FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2003 WWW.USDOJ.GOV CRM (202) 514-2008 (202) 514-1888 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General John Ashcroft, Assistant Attorney General Michael Chertoff of the Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Michael Battle of the Western District of New York announced today that Sahim Alwan, a defendant in the so-called Lackawanna cell case, has pleaded guilty to providing material support to al Qaeda.
Alwan, of Lackawanna, N.Y., was one of six defendants charged in a two-count indictment in the Western District of New York last October with providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization, based on their attendance at an al Qaeda-training camp. Alwan pleaded guilty to a violation of 18 USC Section 2339B this morning at federal court in Buffalo, N.Y., before U.S. District Judge William Skretny. In his plea agreement, Alwan admits providing material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization - al Qaeda - by attending the al Farooq training camp, meeting with Usama bin Laden and transporting two videotapes from Kandahar, Afghanistan, to Karachi, Pakistan.
The plea agreement, the fourth in the Buffalo cell case, requires Alwan to cooperate fully with the government's ongoing investigation in this and other terrorism probes.
"Today's plea agreement provides us with the critical cooperation of a witness who, by his own admission, trained with al Qaeda and met with Usama bin Laden," Attorney General John Ashcroft said. "The continuing efforts of the U.S. Attorney's Office and the Criminal Division to secure both convictions and the cooperation of key witnesses help us achieve our ultimate goal of victory in the war on terrorism." Alwan faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both at sentencing, which is scheduled for July 31, 2003 at 10 a.m.
Last month, defendants Yahya Goba and Shafal Mosed pleaded guilty to providing material support to al Qaeda. In January 2003, Faysal Galab pleaded guilty to contributing funds and services to specially designated terrorists, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (Title 50 USC 1705). Their plea agreements require Goba, Mosed and Galab to provide full cooperation with government investigations.
Alwan, Mosed, Galab and defendants Yasein Taher and Mukhtar al-Bakri were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 21, 2002. The indictment charged the defendants with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists from the spring of 2001 through Sept. 13, 2002, and providing material support from the spring of 2001 through Aug. 2, 2001, for receiving military-type training at the al Farooq camp affiliated with Usama bin Laden and al Qaeda near Kandahar, Afghanistan.
In today's plea agreement, Alwan admits that in about April 2001, he agreed to attend a military-type training camp in Afghanistan, along with the five co-defendants named in the indictment and others. The defendant knew, prior to departing the United States, that he was going to train for jihad - a struggle against those who are not of the Islamic faith. The plea agreement states that Alwan received money from two other men to defray costs associated with jihad training.
According to the plea agreement, Alwan and others traveled from Buffalo, New York, and eventually arrived in Quetta, Pakistan, where they stayed at a guest house believed to be associated with Usama bin Laden and al Qaeda. The next day, Alwan and two others traveled to a guest house in Kandahar, Afghanistan, where Alwan viewed videotapes and heard lectures which were anti-American in content, and which showed and tried to justify suicide operations. On the fourth day at the guest house, Alwan met bin Laden, and was told that there were people willing to bear their souls in their hands for jihad.
Several days later, Alwan and others traveled to the al Farooq training camp, associated with bin Laden and al Qaeda. Over the next 10 days, Alwan and others worked under the direction and control of the al Qaeda organization, and received and took orders from instructors at the camp. Among other things, Alwan received training and instruction in the assembly and use of a Kalishnikov rifle, and fired this weapon several times.
According to the plea agreement, bin Laden appeared at the al Farooq camp and spoke about the alliance of al Qaeda to the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, made anti-American and anti-Israeli statements, and again said there were people willing to bear their souls in their hands for jihad.
Alwan left the al Farooq training camp after 10 days, before completing all of the training that was available. He was taken to meet bin Laden before he left, at a residence in Kandahar. Alwan admits that bin Laden asked him questions about what Americans thought about martyrdom missions, and how others were doing at the al Farooq camp. Alwan was asked by another person to transport to Karachi, Pakistan two videotapes which he was told were of the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole. Upon arriving in Karachi, Alwan gave these tapes to another individual.
The charge Alwan pleaded guilty to, a violation of Section 2339B of Title 18 of the United States Code, prohibits anyone from knowingly providing or conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, as designated by the State Department. Al Qaeda was first designated an FTO in October 1999; that two-year designation was renewed in October 2001. 03-213
Source: US Department of Justice
