Ex-sailor arrested in conspiracy to kill Americans
Ex-sailor arrested in conspiracy to kill Americans
Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2007 12:00 AM
A former U.S. sailor from Arizona was arrested Wednesday in Phoenix and accused of taking part in a conspiracy to kill military personnel by supplying terror suspects with information about American ship movements in the Middle East six years ago.
Hassan Abujihaad, 31, is accused of sending e-mails to a terrorist Web site, applauding Osama bin Laden and praising an earlier al-Qaida attack on an American warship in Yemen.
He is charged with supporting terrorism with intent to kill U.S. citizens and transmitting classified information to unauthorized people.
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Representatives of the FBI and Justice Department said Abujihaad, an Islamic convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, was arrested at his Phoenix workplace without incident. During an initial appearance in U.S. District Court, he accepted removal to Connecticut.
According to court records, Abujihaad linked up by Internet with British nationals Babar Ahmad and Syed Talha Ahsan through a London organization known as Azzam Publications. Ahmad, described in an FBI affidavit as "leader of a terrorist support cell," is under federal indictment along with Ahsan.
The government says Azzam Productions and its Web site played an intelligence and fundraising role in terrorism. Scotland Yard agents searched Ahmad's residence in 2003 and discovered classified information about a Navy battle group that was assigned to enforce sanctions against the Taliban.
From 1998 to 2002, Abujihaad served as a signalman second class aboard the destroyer USS Benfold.
In 2001, the FBI affidavit says, Abujihaad sent detailed intelligence from the Benfold to Azzam. The message arrived two months before al-Qaida hijackers struck the World Trade Center.
The affidavit says Abujihaad's messages glorified Islamic jihad and described the October 2000 attack on the destroyer USS Cole as a "martyrdom operation."
Officials said Abujihaad's messages also disclosed that the battle group would pass through the Strait of Hormuz 19 days later, adding: "They have nothing to stop a small craft with RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) etc. except their Seals' stinger missiles. . . . Please destroy message."
Abujihaad's role was first described in media reports 27 months ago, but no charges were filed then.
He apparently continued working as a Phoenix deliveryman and living in an apartment in north Phoenix.
The affidavit by Agent David Dillon says that an FBI informer in Chicago became acquainted last year with Derreck Shareef, Abujihaad's ex-roommate in Phoenix, and helped set up a sting.
Shareef was arrested in Chicago buying hand grenades, which agents suspected were to be used in a terrorist attack on a shopping mall. Days later, the informer purportedly helped the FBI by negotiating the proposed purchase of two AR-15 rifles by Abujihaad. The call to discuss the purchase was taped.
Thomas Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Connecticut, declined to comment on why Abujihaad was not charged in 2004. He would not say whether Abujihaad had been under surveillance for two years in Arizona.
Amid news stories in 2004, Abujihaad turned to the Council on American-Islamic Relations for support. Deedra Abboud, then executive director at the Arizona office, said at the time that Abujihaad admitted sending e-mails critical of U.S. foreign policy to Azzam but denied divulging classified information.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Reach the reporter at dennis.wagner@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8874.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0308terror0308.html
See also:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702577_pf.html
Dennis Wagner
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 8, 2007 12:00 AM
A former U.S. sailor from Arizona was arrested Wednesday in Phoenix and accused of taking part in a conspiracy to kill military personnel by supplying terror suspects with information about American ship movements in the Middle East six years ago.
Hassan Abujihaad, 31, is accused of sending e-mails to a terrorist Web site, applauding Osama bin Laden and praising an earlier al-Qaida attack on an American warship in Yemen.
He is charged with supporting terrorism with intent to kill U.S. citizens and transmitting classified information to unauthorized people.
advertisement
Representatives of the FBI and Justice Department said Abujihaad, an Islamic convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, was arrested at his Phoenix workplace without incident. During an initial appearance in U.S. District Court, he accepted removal to Connecticut.
According to court records, Abujihaad linked up by Internet with British nationals Babar Ahmad and Syed Talha Ahsan through a London organization known as Azzam Publications. Ahmad, described in an FBI affidavit as "leader of a terrorist support cell," is under federal indictment along with Ahsan.
The government says Azzam Productions and its Web site played an intelligence and fundraising role in terrorism. Scotland Yard agents searched Ahmad's residence in 2003 and discovered classified information about a Navy battle group that was assigned to enforce sanctions against the Taliban.
From 1998 to 2002, Abujihaad served as a signalman second class aboard the destroyer USS Benfold.
In 2001, the FBI affidavit says, Abujihaad sent detailed intelligence from the Benfold to Azzam. The message arrived two months before al-Qaida hijackers struck the World Trade Center.
The affidavit says Abujihaad's messages glorified Islamic jihad and described the October 2000 attack on the destroyer USS Cole as a "martyrdom operation."
Officials said Abujihaad's messages also disclosed that the battle group would pass through the Strait of Hormuz 19 days later, adding: "They have nothing to stop a small craft with RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) etc. except their Seals' stinger missiles. . . . Please destroy message."
Abujihaad's role was first described in media reports 27 months ago, but no charges were filed then.
He apparently continued working as a Phoenix deliveryman and living in an apartment in north Phoenix.
The affidavit by Agent David Dillon says that an FBI informer in Chicago became acquainted last year with Derreck Shareef, Abujihaad's ex-roommate in Phoenix, and helped set up a sting.
Shareef was arrested in Chicago buying hand grenades, which agents suspected were to be used in a terrorist attack on a shopping mall. Days later, the informer purportedly helped the FBI by negotiating the proposed purchase of two AR-15 rifles by Abujihaad. The call to discuss the purchase was taped.
Thomas Carson, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Connecticut, declined to comment on why Abujihaad was not charged in 2004. He would not say whether Abujihaad had been under surveillance for two years in Arizona.
Amid news stories in 2004, Abujihaad turned to the Council on American-Islamic Relations for support. Deedra Abboud, then executive director at the Arizona office, said at the time that Abujihaad admitted sending e-mails critical of U.S. foreign policy to Azzam but denied divulging classified information.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
Reach the reporter at dennis.wagner@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-8874.
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0308terror0308.html
See also:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702577_pf.html
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