View Full Version : 5 D.C. Muslims Detained in Pakistan
Warrior-Mentor
12-09-2009, 12:49
Breaking News:
Pakistan Reportedly Detains Five D.C.-Area Muslims on Suspicion of Terror
IPT News
December 8, 2009
http://www.investigativeproject.org/1557/authorities-search-for-five-missing-dc-area
**Updated December 9, 9:00 a.m. EST
A Pakistani newspaper reports the arrest of five foreign nationals after a raid in a town called Sargodha. The raid took place at the home of a member of the Jaish-e-Muhammad, a Pakistani movement designated as a terrorist group by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2001.
According to the report, "The DPO told that these people had been living in Sargodha since Nov 30 and it was quite a possibility that they were engaged in acts of terrorism." It names the five as Ahmed Abdullah, Waqar Hassan Khan, Eman Hassan, Yasir and Rami Zamzam and describes them as two Yemenis, an Egyptian, a Swede and a U.S.-born Pakistani.
December 8: Federal investigators are searching for a Howard University dental student and four other missing Muslim men reported missing from the Washington, D.C. area, the Investigative Project on Terrorism (IPT) has learned. There is concern they may have been sent abroad to train for jihad. The five were last seen November 29.
The identities of two of the missing men, Howard student Ramy Zamzam and Waqar Khan, have been mentioned in online postings, including a Facebook page that was set up Monday for friends to offer their support. Some of those pages, however, appear restricted to friends and associates.
It is not clear where the men are believed to have gone, but an informed source told the IPT that at least one left behind a farewell video.
According to the Facebook and Twitter postings, Zamzam is among the missing. He has been active in the Muslim Students Association [MSA], [COMMENT: MSA is known Muslim Brotherhood front group] serving as president of the MSA DC Council. A Howard University spokeswoman has not responded to questions from the IPT.
The disappearance comes as U.S. officials are increasingly concerned about the threat of homegrown Islamist extremism. This concern is prompted by a spike in attacks like the Fort Hood massacre, and conspiracies broken up by law enforcement before any attacks took place.
President Obama noted the increase during his speech last week at West Point explaining the Afghanistan surge:
"In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror."
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano echoed that sentiment in a speech last week. "We are seeing young Americans who are inspired by Al Qaeda and radical ideology," she said.
On Monday, federal prosecutors charged a Chicago man with six counts of conspiracy tied to the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India that killed more than 170 people, including six Americans. That attack was believed to be carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistani terrorist group that has been implicated in conspiracies in Virginia, Toronto and elsewhere.
On the surface, at least, the situation in Washington resembles the case of 20 young Somalis who disappeared from the Minneapolis area a year ago. They are believed to have made their way back to Somalia, where they trained with the Al-Shabaab terrorist group.
At least three of those men have died, including one who became the first known American citizen to carry out a suicide bombing. Fourteen people have been indicted in relation to the Somali recruitment effort.
Little is known about Zamzam. In 2008, he was part of a student effort in northern Virginia to solicit mosques throughout the country to raise money to build a new mosque. He also posted a comment indicating he thought women were required by Islam to cover themselves and that Muslim women who did not faced punishment from God.
"Those that don't, then woe to them for a day where all will be held accountable for what they put forth in the life of this world, and Allah SWT wrongs no one, and He is the Most Just, Most Merciful."
SOURCE:
http://www.investigativeproject.org/1557/authorities-search-for-five-missing-dc-area
Five Washington, D.C.-area Muslims arrested in Pakistan for jihad activity Misunderstanding Islam on a global scale. "Breaking News: Pakistan Reportedly Detains Five D.C.-Area Muslims on Suspicion of Terror," from IPT News, December 8, updated December 9 (thanks to Axel):
The Muslim Students Association is, of course, a Muslim Brotherhood group. And the Brotherhood is engaged in its own words in a "kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying Western civilization from within."
SOURCE:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/12/five-washington-dc-area-muslims-
arrested-in-pakistan-for-jihad-activity.html
The Reaper
12-09-2009, 13:27
Good, keep them.
TR
Ret10Echo
12-09-2009, 13:35
Local D.C. Radio has picked it up...
