 08)

Photos ‘show bombers and alleged conspirator with known terrorist’

Surveillance photographs of two of the July 7 bombers and one of their alleged conspirators meeting a “committed terrorist” outside a branch of McDonald’s were shown to a jury yesterday.  One of the pictures shows Mohammad Sidique Khan, the ringleader of the July 7 gang, his fellow bomber Shezhad Tanweer and Waheed Ali, their alleged conspirator, 17 months before the attacks on London. Another shows the men talking to a “committed terrorist” known as Ausman, and his brother, during the meeting at the fast-food outlet near Crawley, West Sussex, in February 2004. Car journeys around London and the Home Counties involving the five men were tracked, meetings were observed and on two occasions a car driven by Khan was followed back to the Leeds area, the court was told……(Times Online, 22 Apr 08)

Canadian Muslim Terrorism Case Quickly Unraveling With More Suspects Freed

The Crown has effectively dropped charges against three adult suspects in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case, sending the strongest signal yet that the portion of the case dealing with an alleged terror training camp is much weaker than first believed. Ibrahim Aboud, Ahmad Ghany and Abdul Qayyum Jamal all signed peace bonds at a Brampton courthouse on Tuesday morning. Later in the afternoon, they were expected to have the indictments against them stayed. Previously, some of the young offenders in the case had been given similar deals, but this is the first time any of the adult accused have had the charges against them all but dropped. After 12 months, the peace bond expires and it as though the three suspects were never charged….(Link Paper, 22 Apr 08)

Former USF Students' Trials Will Be Separate, Delayed

Two former University of South Florida students whose legal battle began after their car was pulled over by deputies in South Carolina will be tried separately, a judge decided Monday. A judge made the decision in U.S. District Court after the two defendants, Ahmed Mohamed and Youssef Megahed, entered not guilty pleas before a different judge during their arraignment on charges handed up last week. The new seven-count indictment adds terrorism and weapons charges against Mohamed. It also includes a new charge against Mohamed and Megahed relating to devices found in the trunk of their car when they were arrested Aug. 4 in South Carolina… Megahed's trial now is scheduled to start May 5 and Mohamed's July 7 under the ruling by Judge Steven Merryday…..(Tampa Tribune, 22 Apr 08)

Numerous Documents Added to U.S. Legal Cases - Criminal Section

In recent days, numerous documents have been added to the U.S. Legal Cases - Criminal section that pertain to the cases of Sadeq Naji Ahmed, Amen Ahmed Ali, Yehia Ali Ahmed Alomari, Jamal Al-Badawi, Ronald Grecula, Arwah Jabar, Maher Amin Jaradat, Majid Al-Massari, Ahmed Al-Mughassil, Khamal Muhammad, Richard Reid, Hamid Sheikh, Nabil Soliman, Ahmed Hassan Al-Uqaily, and Fawaz Yunis…..(NEFA, 21 Apr 08)

Few Clear Wins in U.S. Anti-Terror Cases

When seven ragtag men in a Miami religious sect were indicted in 2006 for their role in a bizarre plot to blow up the FBI Miami office and Chicago's Sears Tower, then- Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales said the case represented "a new brand of terrorism" among homegrown gangs that "may prove to be as dangerous as groups like al-Qaeda." Justice Department officials used similar rhetoric in a 2003 case against a Tampa-area man and his associates who allegedly supported a reign of terror by a violent Palestinian group. The officials did so again in a 2004 case involving a Dallas charity known as the Holy Land Foundation, which they said provided "blood money" to finance overseas suicide bombings…..(Washington Post, 21 Apr 08)

Alleged Jemaah Islamiyah leaders get prison terms

Indonesian courts declared the Southeast Asian militant group Jemaah Islamiyah a terrorist organization Monday and sentenced two of its leaders to 15 years behind bars. Abu Dujana, the group's military commander, was found guilty of conspiracy to commit terrorist attacks, harboring fugitives and stockpiling illegal arms. Zarkasih, who judges said briefly acted as JI's caretaker leader in 2005, was found guilty of similar charges in a separate trial at the South Jakarta District Court…..(AP, 21 Apr 08)

