Global War on Terror,  Politics,  Terrorists

Global War on Terror Watch: Three Ohio Men Indicted on Terrorist Activity

UPDATE

Thanks to Diggers Realm for the photosLeft to Right: Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum

A U.S. soldier stands near assorted munitions and bomb making paraphernalia in central Baquba, about 40 miles northeast of Baghdad, January 30, 2006. Three men were charged in Ohio with conspiracy to kill people and planning attacks against U.S. forces overseas, a federal law enforcement official said on Tuesday.

WTOL News: Toledo-Area Men Arrested for Terrorist Activity

A federal grand jury has indicted three Toledo-area men for terrorist activities. Prosecutors say the three conspired to wage a “holy war” against the United States and coalition forces in the middle east. The indictment was unsealed Monday.

The U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is expected to release more details at a news conference this afternoon in Washington D.C.

Fox News television is reporting that Attorney General Gonzales will have a news conference at 1:30 PM EST.

According to the indictment from the US Attorney’s office, the suspects are Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum. The indictment says all three were living in the Toledo area. Amawi is a citizen of the US and also a citizen of Jordan. El-Hindi is a naturalized American citizen who was born in Jordan. Mazloum is a legal permanent resident of the US, who came here from Lebanon.

The indictment also names an unindicted co-conspiratory called “The Trainer,” who has U.S. military backround in security, and bodyguard training.

The counts of the indictment:

Count 1: The three met together many times, going back as far as November 2005. The three reportedly conspired to recruit and train others for a violent jihad against United States forces and US allies in Iraq. They also reportedly put together the funding needed for the operation, and collected the equipment needed, and even travelled together to a local indoor shooting range for target practice.

Count 2:
The grand jury found that the three had similar plans to kill US citizens abroad in addition to service members.

Count 3:Mohammad Zaki Amawi – Amawi distributed information on bomb-making, which in itself is a federal crime.

Count 4:Mohammad Zaki Amawi – He verbally threatened President George W. Bush.

Count 3 and 4 crimes are separate from the conspiracy.

The indictment was filed with Judge James Carr in Federal Court in Toledo. The Justice Department says Amawi is being held at a jail in Cleveland, and will be arraigned in Cleveland some time this afternoon. El-Hindi and Mazloum are being held in a jail in Toledo. They are expected in Toledo’s Federal Court this afternoon.


The indictment is here.

The Counterterrorism Blog has New Arrests in Ohio for Support of Terrorists in Iraq (updated with indictment)

Michelle Malkin has JIHAD IN OHIO

Stay tuned………


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3 Comments

  • Bill Howard

    This really comes as no surprise, the Toledo/Detroit area has an enormous Islamic population. Upon entering Toledo from the south (I-75) you are welcomed by the biggest Mosque immaginable. I’m convinced this area is a hot bed of Islamic extremists. I was staying at the Downtown Marriot on 9/11, when most of the Toledo residents were angered about the attack. While walking the streets of downtown, I happened across a resturaunt named “Fattis”. The owners sat in a chairs in front of the restaurant(with arms folded) in defiance to the anti-muslim sentiments at the time (pictured in the Toledo Blade). I am sure this is not an isolated incident. There will be more arrests to follow.