Howard University student detained in Pakistan
December 9, 2009 - 2:27pm
Howard University student Ramy Zamzam was arrested in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of Facebook) WASHINGTON - One of five U.S. citizens arrested in Pakistan on terrorism charges is a student at Howard University, WTOP has learned.
A federal enforcement source says Howard University dental student Ramy Zamzam and four unidentified D.C.-area students were arrested Wednesday after Pakistani police launched a raid in Sargodha, a town in the eastern province Punjab.
Authorities became suspicious and began looking for Zamzam after he and the men disappeared just after Thanksgiving.
One of the men left what investigators say is a farewell video saying Muslims must be defended and featuring images of American casualties, U.S. officials say.
Pakistani police officer Tahir Gujjar told the Associated Press that three of the men are Americans of Pakistani descent, one is of Egyptian descent and the other is of Yemeni heritage.
Regional police chief Mian Javed Islam told The Associated Press that the men were between the ages of 18 and 20 and had spent the past few days in Sargodha, which is near an air base about 125 miles (200 kilometers) south of the capital, Islamabad.
FYI Guys...the image of one of the men was provided by FACEBOOK.....
Story link here (http://wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1835206)
Ret10Echo
12-10-2009, 10:53
More from the BBC.
This also ties into the discussion concerning the "Premature One's" acceptance speech...
Pakistan: Detained Americans Admit Jihad Plan
Thursday , December 10, 2009
Five young American Muslims admitted traveling to Pakistan for jihad, and were on their way to a training camp when they were swept up in an anti-terrorism raid, according to Pakistani law enforcement officials.
The Americans allegedly met with representatives of an Al Qaeda-linked group and asked for training but were turned down because they lacked references from trusted militants, officials said Thursday.
They were arrested Wednesday at a house in Sargodha linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed, a banned military organization, Pakistani officers said. This is the same group suspected in the abduction of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.
Investigators are sharing their findings with FBI officials now in Sargodha.
Regional police chief Javed Islam said the men wanted to join militants in Pakistan's tribal area before crossing into Afghanistan and said they met with Jaish-e-Mohammed in Hyderabad, and with representatives of a related group, Jamat-ud-Dawa, in Lahore.
Another law enforcement official, Usman Anwar, the local police chief in the eastern city of Sargodha, told The Associated Press that the five are "directly connected" to the Al Qaeda terrorist network.
"They are proudly saying they are here for jihad" or holy war, Anwar said.
A key break in the case came not from federal agents or spies, but parents worried their sons may have made a terrible decision.
The families, based in the northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., area, were particularly concerned after watching what is described as a disturbing farewell video from the young men, showing scenes of war and casualties and saying Muslims must be defended.
"One person appeared in that video and they made references to the ongoing conflict in the world and that young Muslims have to do something," said Nihad Awad, of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR. The video has not been made public.
After the disappearance of the five men in late November, their families, members of the local Muslim community, sought help from CAIR, which put them in touch with the FBI and got them a lawyer.
The missing men range in age from 19 to 25. One, Ramy Zamzam, is a dental student at Howard University. Pakistani police officer Tahir Gujjar identified the other four as Eman Yasir, Waqar Hasan, Umer Farooq and Khalid Farooq.
On the heels of charges against a Chicago man accused of plotting international terrorism, the case is another worrisome sign that Americans can be recruited within the United States to enlist in terrorist networks.
President Barack Obama declined to talk specifically about the case Thursday, but said, "We have to constantly be mindful that some of these twisted ideologies are available over the Internet."
Obama, in Oslo, Norway, to accept the Nobel Peace Prize, also praised "the extraordinary contributions of the Muslim-American community, and how they have been woven into the fabric of our nation in a seamless fashion."
A Virginia Muslim leader said the five men did not seem to have become militant before they left the U.S.
"From all of our interviews, there was no sign they were outwardly radicalized," said Imam Johari Abdul-Malik.
Pakistan has many militant groups based in its territory and the U.S. has been pressing the government to crack down on extremism. Al Qaeda and Taliban militants are believed to be hiding in lawless tribal areas near the Afghan border.