Defense Motion and Transcript of Defendants' Conversation in Patrol Car

Attorneys for University of South Florida student Youssef Samir Megahed have filed a document that contains transcripts provided by the FBI and a defense interpreter of the conversation that took place between Megahed and Ahmed Abellatif Sherif Mohamed in the back of a patrol car on the day they were arrested. The defense filing argues that the "audio recording is inaudible, unintelligible and, thus, unreliable and out of context and must be prohibited from introduction into evidence in the government’s case-in-chief." The government believes the tape provides evidence that the two are attempting to coordinate their stories…..(NEFA, 19 Apr 08)

US v. YOUSSEF SAMIR MEGAHED

Lebanon puts off trial of suspect in alleged NY terror plot

Lebanon's state-run news agency says a military court has postponed the trial of an alleged al-Qaida loyalist accused of plotting to attack New York City train tunnels. The report says the trial of Assem Hammoud, initially scheduled to start Friday, has been put off until October because the U.S. investigation appears to be continuing. Hammoud was arrested in Lebanon in 2006 in a plot allegedly involving at least eight people. The FBI said the plotters planned to bomb and flood Hudson River train tunnels that carry more than 215,000 passengers each weekday between New York and New Jersey…..(AP, 18 Apr 08)

Professor in Deadlocked Terrorism Case Could Face a New Indictment

Sami al-Arian, a computer science professor imprisoned for more than five years after pleading guilty to a single terrorism-related charge when his trial deadlocked, is back in legal limbo this week. He faces either deportation or a new indictment that could extend his incarceration for years. The Justice Department and some independent terrorism investigators have long accused Mr. Al-Arian of being the main North America organizer for Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for some of the more deadly suicide bombings against Israeli targets and which the United States has designated a terrorist organization……(New York Times, 18 Apr 08)

Lawyer for Egyptian student seek trial delay

Lawyers for an Egyptian college student accused of illegally carrying explosive materials are asking to delay the upcoming trial. According to a motion filed Thursday, attorneys for Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed say they cannot adequately defend him against new charges, which were filed Wednesday, unless the trials are delayed. Deputies in South Carolina stopped Mohamed and Youssef Samir Megahed, former University of South Florida students, last August and say they found items to build pipe bombs in the trunk……(Herald Tribune, 18 Apr 08)

Afghan German admits knife attack on Frankfurt rabbi

A 23-year-old German of Afghan origin admitted partial guilt at the start of his trial Thursday on a charge of stabbing and seriously wounding a rabbi in the city of Frankfurt last year. The accused, who faces a charge of attempted manslaughter, was identified only as Sahed A, 23. He denied shouting racist insults as he stabbed Zalman Gurevich, 42, in the abdomen on the evening of September 7……(DPA, 18 Apr 08)

Terror absconder hands himself in

A terror fund-raiser has handed himself into police after jumping bail for 10 days during his trial.  Shah Jalal Hussain, 25, was found guilty of terrorist fund-raising on Thursday and will be sentenced alongside five other men shortly.  He surrendered at Kingston Crown Court a day after his conviction and was arrested by police….(BBC, 18 Apr 08)

Terror suspect's request for information denied

U.S. District Judge John Tunheim issued an order Thursday denying terrorism suspect Mohamed Warsame's request to review information related to the government's clandestine surveillance of his activities in 2003. The Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained permission from the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to tap Warsame's phone and to conduct a search of his Minneapolis apartment. The FBI investigated Warsame from July until Dec. 8, 2003, when agents took him to Camp Ripley for two days of interviews…..(Star Tribune, 18 Apr 08)

CCTV 'shows liquid bomb terror cell preparing attacks on passenger jets'

CCTV footage allegedly showing key members of a terrorist cell preparing for attacks on passenger jets was shown to a jury today. Evidence filmed at a series of shops shows the men buying and considering equipment for their deadly plot, a court was told. Abdulla Ahmed Ali and co-defendant Tanvir Hussain were captured on camera at B&Q, Ikea and Tesco stores in north and east London. Woolwich Crown Court was shown footage of the men buying torches, batteries, clamps, a craft knife and glass jars…..(Daily Mail, 17 Apr 08)

