http://www.opinioneditorials.com/freedomwriters/jkouri_20070325.html
March 25, 2007
Former US Sailor Charged with Terrorism and Espionage
Jim Kouri
A federal grand jury in Bridgeport, Connecticut, has returned a two-count
indictment charging Hassan Abujihaad, formerly known as Paul R. Hall, age
31, of Phoenix, Arizona, with material support of terrorism and disclosing
previously classified information relating to the national defense.
The indictment, which was returned on Thursday, alleges that Abujihaad
provided material support or resources, knowing or intending that they were
to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a conspiracy to kill US
nationals and that he delivered, communicated, transmitted or caused the
delivery, communication or transmission of previously classified information
relating to the national defense to persons not entitled to receive it.
Abujihaad was arrested in Phoenix on March 7, 2007, on a federal criminal
complaint from the District of Connecticut that alleges similar charges. On
that date, Abujihaad appeared before US Magistrate Judge Lawrence O.
Anderson in Phoenix and agreed to a temporary order of detention and to be
removed to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution. Abujihaad is
being transported to the District of Connecticut by the US Marshals Service,
and he was scheduled to appear before US Magistrate Judge Holly B.
Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport on Friday, March 23.
According to information previously disclosed in court, from approximately
1997 through at least August 2004, British nationals Babar Ahmad, Syed Talha
Ahsan, and others, through an organization based in London called Azzam
Publications, are alleged to have conspired to provide material support and
resources to persons engaged in acts of terrorism through the creation and
use of various Internet Web sites, e-mail communications, and other means.
One of the means Ahmad and his coconspirators are alleged to have used in
this effort was the management of various Azzam Publications websites,
principally www.azzam.com, which, along with associated administrative email
accounts, were hosted for a period of time on the servers of a Web hosting
company located in the state of Connecticut.
During a December 2003 search of Ahmad's residence in London, British law
enforcement officers recovered a computer floppy disk that contained a
password-protected document that set forth previously classified information
regarding the movements of a US Navy battle group that was charged with
enforcing sanctions against the Taliban and engaging in missions against Al
Qaeda.
The information included details on the battle group's movements as it was
to transit from California to the Gulf region in the spring of 2001. The
document went on to discuss the battle group's perceived vulnerability to
terrorist attack. Additional investigation and computer forensic analysis
later determined that Syed Talha Ahsan allegedly possessed, accessed,
modified and re-saved the electronic battle group file before it was found
in Ahmad's possession.
Ahmad and Ahsan were previously indicted in the District of Connecticut in
the now-pending terrorism cases of United States v. Babar Ahmad, and United
States v. Syed Talha Ahsan, and their extradition from the United Kingdom to
Connecticut to face the charges remains pending.
According to documents previously filed with the court, it is alleged that,
in 2001, Abujihaad provided the battle group information to Azzam
Publications. Specifically, the affidavit filed in support of the criminal
complaint alleges that search warrants executed upon the various email
accounts associated with the Azzam Web sites recovered several email
exchanges from late 2000 to late 2001 between members of Azzam Publications
and Abujihaad while he was an enlistee in the US Navy on active duty in the
Middle East and stationed aboard the U.S.S. Benfold, one of the ships in the
battle group whose movements were disclosed.
Recovered emails between Abujihaad and Azzam Publications included
discussions regarding videos Abujihaad ordered from Azzam Publications that
promoted violent jihad, a small donation of money Abujihaad made to Azzam
Publications, and whether it was "safe" to send materials to Abujihaad at
his military address onboard the U.S.S. Benfold. The criminal complaint
further alleges that, during another email exchange with Azzam Publications,
Abujihaad described a recent force protection briefing given aboard his
ship, voiced enmity toward America, praised Usama bin Laden and the
mujahideen, praised the October 2000 attack on the U.S.S. Cole - which
Abujihaad described as a "martyrdom operation" - and advised the members of
Azzam Publications that such tactics were working and taking their toll.
The email response from Azzam Publications encouraged Abujihaad to "keep up
... the psychological warefare [sic]." A copy of the battle group document
and certain email communications between Abujihaad and Azzam Publications
were attached as exhibits to the criminal complaint.
The criminal complaint further alleges that, during the searches executed on
the email accounts that were associated with administering the Azzam Web
sites, Abujihaad's contact information - specifically, his military email
account - was found in the possession of the members of Azzam Publications.
The complaint further alleges that, in 2004, when Abujihaad learned the news
of Babar Ahmad's arrest and the allegations that Ahmad possessed the battle
group file, Abujihaad destroyed certain Azzam Publications videos and
deleted certain computer files that reflected material from the Azzam
Publications sites while at his home in Phoenix, Ariz.
The complaint further alleges that, in December 2006, during consensual
recorded conversations, Abujihaad, while negotiating the purchase of two
AR-15 assault rifles for approximately $1300, admitted to corresponding by
email with members of Azzam Publications through their Web sites, admitted
to sending the email discussing the attack on the U.S.S. Cole, and admitted
to destroying Azzam-related materials in 2004.
In approximately January 2002, before the alleged conduct was discovered,
Abujihaad was discharged from active duty from the US Navy.
If convicted of both charges, Abujihaad faces a maximum term of imprisonment
of 25 years.
US Attorney O'Connor stressed that the indictment is only a charge and not
evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it is
the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
US Attorney O'Connor commended the substantial efforts and cooperation of
the several federal law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation,
including the US Attorney's Offices in Phoenix and Chicago; the FBI Offices
in New Haven, Phoenix and Chicago; US Department of Homeland Security,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE"); and the Naval Criminal
Investigative Service. US Attorney O'Connor also praised the substantial
efforts of law enforcement authorities from the Metropolitan Police
Service's Counter-Terrorism Command within New Scotland Yard, whose efforts
and assistance have been essential in the investigation of this matter.
This case is being pursued by a task force out of Connecticut consisting of
law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security, US
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal
Investigation Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and the
Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
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