In Washington, a spokeswoman for the FBI's local office said agents have been trying to help find the men.
"We are working with Pakistan authorities to determine their identities and the nature of their business there if indeed these are the students who had gone missing," said the spokeswoman, Katherine Schweit.
According to officials at CAIR, the five left the country at the end of November without telling their families.
After the young men left, at least one phoned his family still claiming to be in the United States, but the caller ID information suggested they were overseas.
A Howard University spokesman confirmed Zamzam was a student there but declined further comment.
Samirah Ali, president of Howard University's Muslim Student Association, said the FBI contacted her last week about Zamzam, and told her he had been missing for a week. Ali said she's known Zamzam for three years and never suspected he would be involved in radical activities.
"He's a very nice guy, very cordial, very friendly," Ali said.
One of Zamzam's younger brothers, interviewed at the family's Alexandria, Va., apartment, said Zamzam has a 4.0 grade-point average.
"He's a good guy," the brother said, identifying himself only by a nickname, "Zam." "He's a normal Joe."
The Reaper
12-10-2009, 12:17
A Virginia Muslim leader said the five men did not seem to have become militant before they left the U.S.
Perhaps that is a recognition or perception problem, rather than a fact.
What would he consider "militant"? Someone who hasn't actually killed anyone of another faith yet?
TR
PedOncoDoc
12-10-2009, 12:22
Perhaps that is a recognition or perception problem, rather than a fact.
What would he consider "militant"? Someone who hasn't actually killed anyone of another faith yet?
Agreed - they had not displayed militant activity yet because they hadn't been trained. What was the "Muslim leader"'s reasoning for their unanncounced and hasty trip to Pakistan?
Whereas I'm sure it's lovely this time of year, most college kids tend to go to Florida or Cancun. :rolleyes:
Ret10Echo
12-10-2009, 12:26
Perhaps that is a recognition or perception problem, rather than a fact.
What would he consider "militant"? Someone who hasn't actually killed anyone of another faith yet?
TR
S.J.S. (Sudden Jihadist Syndrome) is difficult to diagnose. I would assume that there was some level of motivation prior.
This appears to be more than the average college "road-trip"....
Not to mention any question on how/who funded the travel?
Warrior-Mentor
12-10-2009, 14:01
Perhaps that is a recognition or perception problem, rather than a fact.
What would he consider "militant"? Someone who hasn't actually killed anyone of another faith yet?
TR
Based on the story I heard on the radio this morning, that "Virginia Muslim Leader" was Omar Ahmad, the Muslim Brother from CAIR, a Muslim Brotherhood front organization.
See #22 on Page 15, here:
http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/HLF/Akram_GeneralStrategicGoal.pdf
You'll find the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the top 3 leaders all left IAP to for the leadership of CAIR. All three are Muslim Brothers.
Or it could have been Salam al-Marayati of the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), another Muslim Brotherhood front organization.
Wish they'd quit hiding their sources when reporting so we knew which bad guy they were quoting...
Good, keep them.
TR
From what I heard on the news this morning, it is likely that instead of charging them with conspiracy, it is more than likely they will be sent back here.
What can the US government do? If the conspiracy was to perpetrate an act against a foreign government, and that government subsequently releases them, can they even be charged with anything here in the US? Or would them come home and be free?
From what I heard on the news this morning, it is likely that instead of charging them with conspiracy, it is more than likely they will be sent back here.
What can the US government do? If the conspiracy was to perpetrate an act against a foreign government, and that government subsequently releases them, can they even be charged with anything here in the US? Or would them come home and be free?
afchic,
They can be prosecuted in the US, Title 18 USC 956(a)(b), 960 and a Conspiracy (18 USC 371) come to mind. Start at 18 956 and arrow up the statutes.
Here's the link to search US code (too much to cut and paste)
http://uscode.house.gov/search/criteria.shtml
v/r
phil
afchic,
They can be prosecuted in the US, Title 18 USC 956(a)(b), 960 and a Conspiracy (18 USC 371) come to mind. Start at 18 956 and arrow up the statutes.