Activist Guilty Of Supporting Terrorism

Muslim activist Abu Izzadeen has been found guilty of inciting acts of terrorism abroad and fundraising for terrorist purposes. Izzadeen, who stood trial under the name Omar Brooks, once heckled former Home Secretary John Reid on live TV. He was one of eight people in the dock at Kingston Crown Court facing a variety of charges related to supporting terrorism……(Sky, 17 Apr 08)

Six guilty of terrorism support

A man who heckled then Home Secretary John Reid during a speech has been convicted of terrorist fund-raising and inciting terrorism overseas. Muslim preacher Abu Izzadeen was among six men convicted of supporting terrorism in London speeches in 2004. The Kingston Crown Court jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge against Izzadeen of encouraging terrorism. Shah Jalal Hussain, guilty of terrorist fund-raising, remains missing after failing to appear at court on 8 April…..(BBC, 17 Apr 08)

Does 2nd mistrial doom Liberty City terror case?

After millions of dollars and two deadlocked juries, federal prosecutors must now decide whether to continue their quest to prosecute a group of alleged Miami terrorists. Confronted on Wednesday with a second mistrial, prosecutors must now decide whether to seek a third trial for a Miami group accused of plotting with al Qaeda to blow up federal buildings in an insurrection against the United States…..(Miami Herald, 17 Apr 08)

2nd Mistrial in 'Liberty City 7' Case

…The defendants have widely been referred to as the Liberty City Seven because authorities say the men originally charged were conducting their activities in a warehouse in Liberty City, a predominately black, low-income neighborhood in northeastern Miami. In December, after nine days of deliberation, a jury in Miami acquitted one defendant, Lyglenson Lemorin, of all charges and said it was deadlocked on the charges against the group's leader, Narseal Batiste, 33, who led a sect known as the Moorish Science Temple. It also deadocked on five others, leading Lenard to declare a mistrial. The other defendants were Patrick Abraham, Burson Augustine, Rothschild Augustine, Stanley Grant Phanor and Naudimar Herrera. The second trial, which ended Wednesday after 13 days of deliberation, proved equally fruitless…..(Washington Post, 17 Apr 08)

New Charges Filed Against Former USF Students

Twelve days before they were scheduled to go on trial, two former University of South Florida students are facing new charges handed up by a federal grand jury. The new seven-count indictment adds terrorism and weapons charges against one of the defendants, Ahmed Mohamed. It also includes a new charge against Mohamed and Youssef Megahed relating to the devices found in the trunk of their car when they were arrested Aug. 4 in South Carolina. It replaces a two-count indictment handed up last year…Some of the new charges against Mohamed are similar to a charge lodged against another former USF student, Karim Moussaoui, who was recently convicted of possessing a firearm in violation of his student visa. The charge, which carries a maximum of ten years in prison, relates to an incident in which he visited a Tampa firing range with Megahed and held a gun for 2 posing for pictures…One new charge against Mohamed accuses him of carrying a destructive device while providing material support to terrorists on Aug. 4, the day of the men's arrest.  Attorneys have said that the video Mohamed is accused of posting on YouTube had been removed by that day. It's unclear how prosecutors believe Mohamed was helping terrorists on that date. That is the most serious charge in the indictment, carrying up to a life sentence……(Tampa Tribune, 17 Apr 08)

Related Documents:

MOHAMED AND MEGAHED CHARGED IN SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT

Transcript of Video Recording

FBI Laboratory Letter

Motion For Reconsideration

Video: "Martyrdom Wills" of the Transatlantic Bomb Plotters

Courtesy of the London Metropolitan Police Authority, the NEFA Foundation has obtained excerpted footage from the video-recorded “martyrdom wills" of Abdullah Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussain, Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Waheed Khan, and Waheed Zaman. The five men—along with Assad Sarwar, Mohammed Gulzar, and Umar Islam—are currently on trial in the United Kingdom for plotting the destruction of several U.S. and Canada-bound commercial flights in August 2006. As British prosecutor Peter Wright has explained in court, "they intended to cause a series of explosions…by the detonation in flight of home-made bombs...The component parts of the devices would be designed to resemble soft drinks bottles and their liquid contents; batteries and other innocuous items of hand luggage." Wright added, "these men were…indifferent to the carnage that was likely to ensue if their plans were successful."……(NEFA, 16 Apr 08)

Toledo jury hears clip of man seeking skills for killing

A seemingly impatient Mohammad Amawi, eager to learn sniper tactics and bomb-making skills, spoke to Darren Griffin about purchasing a gun and an impending trip he hoped to take to Jordan.

