It has long been known that terrorists raise funds through hostage-taking, drug-trafficking, Islamic charities, state-sponsors, and direct donations from the Salafist networks. However, The Jawa Report and its readers have recently uncovered what may be an important source of jihadi funding: e-mail and internet based scams.

Shortly after The Jawa Report began publishing the e-mails of individuals linked to terrorist supporting websites, we began to notice an upsurge in the number of e-mail scams. Most of these were the typical "African Prince" scam, e-mails allegedly sent by the son, daughter, or widow of a deposed African dictator urging help in retrieving frozen assets by the victim or some variation on this theme. However, a large number of e-mails began to come in shortly after we began doing this with an Islamic variation to the theme. Further, one of the more popular scams that I receive these days deals with Islamic investing, charities, and missionary work.

All of this could be a coincidence. Often times we make the error of ascribing a cause to a variable simply becauses of timing. In this case, for instance, our initial suspicions were aroused because we received a slew of e-mail scams shortly after readers began e-mailing a known al Qaeda supporter yesterday.

However, there is more to this. Many of the IPs trace to Middle Eastern origins. That, in and of itself, may be meaningless as there are many common criminals all around the world. However, given the recent upsurge of these scams, especially ones with Islamic themes, within minutes of us e-mailing known terror supporters, it appears likely that the two are connected.

Further, we are not the only ones to have noticed this phenomenon. Doing a quick Google search I found a number of news articles which raised the same suspicions. For instance, this from NEIN. The author shares our concerns but also worries about the potential for terrorists to use these scams as a way of harvesting information for :

While it seems that as the federal government has clamped down on many of the more obvious terrorism funding methods in this country and abroad, the volume of email schemes and scams (for both funds and data) has actually increased at an incredible rate as terrorists scramble to create new avenues of income and opportunity....

Using e-mail scams as detailed above, the terrorist are becoming more adept at not only generating income, but exploiting other avenues to facilitate terrorism activities. Unknowingly, the personal data you input, perhaps long forgotten absent of any perceptible financial loss, might serve as the basis for identity theft by a terrorist in need of a legitimate identity to enter the country illegally, using your credentials to obtain a passport, assume your banking and a credit history and ultimately, a life in this country as though they were you while avoiding the watchful yet limited eyes of the federal government.

Law enforcement authorities say evidence collected from Samudra’s laptop computer shows he tried to finance the Bali bombing by committing acts of fraud over the Internet. And his new writings suggest that online fraud—which in 2003 cost credit card companies and banks $1.2 billion in the United States alone—might become a key weapon in terrorist arsenals, if it’s not already. “We know that terrorist groups throughout the world have financed themselves through crime,” says Richard Clarke, the former U.S. counterterrorism czar for President Bush and President Clinton. “There is beginning to be a reason to conclude that one of the ways they are financing themselves is through cyber-crime.”

Online fraud would thereby join the other major ways in which terrorist groups exploit the Internet. The September 11 plotters are known to have used the In­ternet for international communications and information gathering. Hundreds of jihadist websites are used for propaganda and fund-raising purposes and are as ­easily accessible as the mainstream websites of major news organizations...

They [the FBI] also believe terrorist sympathizers, possibly operating out of Africa and the Middle East, have also begun using phishing schemes to steal identities and make fast cash after being shut out by counterterrorism measures from their traditional avenues of funding such as bogus charities.

Terrorist organizations have graduated to the Internet to steal because it reaches more potential victims and is harder to trace, says Evan Kohlmann, an international terrorism consultant who runs the Web site Globalterroralert.com.

Previously, militants used more conventional ways for funding, Kohlmann says. The Roubaix gang in France robbed armored cars to help fund terrorist activities in the mid-1990s. And the group behind the abortive millennium attack on the Los Angeles airport robbed supermarkets in Canada and engaged in traditional credit card fraud, he says.

Posted by: Rusty at 10:42 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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UPDATE: Full translation of communique here and here is a video (with subtitles) of the daisy pusher spouting off his fanaticism. Notice how he accuses the J-O-Os of trying to distort the meaning of jihad into something other than killing people for Allah.

Another one bites the dust. And another one's gone, and another one's gone, another one bites the duest. Hey, were gonna get you too, another one bites the dust....

Word on the anti-jihadi sites is that al Qaeda in Iraq released a communique announcing the death of a senior leader. Evan Kohlmann of The Counterterroism blog has a full translation of the communique over at his personal website here.

UPDATE: Warning--Beavis moment: Here is a line from the communique, "He immigrated and declared jihad with his tongue and his spearhead...." I see child molestering should be added to his list of crimes.