Here's the link to search US code (too much to cut and paste)
http://uscode.house.gov/search/criteria.shtml
v/r
phil
Thanks
A general question.
Would there be any utility to a nonpartisan campaign to decouple "radicalism" from "militancy"?
In this formulation, the U.S. could send a clear, consistent message to all. Think what you like, say what you like in terms of how you envision your perfect 'end state' for America and the world. However, once you cross a line (by your actions) and engage in militant conduct, you're going to attract the attention of the federal government. (And this line would be drawn in titanium, not in sand.)
Once radicals of all stripes understand what type of conduct is unacceptable they will have to do the hard work of changing minds in the marketplace of ideals and establishing a sustainable agenda in the arena of politics. In a short enough time, more and more radicals would end up where most--not all--of them deserve to be--on the margins.
In the specific case of Islamic theology, the burden of proof would be placed squarely in the jihadists' laps. You guys say you practice a religion of peace? Well, here's your chance to prove it. To their inevitable griping that they that were being subjected to some sort of double standard, it would be pointed out that everyone is being held to the same standard.
(FWIW, I'm not as concerned with the relatively high birth rates in certain communities. I am a strong believer that American mass popular culture is a powerful leavening--and liberating--force. Imagery of the American Dream is just a mouse-click away.)
Warrior-Mentor
12-10-2009, 17:27
A general question.
Would there be any utility to a nonpartisan campaign to decouple "radicalism" from "militancy"?
In this formulation, the U.S. could send a clear, consistent message to all. Think what you like, say what you like in terms of how you envision your perfect 'end state' for America and the world. However, once you cross a line (by your actions) and engage in militant conduct, you're going to attract the attention of the federal government. (And this line would be drawn in titanium, not in sand.)
Once radicals of all stripes understand what type of conduct is unacceptable they will have to do the hard work of changing minds in the marketplace of ideals and establishing a sustainable agenda in the arena of politics. In a short enough time, more and more radicals would end up where most--not all--of them deserve to be--on the margins.
In the specific case of Islamic theology, the burden of proof would be placed squarely in the jihadists' laps. You guys say you practice a religion of peace? Well, here's your chance to prove it. To their inevitable griping that they that were being subjected to some sort of double standard, it would be pointed out that everyone is being held to the same standard.
(FWIW, I'm not as concerned with the relatively high birth rates in certain communities. I am a strong believer that American mass popular culture is a powerful leavening--and liberating--force. Imagery of the American Dream is just a mouse-click away.)
Might work in the academic environment, but not in the real world. It would be one more imaginary "line" the enemy would use to manipulate us - just like the imaginary line between Afghanistan and Pakistan the Brits created to separate tribes in the tough areas in the FATA.
We're already seeing this as they push the line on flights to see what they can get away with...flying imams case was one...and something fishy happened on the Air Tran flight...even if it wasn't as spectacular as the "hero" e-mail made it out to be....
As for their efforts to "prove it" they are getting better at the double speak. Just read yesterday's op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Spencer's response was interesting as well.
My take is that we need to look at ways to simplify engagements, surveillance, arrests, etc...not complicate them even more....
armymom1228
12-10-2009, 17:34
I heard on Fox News, that thier parents turned them in? Or was it they just reported them missin? Isn't what they did treason?
Ret10Echo
12-10-2009, 17:50
CAIR Lawyer was on Newshour tonight discussing the "5"
afchic:
The parents became concerned, went to CAIR (and why shouldn't they that is they are the authorities right?).
armymom1228
12-10-2009, 17:58
CAIR Lawyer was on Newshour tonight discussing the "5"
afchic: ,<---I asked that AM
The parents became concerned, went to CAIR (and why shouldn't they that is they are the authorities right?).
They are the 'new authority'? CAIR? What must happen before this group is disbanded by force via the Justice Dept?
How did the US Authorities find out?
AM
Might work in the academic environment, but not in the real world.
<<SNIP>>
My take is that we need to look at ways to simplify engagements, surveillance, arrests, etc...not complicate them even more....Interestingly, my thought was the opposite: my idea would be easier to implement in the private sector than in the Ivory Tower.