And while there, he mused in June, 2005, he would like to "make a camp in Jordan to teach … just to train."

The conversations between Mr. Amawi and Mr. Griffin throughout the spring and summer of 2005 were recorded by devices hidden in Mr. Griffin's clothing. The recordings were played for jurors in U.S. District Court in Toledo yesterday at the start of the third week of testimony in the trial of three Toledo area men facing terrorism-related charges…..(Toledo Blade, 16 Apr 08)

California accountant convicted in failed coup in Cambodia

An accountant was convicted Wednesday of orchestrating a failed attempt to overthrow the Cambodian government with a handful of rebel fighters who attacked government buildings in the country's capital in 2000. Jurors deliberated for about two days before returning their verdict against Yasith Chhun, 52, of Long Beach. Chhun, a U.S. citizen of Cambodian descent, was convicted of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy to damage or destroy property in a foreign country, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States, and engaging in a military expedition against a nation with which the United States is at peace……(AP, 16 Apr 08)

Somali pirates for trial in France

Six Somali pirates who seized a French luxury yacht and held its 30 crew hostage for a week will be brought to France to face trial, a judge said today. French troops arrested the pirates in the Somali desert on Friday after they had handed over the hostages and fled with their ransom. Those arrested were just part of the pirate crew, and some of the ransom was recovered with them….(Reuters, 16 Apr 08)

Opposition Figures Sentenced to Prison in Egypt

An Egyptian military court on Tuesday convicted 25 key members of Egypt's largest opposition group and sentenced them to up to 10 years in prison, a security official said. The charges against the Muslim Brotherhood members included money laundering and terrorism, and 15 defendants were acquitted, the official said. Some of those convicted were tried in absentia. The Brotherhood's chief strategist, Khayrat el-Shater, and its prominent financier, businessman Hassan Malek, got seven-year terms. Their property, believed to be worth millions of dollars, was confiscated…..(AP, 16 Apr 08)

Mistrial declared in Liberty City terror trial

After 12 difficult days of deliberations, a federal jury on Wednesday deadlocked in the second trial of a Miami group accused of plotting with al Qaeda to overthrow the United States -- an unprecedented outcome in the government's legal war on domestic terrorism since the Sept. 11 attacks… The judge set a status conference for April 23 for federal prosecutors to decide whether to try the six defendants for a third time.

''The United States will announce its position on this matter at that time,'' said Alicia Valle, special counsel to the U.S. attorney in Miami…A hung jury also resulted in a mistrial in December for alleged ringleader Narseal Batiste and five other members of the so-called "Liberty City Seven." One of the original group was acquitted… Batiste, 34, and the others are accused of seeking al-Qaida's assistance to stage terrorism attacks against the 110-story Sears Tower and FBI offices. They each face up to 70 years in prison if convicted of four terrorism-related conspiracy counts. No explosives or bomb-making materials were found at a building known as "The Embassy" where the men met in Miami's impoverished Liberty City neighborhood. The group was an offshoot of a sect called the Moorish Science Temple, which blends elements of several religions and does not recognize U.S. government authority. The case is built upon thousands of hours of FBI recordings of the men and two informants, one of whom posed as an emissary from al-Qaida. The group was videotaped taking an oath of loyalty to al-Qaida in March 2006…..(Miami Herald, 16 Apr 08)

Mistake in failed train bombs explained in German court

Time-bombs that nearly shattered two German trains and brought Islamic terrorist carnage to Germany would have each set off a fireball up to 15 metres wide if they had been built according to the instructions, a court was told Tuesday. An expert from Germany's federal materials science agency was testifying at the trial of Youssef al-Hajj Dib, 23, one of two Lebanese students accused of the bungled 2006 attack, which copied horrific bombings of trains in London and Madrid. The bombers used instructions found on the internet. The expert said their mistake was to use pure propane as the incendiary instead of a dangerous propane-gas mixture. Bombs made by the instructions for test purposes had produced huge fireballs…..(DPA, 15 Apr 08)

Crown to stay charges against four of 'Toronto 18'

Prosecutors today stayed charges against four men accused of participating in a homegrown terror cell.