Via Jihad Watch here is an MSM report on it:

The Web statement said Abdullah Mohammed Rashid al-Roshoud was killed in fighting near Qaim, on the border with Syria. It was signed by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the most notorious terrorist leader in Iraq.

The statement did not say when al-Roshoud was killed, but U.S. forces have launched a series of offensives near Qaim in past weeks against militants coming across the border.

Al-Roshoud slipped into Iraq in April, according to the posting, the authenticity of which could not be confirmed.

The Saudi militant and a group of mujahedeen "killed some of the Crusaders until the enemies of God had to withdraw."

"When the Crusaders could not enter the area, the only thing they could do was bombard the mujahedeen with warplanes," it said. "Our sheik (al-Roshoud) got what he wished" - martyrdom.

Al-Roshoud had been No. 24 on a list of the 26 most-wanted terrorist leaders put out by Saudi Arabia two years ago and was one of only three militants on the list still at large. He was one of the main theologians for al-Qaida's network in Saudi Arabia, calling for a holy war against the Saudi royal family and Western interests in the Persian Gulf...

On the wish for martyrdom, Ed ads, "May those wishes come true, and quickly." Amen, brotha

Posted by: Rusty at 10:43 AM | Comments (13) | Add Comment
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By Demosophist

The Glittering Eye made the following comment about my distributed post comparing Wretchard's contention that we're approaching a "Hansell-Lemay moment," with Larry Johnson's contention that we're approaching a "looming debacle:"

I think the most important implied point in AR's post [I cross-post to AR as well as the Jawa Report] is the need for the political leadership here to shore up morale and public opinion. This is an area in which the Bush Administration has been consistently weak.

Posted by: Demosophist at 10:15 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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A man described as a leader of al Qaeda in Iraq has been captured in Mosul. The image to the right is from Evan Kohlmann's organizational chart of al Qaeda in Iraq which can be found here. Abu Talha seems to have been al Qaeda's key man in the city of Mosul, long a strong hold for the terrorists. Notice that he was turned in by locals and that although he sent suicide bombers to their deaths he wasn't so brave himself. CNN:

The U.S. military on Thursday reported the capture of a man described as al Qaeda's leader in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul.

Air Force Brig. Gen. Donald Alston identified him as Abu Talha -- whose actual name is Muhammad Khalaf Shakar -- and said he was captured on Tuesday.

"Talha has been one of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's most trusted operations agents in Iraq," Alston said. "This is a major defeat for the al Qaeda organization in Iraq."

"Numerous reports indicated he wore a suicide vest 24 hours a day and stated that he would never surrender. Instead, Talha gave up without a fight," Alston said.

Talha surrendered to multinational forces in a quiet neighborhood in Mosul, Alston said, after information from Iraqi civilians contributed to his capture.

Civilians providing such information indicates they are taking steps against the "increasingly unpopular insurgency," he said.

Posted by: Rusty at 09:51 AM | Comments (26) | Add Comment
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1 Very good news. A relative is going over there soon and this is one less freedom fighter with whom he has to deal.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 16, 2005 10:03 AM (x+5JB)

2 YBP: Wish them best of luck for me will ya.

Posted by: Howie at June 16, 2005 10:18 AM (D3+20)

3 >>>"Numerous reports indicated he wore a suicide vest 24 hours a day and stated that he would never surrender. Instead, Talha gave up without a fight," Alston said." That's because these people aren't freedom fighters, they're cowards. They'll send other people's kids to blow themselves up, but not their own kids, and heaven forbid they go themselves. These are the people idiotic muslims all over the world admire.

Posted by: Carlos at June 16, 2005 10:20 AM (8e/V4)

4 Rusty, read you every day and have never commented, but have to say I have a problem with you referring to suicide (or homicide, which they are) bombers as "brave".

Posted by: Megan at June 16, 2005 10:26 AM (XuEkS)

5 Howie: Will do, thanks.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 16, 2005 10:28 AM (x+5JB)

6 Megan : I can assure you it's to point out the cowardice of the leader not the bravery of fools.

Posted by: Howie at June 16, 2005 10:30 AM (D3+20)

7 Megan, Point well taken, but it is bravery nonetheless. It's the problem we have in our culture that we believe many good characteristics have some sort of inherent good quality to them. I do not. Bravery in the pursuit of evil is evil, yet remains bravery.

Posted by: Rusty Shackleford at June 16, 2005 11:03 AM (JQjhA)

8 Yeah Megan, Like "good gay" and "bad gay".

Posted by: Editor at June 16, 2005 11:06 AM (adpJH)

9 My husband is a US soldier in Iraq and right or wrong, I refuse to accept those out to kill him as brave. I just refuse.

