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Canadian National Indicted for Conspiracy to Procure
Weapons for Al Qaeda, Kill Americans Overseas
BOSTON,
Massachusetts (FBI) — A federal grand jury has indicted a Canadian
national
on charges that he conspired to kill Americans overseas,
conspired to use weapons of mass destruction, conspired to possess
a destructive
device in furtherance of a crime of violence, and did possess a destructive
device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
United States
Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special
Agent-in- Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in
New England; James P. Ennis, Special Agent-in-Charge of the
Boston Field Office of the Department of State’s Diplomatic
Security Service; and Keith A. Johnston, Resident Agent-in-Charge
of the Boston Office of the Department of Defense’s Defense
Criminal Investigative Service, announced that the grand jury
returned a four-count indictment, charging Abdullah Khadr,
24, a Canadian national, with various acts related to his alleged
procurement of munitions for use against United States nationals
and United States property abroad. Khadr was arrested in Canada
on December 17, 2005 on a provisional arrest warrant based
on a criminal complaint filed by the United States Attorney
in Boston. He has been in custody since that time, awaiting
extradition to the United States. The indictment charges Khadr
with the following four offenses: conspiracy to murder a United
States national outside the United States in violation of 18
U.S.C. § 2332(b)(2); conspiracy to use a weapon of mass
destruction in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2332a(a)(1) and
(3), specifically, one or more grenades, rockets, missiles,
and mines against United States nationals and United States
property outside the United States; possession of a destructive
device, specifically, one or more grenades, rockets, missiles,
and mines in furtherance of a crime of violence in violation
of 18 U.S.C.§§ 924(c) and 2; and conspiracy to possess
a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence
in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(o).
"Our
efforts to identify and capture alleged terrorists who seek
to kill Americans here and abroad transcend all borders," said
Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales. "Today’s indictment
sends the message to terrorists around the world that we will
go to great lengths to bring justice to those who provide al
Qaeda and other terrorists with the weapons to carry out their
deadly and evil goals."
"The
indictment of Abdullah Khadr demonstrates the commitment of
the United States to aggressively investigate and prosecute
those who seek to kill Americans here or abroad" said
U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan. "Khadr, as alleged in
the indictment, conspired to kill U.S. and coalition military
forces and other U.S. nationals fighting to liberate the people
of Afghanistan. The FBI, Department of State, Department of
Defense, the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of
Justice and the Anti-Terrorism and National Security Section
of the United States Attorney’s Office deserve great credit
for this intensive investigation and collaboration in building
the case against Khadr," concluded Sullivan.
The indictment
alleges, among other things, as follows:
1. Khadr’s
father, Ahmed Said Khadr ("Ahmed Said"), was a trusted
associate of Al Qaeda leader Usama Bin Laden ("bin Laden").
In 1997 and 1998, Khadr and other members of his family visited
Bin Laden and his family at Nazim Jihad, Bin Laden’s family
compound outside of Jalalabad, Pakistan. In 1998, the Khadr
family moved to the Bin Laden compound at Nazim Jihad, where
they lived for about one month.
2. In the
wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on targets
within the United States, United States military personnel
and equipment, in addition to military personnel and equipment
from other countries allied with the United States ("Coalition
Forces"), were deployed to Afghanistan in October 2001.
Combat thereafter ensued in Afghanistan between United States
and Coalition Forces and fighters controlled by or allied with
the Taliban and/or al Qaeda.
3. In furtherance
of the aforesaid conspiracy and to accomplish the object thereof,
Khadr and his co-conspirators, both known and unknown to the
grand jury, did do one or more acts to effect the object of
the conspiracy, as follows:
A.
In 2003, the local al Qaeda-influenced shura council (a group
of male
local leaders) vested Ahmed Said with operational responsibility
for organizing attacks against United States and Coalition
Forces in the border area of Afghanistan near Shagai,
Pakistan. To assist in his efforts, Ahmed Said asked Khadr
to procure
munitions for use by al Qaeda and other fighters against
United States and Coalition Forces.
B.
From in or about May, 2003, through in or about October,
2003, Khadr
purchased AK-47 ammunition, PK ammunition (for use in
Russian PK machine guns), rocket-propelled grenades, rockets,
and
82 mm and 120 mm mortar rounds.
C.
Khadr distributed such munitions to other members of the
conspiracy, known to the grand jury, for use by al Qaeda
and other
fighters
in killing United States and Coalition Forces military
personnel and other United States nationals in Afghanistan,
and for training
al Qaeda and other fighters to kill United States and
Coalition Forces military personnel and other United States
nationals
in Afghanistan, and to damage and destroy property
owned, leased, and used by the United States in Afghanistan.
D.
In addition to procuring the previously-described munitions,
Khadr provided
explosive components, to wit, multiple 25-liter containers
of hydrogen peroxide, to a conspirator, known to
the grand jury, for use in making mines intended to be used
in
killing
United States and Coalition Forces military personnel
and other United States nationals in Afghanistan, and to
damage and destroy
property owned, leased, and used by the United States in
Afghanistan.
E.
After Ahmed Said was killed by Pakistani forces in October,
2003,
Khadr continued his efforts to procure munitions intended
for use in killing United States and Coalition Forces military
personnel and other United States nationals in Afghanistan,
and in damaging and destroying property owned, leased,
and
used by the United States in Afghanistan. In or about
October, 2004, Khadr engaged in negotiations for the purchase
of missiles
from a Pakistani conspirator, known to the grand jury,
which Khadr intended to sell to another conspirator known to
the
grand jury for such use.
If convicted
of the charges, Khadr faces potential imprisonment for life
plus 30 years and a $1 million fine. The investigation
is continuing.
The case
is being investigated by the Joint Terrorism Task Force, and
has included special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
from the Department of Justice, the Diplomatic Security Service
from the Department of State, and the Defense Criminal Investigative
Service from the Department of Defense. It is being prosecuted
by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Farmer, Gregory Moffatt and
Kimberly West, all of Sullivan’s Anti-Terrorism and National
Security Section and John Gibbs of the Counterterrorism Section
of the Department of Justice.
An
indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed
a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and
unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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