Earlier today, charges were stayed against three of the men after they agreed to abide by certain court-ordered conditions for one year.

Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 45, the eldest of 18 people accused in Canada's largest terrorist sweep, Ahmad Mustafa Ghany and Ibrahim Alkhalel Mohammed Aboud signed peace bonds, finalizing their cases in a Brampton court Tuesday morning…..(National Post, 15 Apr 08)

Bomb-making materials found near home of jet bomb plot accused, court hears

Jurors in the jet terror plot trial were today shown bomb-making materials found hidden in a wood near the home of one of the suspects.

The stash included glass flasks, syringes, thermometers and the chemicals needed to make the high explosive HMTD, Woolwich Crown Court heard. One of the key ingredients, Hexamine, was concealed in a red SAXA household salt container……(Daily Mail, 15 Apr 08)

Muslim Brotherhood members, leaders get jail in Egypt - Summary

A military tribunal in Egypt Tuesday sentenced to jail 25 Muslim Brotherhood members including the group's third-in- command, Khairat al-Shater, and senior leader Hosny Malek on charges of belonging to an outlawed group, court sources said. The Supreme Military Court in Hykestep, several kilometres north- east of Cairo, ruled a seven-year prison penalty to al-Sahter and Malek, court sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. Thirteen members were sentenced to jail for three years, while five members were ruled a five-year imprisonment. Another five members were sentenced in absentia to five years in jail. Meanwhile, 15 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were found innocent……(DPA, 15 Apr 08)

7/7 terror accused were heading for Pakistan to pursue jihad commitment

Two of the three men accused of helping the 7 July bombers plan their attacks were preparing to fly out to Pakistan to “pursue their commitment to jihad” when they were arrested, a court has heard. According to The Scotsman, Waheed Ali and Mohammed Shakil went shopping for outdoor equipment and had their hair cut short the day before they were to leave. The pair, however, was arrested on March 22, 2007, at Manchester Airport as they were about to board a flight to Pakistan. Ali, 24, Shakil, 31, and Sadeer Saleem, 27, have denied conspiring with bombers Mohammed Siddique Khan, Shezhad Tanweer, Jermaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain to cause explosions between November 17, 2004, and July 8, 2005…..(ANI, 15 Apr 08)

Terrorism accused 'planned grand final attack'

A group of men accused of terrorism-related offences planned an attack at the AFL grand final in 2005, the Victorian Supreme Court has been told. The group's alleged leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika and his 11 co-accused have pleaded not guilty to terrorism-related charges. One of Benbrika's former religious students, Izzydeen Atik, testified he discussed potential targets with Benbrika in 2005…..(ABC, 15 Apr 08)

12 Stand Trial in Australia Terror Plot

… Atik said alleged terror cell leader Abdul Nacer Benbrika told him about the plot and subsequent plans to bomb Melbourne's Crown Casino during the Formula One Grand Prix and an AFL preseason match. Benbrika, an Algerian immigrant to Australia, and 11 other men have pleaded not guilty to charges of being members of a terrorist group and related charges. Prosecutors say the 12 intended to undertake "violent jihad" in Australia, had discussed killing former Prime Minister John Howard, and identified railway stations and sports fields as likely targets. Atik, a former religious student of cleric Benbrika, told the court he used stolen credit card numbers to buy airplane tickets and mobile phones for the accused men. He faces separate charges of credit card fraud…..(AP, 15 Apr 08)

U.S. to Release A.P. Photographer Jailed in Iraq

The United States military said Monday that it would release an Associated Press photographer who has been jailed in Iraq without trial for two years on accusations of terrorism and kidnapping. The announcement came after two rulings over the previous week by panels of Iraqi judges, who said that the photographer, Bilal Hussein, was covered by an amnesty law and