February 14, 2006

Terror Trial Begins for U.S. Citizens in Lodi, FBI Investigating Newspaper Leak

The trial for two Lodi, California, men who have extensive ties to terror supporters in Pakistan begins today. The Sacramento Bee, which has been following the case closely, is now the target of a FBI investigation over information it published from a sealed federal indictment.

Two Muslim religious leaders who attended the same California mosque as Hamid & Umer Hayat have already been deported. The son, Hamid, is charged with giving material support to terrorists and three minor counts of lying to investigators. The father, Umar, is charged with two counts of lying to the FBI.

Don't let this relatively minor charges fool you. They told federal investigators that they had no ties to terrorism when in fact the younger of the two, Hamid Hayat, had attended terrorist training camps in Pakistan. All this after they had become naturalized U.S. citizens and were widely seen as pillars of the community.

I believe we have a name for citizens of our country who give material support to our enemies and swear to wage war against us: treason.

Incidentally, the Lodi Muslim community was outraged at the allegations that any one of them could possibly have ties to terrorists. Because, as we all know, to suggest that the percentage of terror supporters in the Muslim community is probably much higher than the number of terror supporters among the Mennonites is not allowed. Who represented this group of victims? The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the ACLU.

Behold the face of treason. Sac Bee:

They say that Hamid Hayat, then 20, told the informant he believed in jihad and swore he would fight jihad. He went on to say that, during an upcoming trip to Pakistan, he was going to a training camp, the papers allege.

During one of the conversations, Hamid Hayat said the United States "is just a name, and that his heart belongs to Pakistan," the papers further allege....

According to the prosecution's court papers, Hamid Hayat was given his Miranda rights and later failed the polygraph examination. After being questioned for several hours, the court papers allege, he "confessed to attending a jihadist training camp, indicating that it was near the town of Balakot" in Pakistan.

"Hamid also made several statements regarding individuals and groups who supported the camp he attended," including al-Qaida, the papers allege.

The court papers quote Hamid Hayat as saying the purpose of the camp "was to train for jihad and to teach people to kill those who work against Muslims."

He admitted that he "was being trained to and intended to commit jihad in the U.S.," the papers say. "He did not have any orders to fight at present; however, he was awaiting such orders."

"Violent jihad" is defined by the counterterrorism team prosecuting the Hayats as "the use of violence, including paramilitary action, against persons, property or governments deemed to be enemies of a fundamentalist version of Islam."

Meanwhile, according to the papers, Umer Hayat told agents his son had not attended a training camp and that he, Umer, had no connections to terrorism and was unaware that there were training camps in Pakistan.

Umer Hayat was shown a small portion of his son's videotaped confession, and then admitted that he knew his son had been to a training camp in Pakistan for up to six months in late 2003 and into 2004, the prosecution's papers state. Umer Hayat added that he had been to at least four camps as an observer, the papers say.

The papers say Umer Hayat told the agents his son went to a camp outside Rawalpindi, which he said was underground. Umer said he was there and observed firearms, explosives, classroom and physical fitness training, the papers say.

And the FBI is none too happy to know that someone is leaking information to the Sacramento Bee:
The FBI is investigating the source of sealed court documents used by The Bee in stories about a federal probe into possible terrorist activity involving five Lodi Muslims....

An FBI spokeswoman said the investigation is not targeting employees at the federal courthouse in Sacramento, where the court documents were filed.

"The investigation is looking at how a sealed court document ended up with the newspaper," said Karen Ernst, the FBI's Sacramento office spokeswoman.

Hat tip to KG of California Mafia who is on a blog vacation.

Posted by: Rusty at 02:54 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 747 words, total size 5 kb.

1 Treason may as well be embezzlement, because no one is executed for it anymore. I guess it's more of a white-collar crime now.

Posted by: dave at February 14, 2006 03:59 PM (CcXvt)

2 Why has it taken so long to come to trial? It seems the War on Terror is a very low priority at DOJ. We were first aware of these guys 2 years ago. The son (who based on what I've seen the last two years is the real Americahater like another NoCal Fascist Muslim Johhny Walker) was almost allowed his freedom last year because of a DOJ screw up. With the giant increases in funding DOJ has had the last few years I would expect a much more agressive and competent attack on terorists.

Posted by: Rod Stanton at February 14, 2006 05:23 PM (lwdxR)

3 This trial should already be over. Another sign that The War on Terror is in reality a very low priority with the President and his close lieutenants. Or is Alberto just incompetent?

Posted by: Jo macDougal at February 14, 2006 05:34 PM (lwdxR)

4 Hey Jo/Rod why don't we just march them out back and shoot them as charged Stalin style? that way you wouldn't be inconvenienced by a long trial. One minute you guys are crowing about Judicial process re: Presidential wiretaps, now a Judicial process is taking too long (Wasn't that the Presidents defense to the wiretap and the left said too bad?) I bet it doesn't have anything to do with the defense and prosecution teams requesting sufficient time to prepare, evidence analysis and the like.

Posted by: dave at February 14, 2006 05:46 PM (CcXvt)

5 Actually guys, they were arrested in July, which puts us at 7 months since this whole thing got started. And the DOJ has been slow on this because, apparently, a lot of the evidence is/was classified. But yeah, it does look like they've been stalling. If you want a background, check this post - http://camafia.blogsome.com/2006/01/10/lodi-background/

Posted by: KG at February 14, 2006 08:03 PM (7SapW)

6 What in the world is happening to our country and our judicial system ? Soon we will receive more punishment for drunk driving than for being a terrorist! A slap on the hand for treason ??? GIVE ME A BREAK ! WAKE UP AMERICA !

Posted by: William A.R. at February 15, 2006 08:10 AM (v/qwq)

7 One of the things that has been holding it up is the defense attorneys blanket requests for discovery in attempts to get ancillary data regarding methods the FBI is using to recruit and pay informants. They'd really love to get their hands on the identities so they could send their love. The Bay Area Left is tracking this case and trying to portray it as a witch hunt involving kids who just want to shoot hoops.

Posted by: HV at February 15, 2006 09:31 PM (xydow)

8 Get real folks!! This "terrorism" trial is Lodi is a farce!! Those poor victims of the FBI aren't terrorists!! The FBI is having to make up stuff now to justify their huge budget and taxpayer rip-off. After all, they have to keep the blood-thirsty crowds, made up of people like you--appeased!! They are grasping at straws, trying to give you angry men your money's worth. Get a life!! Go to work!! Do something constructive with your lives!!

Posted by: Cherith at March 06, 2006 12:45 AM (87LiX)

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