http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/US-terrorist-testifies-in-Lodhi-cases/20 05/05/04/1115092552784.html?oneclick=true
US terrorist testifies in Lodhi case May 4, 2005 - 4:04PM A convicted American terrorist has told a Sydney court he trained to fight an Islamic war alongside French terrorist suspect Willie Brigitte, an alleged associate of accused Australian terrorist Faheem Lodhi. Witness Yong Ki Kwon testified via video link from the US in Lodhi's committal hearing in Sydney's Central Local Court. Lodhi, a 34-year-old architect from Punchbowl, faces nine charges for allegedly plotting to bomb the national electricity grid and several Sydney defence sites. The prosecution has alleged Lodhi trained with banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET) in Pakistan and acted as Brigitte's local contact. Kwon, who is serving an 11-year sentence for a terrorism offence, told the court he met Brigitte at an LET training camp in Pakistan in late 2001. However, he said he had never met Lodhi. The Korean-American said he met two unidentified Australians at an Islamic conference in the US in 2001. Shortly after the September 11 attacks he flew to Pakistan to "learn about combat activities". "I intended to ... do anything I could to help the Muslim fighters," Kwon said, under questioning from prosecutor Geoffrey Bellew. He then travelled to a LET base in Lahore before hiking into the mountains, where he met Brigitte, known by the alias Sala Hudin. "I remember him telling me he used to live in France and that all his Muslim brothers had left France," he said. Brigitte, whom he at one stage shared a room with, was impatient to fight for jihad, he said. "I remember him telling me there was only one Sheik and that's Osama Bin Laden," the witness said. Kwon, 29, said he'd met another unidentified Australian with the alias Abu Asad, who was planning to return home. "He said to get to LET camp he had to get a reference letter from some Sheikh in Australia," the witness said. "He said his uncle had gone to LET camp and had gone back. "I remember seeing (Abu Asad's) group doing combat manoeuvres, crawling and rolling ... ." The 45-day training course, which Lodhi is alleged to have completed, included use of AK47s, M16s, light machine guns, pistols and rocket-propelled grenades. "We learnt how to take them apart and put them back together and (then we'd) go out and shoot a couple of rounds." Trainees also learnt reconnaissance, camouflage, escape tactics, cryptic talk and target practice. "They'd make us hike up the mountains and spy on the other (LET) camps, sometimes infiltrate them without being seen and report back," Kwon said. Defence lawyer Philip Boulten, SC, attempted to discredit Kwon, saying that he had lied when questioned about his movements by the FBI in March 2003. The witness admitted lying and later plea bargaining with the FBI, pleading guilty to lesser charges in exchange for information. Australian Federal Police first interviewed Kwon about his terrorism connections in December 2003. He said he hoped by giving evidence in Lodhi's case and several cases involving former friends, he could get his sentence further reduced. The hearing before Magistrate Michael Price continues on Thursday. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. 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