14 C
London
Monday, March 18, 2024
HomeNewsIndian in US pleads guilty to financing top al-Qaeda terrorist

Indian in US pleads guilty to financing top al-Qaeda terrorist

Date:

Related stories

Three Indians among winners of Diana Award

A New Delhi-based innovator whose low-cost electric invention helps...

Kamala Harris makes historic abortion clinic visit

US vice president Kamala Harris toured an abortion clinic...

Indian American manager of US football team jailed for fraud

A 31-year-old Indian American former financial manager of the...

‘Polio Paul’ who lived in an iron lung, dies at 78

Paul Alexander, a man whose life was inextricably linked...

New bill threatens TikTok ban unless China sells US arm

THE US House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill...

An Indian in the US has pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism by providing material support to al-Qaeda’s “key leader” Anwar Al-Awlaki for “violent jihad” against American soldiers and a judge, authorities have said. Yahya Farooq Mohammad, 39, an Indian national who married an American citizen in 2008, faces over 27 years in prison and deportation if convicted, the Department of Justice said. “The defendant conspired to provide and did provide material support to Anwar Al-Awlaki in response to his calls to support violent jihad,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Dana J Boente. Mohammad was an engineering student at Ohio State University between 2002 and 2004. He and three other defendants, his brother Ibrahim Mohammad, and two US citizens — Asif Ahmed Salim and Sultane Room Salim — both brothers, were indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2015.

The case against the remaining three defendants, who have pleaded not guilty, is pending. As per the terms of his plea agreement, Mohammad is expected to be sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison. He will be deported upon completion of his sentence, under the terms of his plea agreement, the Department of Justice said.”Mohammad conspired to attack US service members abroad as well as a judge in Toledo. He threatened the hallmarks of our democracy. He is a dangerous criminal who deserves a long prison sentence,” acting US Attorney David Sierleja said. “Conspiring to have a judge killed is not the way to avoid being prosecuted – now Mohammad will be held accountable for additional serious federal charges,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony.

Federal prosecutors alleged that Mohammad admitted to conspiring with his co-defendants to travel to Yemen to provide thousands of dollars, equipment and other assistance to Anwar Al-Awlaki, in an effort to support violent jihad against US military personnel in Iraq, Afghanistan and throughout the world.Al-Awlaki was later designated as a global terrorist in 2010 and identified as a “key leader” of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, according to court documents.According to court papers, on July 22 in 2009, Mohammad travelled with two associates to Yemen to meet Awlaki and deliver USD 22,000 that they had raised.Although they were unable to meet Awlaki in person, Mohammad and his associates did ensure that Awlaki received the money through a courier. In addition to pleading guilty to conspiring to provide and conceal material support to terrorists, Mohammad also admitted to soliciting an undercover FBI employee (UCE), posing as a “hitman”, to kidnap and murder US District Judge Jack Zouhary.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

Latest stories

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

nineteen − 13 =