Posted by: Megan at June 16, 2005 11:16 AM (XuEkS)

10 In any conflict, there is an overall right side and an overall wrong side. To say there can't be (misguided) bravery on the overall wrong side is tantamount to saying that there couldn't be cowarice on the overall good side. I know, Osama--VERY black and white.

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 16, 2005 11:24 AM (x+5JB)

11 The Nazi SS troopers were extremely brave, and extremely evil. A terrible combination.

Posted by: Carlos at June 16, 2005 11:36 AM (8e/V4)

12 Megan has a point though, some (parts) of these guys are found cuffed to the wheel. I hope that your husband comes home to you safely. Best of luck.

Posted by: Howie at June 16, 2005 11:40 AM (D3+20)

13 Thank you for the well wishes, Howie. I really appreciate it.

Posted by: Megan at June 16, 2005 01:50 PM (XuEkS)

14 Carlos, from his Mountain of Wisdom, wrote: "That's because these people aren't freedom fighters, they're cowards." Which is why liberals love them so. Birds of a feather and all that... "They'll send other people's kids to blow themselves up, but not their own kids, and heaven forbid they go themselves." Kinda like Dhimmicrat politicians. "These are the people idiotic muslims all over the world admire." And liberals too, they just adore them, especially Michael Moore.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 16, 2005 03:36 PM (0yYS2)

15 Megan: You are quite welcome.

Posted by: Howie at June 16, 2005 03:51 PM (D3+20)

16 First to Megan and YBP, I to hope that not only do yours, but all of our troops will come home safe, well, and whole. To IM, who are you calling a coward. I am an avowed liberal, and I am far from being a coward. I served in both the US Army and the US Marine Corp. Both Robert and John Kennedy were Dem Liberals and both showed more courage then you hiding by a key board. Also, JFK served himself in the military and did not get his daddy, to get him out of the military when it cramped his partying time. As for admiring Muslims, I admire them as much as I do the Catholics. Some are good people, most are your average joes, a few are evil incarnate, while a very few are heaven on earth. This I believe goes for most religions, cultures, and races. What we really need to get rid of in this world is fanatics. The so stupidly blind idiots who believe what they will and will and can not entertain a new idea. So next before you go off lumping all liberals as cowards and now good, you should look at youself first.

Posted by: Butch at June 16, 2005 05:09 PM (Gqhi9)

17 Two corrections, it should be too, not to. and no good not now good.

Posted by: Butch at June 16, 2005 05:12 PM (Gqhi9)

18 Butch: Thanks for your well wishes. Glad to hear that all Catholics are not condemned by you! As a practicing Catholic, I can't admire all religions, or else, out of conscince, I'd have to join them all. IM, who states that he is an athiest, should have more in common with you, but we've found common ground in wishing our country to prevail over terrosts who wish to kill non-combatants and combatants alike. I think you fit in with this position, no?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 16, 2005 06:19 PM (WA3Vo)

19 YBP, My beliefs are really quite simple. The main tenet of my belief comes from the first two words of the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father”. I truly believe that there is a supreme being that created all of us on earth. (To much logical and specifics laws to be random.) I believe we all pray to the same god but uses different methods and names. And as any caring father loves each of his children differently but the same, so does God. As a loving and caring God, I do believe that all of us will eventually get to heaven. Now some of us will be “grounded” in Purgatory a lot longer than others, but I can't see God casting out a soul for ever. I admit the God I believe in has a lot more love than I ever could, but that is why he is God and I am just a soul trying to live and learn. Now I know there are probably going be many who state that Hitler and Stalin don’t deserve to go to heaven. And being Mortal like everyone else, I happen to agree. But I then think of a devoted father who has a serial killer as a son. Even though the father may hate what the son has done, will he stop loving his son? And if this father could love him, what would God do? So although I think we will all eventually end up in heaven, some may get just one or two smacks with a bamboo cane, while others will receive 20 or 6 millions.

Posted by: Butch at June 17, 2005 10:54 AM (Gqhi9)

20 Butch: Purgatory! More common gound! I agree that there are different names for peoples gods, but I don't believe they are all the same god. They can't all be right. God (I'm speaking as a Catholic) states that He is a God of order. The various practices of religion do not lend themselves to order, as they are oftewn at odds with each other and in many areas, vastly contradict each other. The Bible states that indeed some go to "eternal hellfire," so Christians--and I'm not saying that's what you are or that's what you say you are--must believe that some people send themselves there. God doesn't send them. They send themselves by wanting to be their own god. He offers forgiveness and salvation to those who want it. Some people don't. But we can repent and make things right as long as it's not too late. Reagrding Hitler or Stalin--my own opinion is that it's doubtful they "saw the light" in time, but it's just my opinion. I may be wrong. I may end up there, too. All we can do is keep trying to do the right thing. The Catholic Church doesn't teach that any specific person is in hell. Cool to discuss things with you. Hey, you are the same "Butch" that sometimes was verbally sparring with Greyrooster, yes?