My experience with the latter is that the "I have tenure / academic freedom" mentality will see professors doing as they please. By contrast, the private sector isn't necessarily less obdurate but it is all about risk management, policy compliance, and the bottom line.
If some asshat wants to push the limits on air travel, he can swear up a storm but meanwhile, the nitwit and his luggage are getting off the plane because people have better things to do.
Moreover, the campaign against militancy I envision would establish pretty clear guidelines. Yes, getting to those guidelines would be a thorny path. But maybe no more so than the debates we're having already about a number of issues.
And by clearly defining militancy, wet-blanket/skeptical/PITAs like me :p would have little else to say than "Hey, the rules were fairly defined and equally applied. You guys broke the rules. You brought this on yourselves."
YMMV.
Surgicalcric
12-10-2009, 18:26
...And by clearly defining militancy, wet-blanket/skeptical/PITAs like me :p would have little else to say than "Hey, the rules were fairly defined and equally applied. You guys broke the rules. You brought this on yourselves."
YMMV.
I am just curious who would make those clear and concise definitions you speak of: our Congress, the AG, BHO himself? I would argue that the chances of getting any of the above to do so would so would be about the same as them punishing those that "step" over the proverbial line as they should be.
Hell we cant even get a damn Islamic terrorist kicked out of the US Army for God's sake...
Crip
Ret10Echo
12-10-2009, 18:58
I heard on Fox News, that thier parents turned them in? Or was it they just reported them missin? Isn't what they did treason?
Apparently the father of one of the students is (allegedly) the facilitator of their being in Pakistan. Expanded reporting is indicating some (or all) attempted to be recruited online, and failing that, made a personal visit.
Farooq's father, Khalid Farooq, also was detained. Anwar said the elder Farooq owns a computer business in Virginia and shuttles between the U.S. and Pakistan. Authorities said he owns one of the homes raided by police and investigators are still trying to establish what role if any he played in the men's alleged activities.
The other location was a home owned by an uncle of one of the suspects who has ties to militant groups, according to S.M. Imran Gardezi, the press minister at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.
Source is here (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091211/ap_on_re_us/us_pakistan_us_arrests_probe)
Apologies Armymom for the incorrect attribution...:o
How did the US Authorities find out?
CAIR lawyers directed the families to contact the FBI.
I am just curious who would make those clear and concise definitions you speak of: our Congress, the AG, BHO himself? I would argue that the chances of getting any of the above to do so would so would be about the same as them punishing those that "step" over the proverbial line as they should be.
Hell we cant even get a damn Islamic terrorist kicked out of the US Army for God's sake...
CripSurgicalcric--
Metaphorically, militancy is a hydra. While Islamic jihadism is among the most venomous and active heads on that beast, there are others.
My notion is to create the conditions under which Americans of all stripes, beliefs, and political persuasions can focus on the body. A similar formulation is using "totalitarianism" to describe governments across the spectrum: fascist, communist, oppressive theocracies, narco-terrorist states, military juntas, and so forth.
I understand that this idea is embryonic and problematic. I envision a time table of at least ten years during which intense political and intellectual debates would rage. A consensus would need to be reached and endure across a couple of exchanges of political power in the Oval Office. But such a debate would not be new to the American experience. The road to women's suffrage was not an easy one.
(Even if America decided not to travel this path, the debate itself would be worth while. It would remind all of what some have forgotten--we're a nation governed by rules and guided by values.)
Our fellow citizens on the left side of the aisle have laid some of the intellectual and political groundwork already with their selective definition of hate crimes. Were we to turn some of their rhetoric on its head, they would have a good opportunity at them selves and to prove that they wanted to walk the talk they've been talking. (Why is it okay to rationalize the burning vehicles at a Hummer dealership and sabotaging of research facilities but they hit panic button when Americans "tea parties"?)
armymom1228
12-10-2009, 19:27
Apologies Armymom for the incorrect attribution...:o
no problem, just wanted to tease you for having a senior moment there.
CAIR lawyers directed the families to contact the FBI.
Gee, what caused CAIR get a sudden attack of patriotism?
Ret10Echo
12-11-2009, 05:57
Gee, what caused CAIR get a sudden attack of patriotism?
