Highlights
– Trial for three individuals planning attacks against US military forces overseas begins in Ohio
– Two additional men connected to case awaiting trial
– While the plot was unsophisticated, the case highlights the threat from homegrown extremists against US interests
On April 1, 2008, the trial for three men accused of planning attacks against US military personnel overseas began in Toledo, Ohio, in a case that is expected to last up to three months. The defendants, Mohammad Amawi, Marwan El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum, were arrested in February 2006 and were charged with conspiring to kill people outside the country, to include US military forces in Iraq. All face possible life sentences if convicted.
While the disrupted plot can be considered amateur in nature, it highlights the potential threat stemming from homegrown extremists against the US and its interests overseas.
Details of the Case
According to the initial indictment, the three men used the Internet to learn how to build explosives and suicide vests, and conducted target practice at an indoor shooting range. Additionally, the defendants attempted to raise funds for their plans to travel to Iraq to engage in “holy war,” and even considered using a front organization to acquire further finances.
Prosecutors for the case recently revealed that they have approximately 300 hours of taped conversations between the defendants and a government informant as they made their plans to attack US military personnel overseas. According to testimony from the informant, who worked with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the case, the men discussed recruiting others to join in their plot and how they could assist their “brothers” in the Middle East. They also allegedly watched beheading videos from Iraq and footage of the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Amawi and El-Hindi are both US citizens, while Mazloum traveled to the country legally from Lebanon. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Case Connected to Chicago Arrests
Two cousins from the Chicago area, Zubair Ahmed and Khaleel Ahmed, are also connected to the case, as the three defendants recruited them to join the plot. The cousins were arrested in February 2007 on charges of conspiring to wage holy war against US interests abroad, however are not scheduled to stand trial until 2009. If convicted, the Ahmeds also face life in prison.
Previous Disrupted Plots
Since September 11, 2001, US authorities have disrupted several plots by extremists looking to carry out attacks against US personnel overseas, such as:
• In August 2006, prominent Islamic preacher Ali Al-Timimi of Fairfax, Virginia was convicted of inciting his followers to train for violent jihad overseas against the US. The “Virginia Jihad network” was composed of 11 men who trained in military tactics during paintball games, and several traveled to Pakistan to attend terrorist training camps.
• In November 2006, US authorities arrested and charged two men from Houston, Texas on charges of planning to travel to the Middle East to conduct “battlefield jihad” against US troops. The men, one of whom was in the country illegally, had acquired weapons and were training in firearms and reconnaissance at ranges and campgrounds in Texas.
Future Implications
While the majority of these plots developed by homegrown extremists are unsophisticated, they highlight the potential threat posed by these individuals who are attempting to carry out attacks against US interests.
We believe that Muslim-Americans are more educated and integrated into US society than those in European and Asian countries, and therefore the US faces a lower level of threat from homegrown extremists or radicalized elements in the near-term than many of these nations. Further, the US is approximately 10-15 years behind the social demographics present in countries such as the United Kingdom and France, thus affording the US an opportunity to ensure that these communities are properly integrated into society for the long-term.
However, we maintain that small groups of homegrown extremists will continue to emerge and attempt to train and carry out attacks against US interests, both at home and abroad. While these cells often lack significant capabilities and can be considered amateur in nature, they may form the basis of a stronger domestic extremist network in the coming years if the US does not prioritize efforts to promote integration.