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 17, 2005 11:23 AM (x+5JB)

21 Yes, its me.

Posted by: Butch at June 17, 2005 11:27 AM (Gqhi9)

22 Welcome back, friend. Hey, I honestly think that you guys got off to a bad start with SOMETHING someone said and just kept at it. You probably have a few things in common with him. We all might, to some degree. I don't think ANY people on this board are carbon-copies. That would be frightening!

Posted by: Young Bourbon Professional at June 17, 2005 11:37 AM (x+5JB)

23 I take issue with the bravery comment about the suicide bombers. It would be brave if they didn't believe they were going to a lustful paradise full of free booze and unattended children, but as it is, they're just pathetic losers who've been duped by a psychopathic ideology. Horatio at the bridge was brave because he stood alone against an army and was willing to fight to the bitter end. The suicide bomber's way is the way of the coward. Of course, this goes a long way to explain why liberals love them so much, they are cowards too. This also explain why muslims and liberals hate Jooooooooooos. The Jooooooooooos have always been a brave people, persevering in the face of adversity, and it is the nature of the coward to hate the brave.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 18, 2005 09:37 AM (0yYS2)

24 Bitch, er, Butch, in a fit of near-lucidity, wrote: "To IM, who are you calling a coward. I am an avowed liberal, and I am far from being a coward. I served in both the US Army and the US Marine Corp." Let's see, where to begin... First, an "avowed" liberal would not likely serve in the Army and Marine "Corp", but I'll bite; name your MOS's duty stations, dates of service, etc.. By the way, you misspelled Corps, dumbass. Faux pas? I don't think so, no Marine would ever, ever, EVER, misspell that. Unless he was a complete dumbass. "Both Robert and John Kennedy were Dem Liberals and both showed more courage then you hiding by a key board." First, the word is "than", not "then", moron. Who learned you yer English? Second, they were hardly courageous, as neither distinguished themselves in any way. Except for John, who was possibly the most incompetent boat commander in naval history, getting his small, fast PT boat run over by a Japanese destroyer. invoking the Kennedys is hardly the way to impress anyone with a knowledge of history. They were New England white trash whose dad made his money as a bootlegger. Hardly a noble pedigree. "Also, JFK served himself in the military and did not get his daddy, to get him out of the military when it cramped his partying time." No, his dad just had to buy him a commission because he was a FAILURE as a naval officer, so the Navy put him in the one place where he could have a command without getting too many of his people killed. "As for admiring Muslims, I admire them as much as I do the Catholics." And therein lies part of your problem. I'm an atheist myself, but I would rather live nextdoor to the Vatican than a hundred miles from a muslim. Catholics are less likely to spontaneously explode. "Some are good people, most are your average joes, a few are evil incarnate, while a very few are heaven on earth." True, but can you tell the ones that want to kill you from the ones that simply like the idea of killing you? "This I believe goes for most religions, cultures, and races." Such a bold statement. "What we really need to get rid of in this world is fanatics." Hence the war on terror. "The so stupidly blind idiots who believe what they will and will and can not entertain a new idea." They're called "liberals", ironically enough. "So next before you go off lumping all liberals as cowards and now good, you should look at youself first." Look at myself? Okay. I see a veteran with ten-years of service who loves his country and all peaceful people, and hates any who would harm his country or any innocent people. Now your turn. Do you see someone who has bought into a twisted idology where black is white and emotion overrules reason? 'Cause that's what we see. Either you support terrorism or you don't. If you don't, then stop trying to help them, because your actions belie your true loyalties.