Sarcasm noted...;)
But realistically I do not know what the timing was on CAIR's "guidance". or perhaps they (CAIR) knew about the arrests in Pakistan before the U.S.?
There are many remorseful thieves immediately after they are caught.
I am going to take a look, but does anyone know of the timeline??? The way the story has been portrayed the events unfolded very rapidly, but that may not be the case.
Added: Photo
Friday, Dec. 11, 2009, arrested American Muslims, from left, Waqir Hussain Khan, Ramys Zamzam, Umar Farooq, Ahmad Abdulminni, Aman Hasan
LongWire
12-11-2009, 06:15
Gee, what caused CAIR get a sudden attack of patriotism?
They were set up in an attempt for CAIR to curry favor with DHS.
From Dawn - the most widely circulated English language newspaper in Pakistan.
Richard
Detained Americans In Pakistan Facing Deportation
Dawn, 11 Dec 2009
The men have allegedly told investigators they tried to connect with Islamic militant groups in Pakistan and were intending to cross the border into Afghanistan and fight US troops there.
They were reported missing by their families in the Washington D.C. area a week ago after one of them left behind a militaristic farewell video saying Muslims must be defended. Pakistani police detained them this week in the town of Sargodha in eastern Pakistan.
Regional police chief Javed Islam said the men had yet to be charged with any crime. 'They are American citizens. I think most probably they would be taken to America, that's what I feel,' he told The Associated Press.
US officials, including some from the FBI, have visited the men in custody.
The case has fanned fears that Americans and other Westerns especially those of Pakistani descent are traveling to Pakistan to join up with al-Qaeda and other militant groups. It comes on the heels of charges against a Chicago man of Pakistani origin who is accused of surveying targets for the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India.
Police have said those detained included three Pakistani Americans, two Ethiopian Americans and an Egyptian American who is a dental student at Howard University.
Islam said Thursday the five young men wanted to join militants in Pakistan's tribal area before crossing into Afghanistan to take part in jihad, or holy war. He said they met representatives from the al-Qaeda-linked Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group in the southeastern city of Hyderabad and from a related group, Jamat-ud-Dawa, in Lahore but were turned away because they were not trusted, he said.
The men used the social networking site Facebook and the Internet video site YouTube to try to connect with extremist groups in Pakistan, said S.M. Imran Gardezi, the press minister at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington. When they arrived in Pakistan, they took that effort to the street.
In August, police arrested a group of foreigners, including a Swede who had spent time in Guantanamo Bay prison camp, close to the Afghan border region and publicly accused them of al-Qaeda links. They were held for over a month before being released and put on a plane out of the country.
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/18-detained-americans-in-pakistan-facing-deportation-am-06
armymom1228
12-11-2009, 08:12
In August, police arrested a group of foreigners, including a Swede who had spent time in Guantanamo Bay prison camp, close to the Afghan border region and publicly accused them of al-Qaeda links. They were held for over a month before being released and put on a plane out of the country.
Lip service. They toss them out, and they come right back via another route.
Whatever country this is, the police should let them languish in jail and then try them for something that will put them out of commision permanently. It is almost as if it is a game. On one hand these countries are saying they don't support terrorists, but the other hand is busy unlocking the jail cell and telling them. "now be good little jihadist and don't get yourself caught again."
The case has fanned fears that Americans and other Westerns especially those of Pakistani descent are traveling to Pakistan to join up with al-Qaeda and other militant groups. It comes on the heels of charges against a Chicago man of Pakistani origin who is accused of surveying targets for the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India.
While I agree with this on the surface. We also have to remember what we, as a nation, did to the Americans of Japanese descent post Pearl Harbor. Not all Americans of Middle Eastern Descent want to get involved with Jihad. Some, I am sure, harbor secret thoughts, others just want to live thier lives in freedom.
They( the muslim 5) were set up in an attempt for CAIR to curry favor with DHS.
That sounds like a fair scenario. However, having dealt with rank and file DHS personel on several occasions. I fear that much subtlety will be lost on DHS.
CAIR seems to be more and more arrogant the further into this latest administration we go. One has to wonder why they feel they can get away with this. One fatal mistake they may be making is underestimating the American people as a whole.