Posted by: Improbulus Maximus at June 18, 2005 09:54 AM (0yYS2)

25 Impedance Maximus, where shall we start? Probably the same one who taught you yours, “nextdoor”, “youself”. I wrote my post at quitting time, and I admit I was in a bit of a hurry. So what is your excuse Ignorant Maximus? As for my credentials, I served in the US Army from July of 82 – July of 84. Boot camp at Fort Sill, and stationed at Bamburg, Germany with the 1/75th field artillery. I started off in Charlie battery then move to HQ when I became XO driver. For more proof, 1/75 was a self propelled 8” artillery unit. With HE rounds weighing 200 lbs and powder weighing in around 100. I admit, the best shape I have ever been in was due to toting those rounds around. As for the Marine Corps, I started to boot camp in May of 1986, at San Diego, aka a Hollywood Marine. I was what was called a data dink, which is what I do today, and that is program computers. (So once again I spend over 8 hours a day writing in short hand code and languages not 100% English. What is your excuse for your poor English skills again?) I served 3 years in Agony, Ga. (aka Albany), the Marine Corps Supply base. I then went to Okinawa, by way of Alaska with the great stuff polar bear in the airport, in April of 1989. I was there for the full 365 days, with only one exception. I was in the Philippines at Suebic Bay (spelling?) for 3 months. It was only to be a two week exercise, but the natives got restless and rebelled, so our mission was cancelled. This was during December of 1989. I was station at Camp Kinser, with the derelict tanker run aground. As for both Robert and John, they have far more courage then the booze guzzling, drug taking occupant who sits the greatest seat of the world. Robert distinguished himself by going after the mob, and that is what got him killed, and John for at least going out in his boat against real enemies. Now Bush, not only go against people, like his pop, but didn’t bother to even go up at all. As for pedigree’s, who’s one father does not determine the amount of courage one will have. Once again, which one is a better example of courage and a patriot, one who gets his parents to get him into the military or one who gets his parents to get him out. As for impressing some one who knows history, well it is only to obvious you are not one who does. I still remember you lame post about WWI. You did not get anything right on it. So don’t even consider yourself to be EVEN “Summertime” history buff. As for my admiring Muslims, or any other religion, I see you can at least see the truth that I see, and that is Every race, religion, culture, and creed, have their Saints and Satans. This statement is not that bold, it is only obvious. It is the clueless morons who can’t see that. And when I said we should get rid of all fanatics, which I defined as those who refuses to even listen to any other view but their own, the cleansing should go for not only Muslims, but Christians, Jews, Blacks, Whites, Men and women. Anyone who is to stupid to at least listen to a view point, should be culled out to improve the human gene pool. I am not saying you have to agree, but everyone should at least listen. Once again you error Idiot Maximus, those who will not and can not entertain a new idea would be consider a conservative, because they fear everything, good or bad, that changes the status quo. So lets look at you, Illogical Maximus, you stated “I see a veteran with ten-years of service who loves his country and all peaceful people, and hates any who would harm his country or any innocent people”, and I point out innocent people part. You would have us kill all Muslims, even children, because you can’t tell who are the terrorist and who are not. Oh, I forgot according to you, all Muslims are terrorist or want to be terrorist right? “but can you tell the ones that want to kill you from the ones that simply like the idea of killing you?” As for emotion over ruling reason, I believe that is the right wing domain: It is good to kill an INCAPACTIATED combatant. It is good to kill all Muslims, because some commit atrocities. It is good to torture prisoners, because we can get some information. It is good to make new laws and but into clearly state rights, because we don’t like what is happening to the body of a woman who has left the building 15 years ago. It is okay to deny the right of two citizens based solely on their sex. It is okay to go against almost everything in the Constitution, because we are making a better place to live, for the Bush’s cronies. As for my supporting terrorism, I never have and never will, but I do support “TRUTH, JUSTICE AND THE AMERICAN WAY”. That means the even filthy scum sucking terrorist should receive full protection of the Law. The reason for that, which you terrorphobes (literary licenses) tend to forget, is not for them, but for us. If we let the law slide on this issue, and that, soon we will not longer have any laws at all. That is the price of having a truly free society. As for the military we have in the field right now, and those who did serve, I give them my full support. It is the man that is their Commander in Chief, that I hold in contempt.

Posted by: Butch at June 20, 2005 01:00 PM (Gqhi9)

26 Errat sheet for last post . should read "not only did he not go against people, like his pop" not longer should be no longer

Posted by: Butch at June 20, 2005 01:34 PM (Gqhi9)

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By Demosophist

It's compelling to compare the analyses of two popular bloggers who are frequently at odds, and both of whom think the current effort in Iraq may be falling short of expectations: Wretchard, at The Belmont Club and Larry Johnson, at the Counterterrorism Blog. These represent, at least superficially, somewhat differing perspectives on strategic policy. On the one hand Johnson depicts US policy in the Middle East as a "looming debacle." These are words that we tolerate only if their justification is obvious and irrefutable, for good reason: because they can become a self-fulfilling prophesy. We might be better disposed to such language if the ideas they expressed contained clear alternatives that led to some conclusion other than "debacle," but we still tend to distrust them because they belie what appears to be a short-sighted insensitivity to the public good, whether that perception is actually true or not. more...

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While the U.S. detains terrorists until they are no longer considered a threat, Germany gives them lawyers, subject them to trials, and releases them based upon insufficient evidence. And when all is said and done, the German courts blame the U.S. for not providing the information necessary to convict them.

The presiding judge of the German Federal Court of Justice, Klaus Tolksdorf, announced that the verdict in the acquittal of Abdelghani Mzoudi would stand and he was now a free man. Mzoudi was accused of training at an Al-Qaeda camp in Afghanistan and paying bills of the terrorist cell in Hamburg that was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Mohammed Atta, the mastermind behind 9/11, was Mzoudi's roommate in Hamburg.

The decision by the German high court is likely a harbinger for the outcome of the appellate proceedings against Mounir El Motassadeq, a terrorist buddy of Mzoudi, who was convicted and had his verdict overturned on appeal because judges decided he didn't get a fair trial because a witness in U.S. jurisdiction was not allowed to testify.

Evidently, the German judicial system is ineffective because the U.S. is unresponsive. Of course, blaming the U.S. for every conceivable problem anywhere has become sport.

Companion post at Interested-Participant.

Posted by: Mike Pechar at 11:51 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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UPDATE 6/16/05: Scroll down for more information.

What's wrong with this picture? When WWII was declared the overwhelming response of the German community was to condemn en masse the Nazi front of the German Bund. Even though Japanese Americans were treated far more poorly than the Germans, the response from that community was to enlist in the Army in an effort to prove their loyalty to the nation and ease the oversuspicious among us.

How does the Muslim community respond to any and every indictment against suspected terrorists? By screaming intimidation and ethnic profiling.

Via the California Mafia we learn that two indictments have been handed down in the Lodi al Qaeda ring and how the Muslim community responds to finding out about the traitors living among them. Sacramento Bee (subscription):

Two Lodi men accused by the government of connections to terrorist training in Pakistan were indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury in Sacramento.
Humid Hayat is charged with two counts of making a false statement to FBI agents, and his father, Umer Hayat, is charged with one count of making a false statement to FBI agents.

The indictment says Hamid Hayat was lying when he denied being with any type of terrorist organization and denied attending any type of terrorist training camp.

The indictment says Umer Hayat was lying when he denied having any first-hand knowledge of terrorist training camps in Pakistan.

And which two groups are filing the complaint? Come on....do I really have to even say?

Also on Thursday, a coalition of Muslim civil rights groups and other organizations announced they were filing complaints of "intimidating tactics" against the FBI along with a formal request for records of its investigation into possible terrorist connections in Lodi....

The tactics involve denial of medical treatment, threats of arrest or deportation to coerce people, and denied access to legal representation, said Basim Elkarra of the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Sacramento Valley.

"This must be done in the way that respects people's rights," said Mark Schlosberg of the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California.

---------------------------------------
[UPDATE 6/09 AM: Fifth suspect arrested, more arrests expected in Lodi. Go the most recent post here, the Main Page, or scroll down for latest information. This post will be updated as more information is gathered and will serve as an archive for the al Qaeda cell in Lodi.]

Whoa, this puts a whole new spin on that CCR song. Four men have been arrested in Lodi California, two on suspicion of aiding al Qaeda and two on immigration violation charges. One of the most worrisome aspects of this story is that the two arrested on immigration charges were in the process of starting a religious school. Guess which religion?

I have a feeling when they say 'immigration charges' that the specifics of the charges will be 'lying about ties to al Qaeda training centers in Pakistan or Afghanistan'.

I'll have more on this later, I'm sure. [UPDATE: I'm surfing the sphere and not seeing much on this. What gives? Has the arrest of another Muslim in America with ties to radicalism become so commonplace that it is no longer 'news'? Another Update: Story seems to be picking up steam. If you have info on this case, please e-mail me]

Here's what a local paper has to say about the arrests. Tracy Press:

Federal authorities have arrested two men and detained two others who they believe are linked to an al-Qaida terror cell in Lodi, The Sacramento Bee reported on its Web site Tuesday night.

Hamid Hayat, 22, and his father, Umer Hayat, 47, were arrested over the weekend on charges of lying to federal agents, and both made a brief appearance in U.S. District Court in Sacramento on Tuesday, FBI special agent John Cauthen confirmed to The Associated Press. The two men, who are both U.S. citizens, are being held in Sacramento County Jail.

Hamid Hayat is accused in a federal complaint of training in an al-Qaida camp in Pakistan to learn “how to kill Americans,” and then lying to FBI agents about it.

His training included explosives and weapons instruction and using photographs of President Bush as targets, court documents indicate.