Ret10Echo
12-14-2009, 08:37
Update from the BBC
US suspects to stay in Pakistan
A court in Pakistan has ruled that five Americans detained for suspected militant links cannot be deported while judges review their case.
The high court in Lahore said it wanted more information about the case before such an order could be made.
The men were held last week in Punjab province and are wanted in connection with a possible plot in the US.
They have yet to be charged or appear in court and the US is not thought to have yet requested their deportation.
The men were arrested in the town of Sargodha last week.
Police said they had been in direct contact with various militant groups in Pakistan since August and had offered their services for attacks.
FBI officials said they were the same men who disappeared from their homes in the US state of Virginia last month.
Their families reported them missing after finding a farewell video message, showing scenes of war and calling for Muslims to be defended.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/south_asia/8412119.stm
Published: 2009/12/14 13:24:44 GMT
ASIA NEWS DECEMBER 14, 2009, 4:22 A.M. ET Pakistan Court Rules Detained Americans Can't Be Deported
Associated Press
LAHORE, Pakistan -- A top Pakistani court on Monday ruled that five Americans being held on suspicion of terror links can't be deported back to the U.S. or any other country before judges review the case, an official said.
Pakistani police have alleged that the five young Muslim men wanted to join militants in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas before going to Afghanistan. The men are accused of using Facebook and YouTube sites to try to connect with extremist groups in Pakistan.
They have not been formally charged with any crime in Pakistan or produced in court. No deportation order is known to have been issued, though officials from the U.S. and Pakistan have said deportation back to America is likely.
Lahore High Court registrar Tahir Pervez said the court wants more information before such a move is allowed.
The court made the move in response to a petition from Khalid Khawaja, a civil rights activist who has often filed court cases on behalf of alleged militants and people believed to have disappeared at the hands of Pakistan's vast security apparatus.
Mr. Pervez said the court ordered the government of Punjab province to file a report on the case in a hearing Thursday.
The men were picked up by Pakistani authorities last week in the Punjab town of Sargodha after their worried families in the U.S. turned to the FBI to track them down. They were shifted over the weekend to Lahore, the provincial capital, for further questioning.
The five men are from the Washington, D.C. area, and the case has fanned fears that Americans and other Westerners, especially those of Pakistani descent, are traveling to Pakistan to join up with al Qaeda and other militant groups.
FBI agents, who have been granted some access to the men, are trying to see if there is enough evidence to charge any of them with conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist group, an American official and another person familiar with the case said Friday.
They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation.
Ret10Echo
03-02-2010, 05:58
Update... :munchin
Pakistan lays out terror charges for 5 Americans
March 2, 2010 - 6:21am
By NABIL YOUSAF
Associated Press Writer
SARGODHA, Pakistan (AP) - Prosecutors seeking to indict five Americans on terror-related offenses presented their case to a Pakistani judge Tuesday, laying out charges including waging war against Pakistan and plotting to attack the country, a defense attorney said.
The men, all young Muslims from the Washington, D.C., area, were arrested in December in Punjab province not long after reaching Pakistan. They had been reported missing by their families in November after one left behind a farewell video showing scenes of war and casualties and saying Muslims must be defended.
The men could be indicted on as many as seven charges during their next hearing on March 10, lawyer Hamid Malik told The Associated Press. The judge ordered the defense to review the prosecution report presented in the Sargodha town court and to prepare a rebuttal.
The punishments the men face if convicted could be as severe as life imprisonment.
Pakistani police have publicly made several accusations against the young men, claiming the suspects contacted Pakistani-based jihadi groups. But their lawyers say they were heading to Afghanistan and had no plans to stage attacks inside Pakistan.
During past court hearings, the men have claimed they were tortured by Pakistani police and FBI agents. Pakistan and the U.S. have denied those allegations.
The U.S. has pressed an often-reluctant Pakistan to crack down on militants on its territory, many of whom are believed involved in attacks on American and NATO forces across the border in Afghanistan. At the same time, several recent cases have highlighted incidences of Americans signing up to join the insurgents on both sides of the border.