Umer Hayat, a Lodi ice cream truck driver, is charged in the complaint with lying about his sonÂ’s involvement and his own financing of the terror camp.

Both men made brief initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Sacramento on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter A. Nowinski. Both are being held in Sacramento County Jail pending further court proceedings.

Two other men were detained over the weekend for questioning, area residents said Tuesday. The men were identified by one source as Muhammed Adil Khan and Shabbir Ahmed, and are being held on immigration violations.

The two were believed to be working to open a religious school in Lodi to teach young Muslims. Both were detained after they met separately with Umer Hayat in the predawn hours Saturday.

Neither man was arrested on any criminal charges, according to Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Kice would not disclose where Ahmed and Khan are being jailed. Sacramento County Jail records indicated a Shabbir Ahmed was in custody. No record of Khan could be found.

Ahmed is the imam and Khan is the former imam of a mosque in Lodi.

Khan represented the Lodi Muslim Mosque for three years as imam, equivalent to the Christian term “pastor.” Khan’s former role at the mosque is not clear. Mohammad Shoaib, who took over as mosque president in November 2003, said he fired Khan in January. Others at the mosque claim that Khan was never the imam in the first place.

Khan is now the leader in the effort to build the Farooqia Islamic Center, including a school for children up to fourth grade, south of Lodi on Lower Sacramento Road.

Ahmed has been imam of the Lodi mosque since Khan left the mosque leadership.

FBI agents descended on a house next door to the Lodi Muslim Mosque about a day after two of LodiÂ’s top Muslim leaders were arrested.

“It’s unfortunate,” Nasim Khan, former mosque president, said after hearing about the arrests. “These are guys who’ve been doing good work in the community.”

On Tuesday, FBI agents searched AhmedÂ’s house on Poplar Street, next door to the Lodi mosque, and another house on the 300 block of Acacia Street, about four blocks from the mosque.

According to an FBI affidavit, Hamid Hayat first denied any link to terror camps, but then told agents he attended an Al Qaeda camp in 2003 and 2004.

"Hamid advised that he specifically requested to come to the United States to carry out his jihadi mission," according to the affidavit. "Potential targets for attack would include hospitals and large food stores."

From the local news, we find out, "Shabbir Ahmed, imam of the Lodi Muslim Mosque, and Mohammad Adil Khan were arrested either late Sunday or early Monday morning". The two reports seem to conflict about charges against these two, one says no charges the other says immigration violations. But, according to the Bee, they met with the young Hayat before being arrested.

"The Muslim community in Lodi supports any efforts to find people who are trying to hurt us or destroy the United States," he said. "People have been living here for 80 to 90 years, and we've always cooperated with local law enforcement authorities and will continue to do so."

Some of those questioned by FBI agents say their civil rights have been violated. Zafar Mohammad Khan, 19, said he is Hamid Hayat's cousin and was at a local grocery store Monday with Hayat's younger brother and an uncle when four FBI agents began questioning them. "These guys were following us everywhere," Zafar Khan said.

He said he refused to answer the agents' questions. But he told The Bee that the FBI sweep "was all because of a stupid phone call someone made against the Hayat family. Hamid told me someone called the FBI to make up a story because they have something against him."

And of course CAIR just wouldn't be CAIR if they didn't come to the defense of every single terrorist arrested in America:

Basim Elkarra, executive director of the Sacramento Valley chapter of CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations), said Khan was one of several local Muslim leaders who previously met with the FBI to discuss security issues. "They've got nothing on those guys," Elkarra said. "This has happened before - if they don't like them, they'll get them on immigration violations. We will fight to make sure that everyone's civil liberties are upheld."

United we can build our centers, masjids and schools everywhere.

The main goal of Farooqia Islamic Center is to spread the education of Quran and Sunnah.

Oh it gets worse, much worse. In June of 2002 the center sponsored a fundraiser and conference. Headlining the conference was Imam Siraj Wahaj:

'In a similar vein, CAIR board member Imam Siraj Wahaj calls for replacing the American government with a caliphate, and warns that America will crumble unless it "accepts the Islamic agenda." Wahaj, it should be noted, served as a character witness for Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, the Muslim cleric convicted for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.'

Siraj Wahaj, a member of CAIRÂ’s Board of Advisors, was listed as a potential unindicted co-conspirator in the World Trade Center bombing case (List of unindicted persons who may be alleged as co-conspirators in United States versus Omar Ahmad Ali Abdel Rahman, Mary Jo White, US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, February 2, 1995). He is the imam of the al-Taqwa mosque in Brooklyn, where he provided a platform for Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman. He later served as a defense witness for the Sheik in the World Trade Center bombing trial. In September 1991, Wahaj stated the following:

"…And he [Allah] declared ‘Whoever is at war with my friends, I declare war on them.’ Who is a friend of Allah? [He chants a passage in Arabic] Allah. Your true friend is Allah, the messenger, and those who believe. Americans and Canadians. Hear it well. Hear what I’m telling you well. The Americans are not your friends, hear what I’m telling you, hear it well. The Canadians are not your friends, hear what I’m telling you, hear it well. The Europeans are not your friends. Your friend is Allah, the Messenger and those who believe. These people will never be satisfied with you until you follow their religion. They will never be satisfied with you…"

Hillel students reported that speaker Imam Abdul Malik Ali, a spiritual leader at Oakland's Masjid Al-Islam mosque, urged the crowd of roughly 500 to 800 to 'stop calling them suicide bombers. When a person commits suicide, they are oppressed, without hope, depressed. Palestinian mothers are supporting their children who are suicide bombers, saying, 'Go honey, go!'

Michelle Malkin has links to stories on hospital and school based terror plots. UPDATE: Michelle also has a copy of the affidavit used to secure the arrest warrent in PDF format. Check this part out:

After a brief
interview with an FBI agent who showed Hamid some photographs, the polygraph examination was administered and and his answers to the relevant questions were found to be indicative of deception.

Hamid admitted that he attended a jihadist training camp in Pakistan for approximately 6 months in 2003-2004. Hamid stated that Al-Qaeda supports the camp and provides instructors for the camp. Hamid later confirmed this camp was run by Al-Qaeda. Hamid described the camp as providing structured paramilitary training, including weapons
training, explosives training, interior room tactics, hand to hand combat, and strenuous exercise.....

Hamid stated that during his weapons training, photos of various high ranking U.S. political figures, including President Bush, would be pasted onto their targets. Hamid further stated that he and others at the camp were being trained on how to kill Americans...

Hamid advised that he specifically requested to come to the United States to carry out his Jihadi mission. Potential targets for attack would include hospitals and large food stores.

Classroom instruction included ideological rhetoric detailing opposition towards the United States and other non-Muslim countries.

Umer Hayat described Hamid Hayat as first being interested in attending a jihadi training camp during his early teenage years, and being influenced by a classmate, Sadr Yaqoob (phoenetic spelling), at the madrassah (religious school) Hamid attended in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

But wait, there's more. It seems that jihadism runs in the family:

The madrassah was operated by Hamid Hayat's grandfather, and Umer Hayat's Father-in-law, Qazi Saeed Ur Rehman. According to Umer Hayat, Qazi Saeed Ur Rehman sends the students from this madrassah to jihadi training camps in Pakistan. After completing his education at the madrassah, Hamid Hayat went to the Tamal training camp near Rawalpindi, Pakistan, which is operated by Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Umer Hayat stated that Maulana Fazlur Rehman is a close personal friend of Saeed Ur Rehman, Umer Hayat's father-in-law.

If one good thing can come out of this it is that it seems at least two of the men arrested are now cooperating with the FBI. Each of these men seems to have some fair abount of knowledge of the jihadi network in Pakistan.

California Conservative chimes in with this:

In many ways, Lodi is the perfect location. ItÂ’s a very small town and out-of-the-way, yet close enough to major airports and big cities like San Francisco and Sacramento, CaliforniaÂ’s capitol.

On the other hand, itÂ’s the kind of place a terrorist would stick out. And, hopefully, that helped in uncovering the case here.

By Demosophist

Well, this piece from the Counter-terrorism Blog might go a ways toward undermining the wholesome image of Al Qaeda so carefully cultivated by the western left:

Yesterday, Israeli president Moshe Katzav warned in a speech that Muslim terrorists may plan on using neo-Nazi groups to carry out attacks in Europe. "Let's not be surprised if terror organizations use neo-Nazis for carrying out terror attacks," he told the German parliament.

While there's little evidence thus far of operational links between Islamist terror groups and neo-Nazis, this is an intriguing possibility -- and some white supremacist groups have already made overtures toward the Islamists. For example, Aryan Nations leader August Kreis said of al-Qaeda earlier this year, "You say they're terrorists, I say they're freedom fighters. And I want to instill the same jihadic feeling in our peoples' heart, in the Aryan race, that they have for their father, who they call Allah." Going a step further, Kreis told CNN that he had a message for bin Laden: "The message is, the cells are out here and they are already in place. They might not be cells of Islamic people, but they are here and they are ready to fight."

Posted by: Demosophist at 09:25 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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