Shabaab Material Support Indictment Unsealed in NY Court
[3/16/10] Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed -- who previously lived in Sweden and is thought to be an Eritrean citizen -- was indicted in NY federal court for providing material support to Shabaab al-Mujahideen. In April 2009, he allegedly trained for jihad, to include learning bombmaking skills, at a camp in Somalia. He also possessed bombmaking... (read more)

Wife of Transatlantic Bomb Plotter Acquitted
[3/16/10] The Cossor Ali, the wife of Abdulla Ahmed Ali, a leader of the foiled 2006 transatlantic bomb plot, was acquitted of keeping his suicide attack plans from the police. (read more)

Hamas Operative Responsible for Murder of Over 70 Israelis Captured
[3/15/10] The Israeli Defense Force announced that Maher U’dda, a Hamas operative "responsible for the murder of more than 70 Israelis", has been arrested. According to the IDF, "U’dda is one of Hamas’ founders in Ramallah... (read more)

PA Woman Indicted for Recruiting Jihadists and Plotting Murder Overseas
[3/10/10] Colleen R. LaRose (a.k.a. "Jihad Jane") was indicted in Pennsylvania and charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements to a government official and attempted identity theft.  According to DOJ, "LaRose (an American citizen born in 1963 who resides in Montgomery County, Pa.) and five unindicted co-conspirators... (read more)

Somali Indicted in TX for Lying re: Terror Ties
[3/10/10] A Texas grand jury indicted 24-year-old Ahmed Muhammed Dhakane, a citizen of Somalia, on two counts of making false statements to federal authorities concerning his association with al-Barakat and Al-Ittihad Al-Islami (AIAI). (read more)

Interview with Hamas Leader Dr. Khalil Al Hayya
[3/09/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a transcript of an interview of Hamas leader Dr. Khalil Al Hayya, conducted by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Hamas movement). The interview focuses on relations with the Egyptian and Iranian governments, the plans of the Hamas government, and the Palestinians’ prospects for the new year. Regarding Iran, Al Hayya said “Iran supports us financially, politically and morally... (read more)

Adam Gadahn: “A Call to Arms”
[3/09/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a transcript of a new video recording of most wanted American Al-Qaida spokesman Adam Yehiye Gadahn, titled "A Call to Arms." During the video, produced by Al-Qaida's As-Sahab Media Foundation, Gadahn praises the “masterfully-planned and executed martyrdom operation” by Jordanian doctor Humam al-Balawi targeting CIA officers in Afghanistan and the “valiant attempt by a heroic soldier of al-Qaida... (read more)

Hamas Leader Vows to Avenge al Mabhouh Assassination
[3/08/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), quoting Hamas leader Khalid Mash’al, in which he vows revenge for the death of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh, who was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to Mash’al, “we will avenge this man. If you [the Zionist occupation] were... (read more)

Hamas Mourns Assassinated Military Leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh
[3/08/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), mourning the death of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh, who was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to the statement, “Al Qassam Brigades mourns the death of the mujahid [and] reaffirms the commitment and determination to continue the resistance against the belligerent occupation forces.” (read more)

HLF Fundraiser Sentenced for Lying to FBI
[3/08/10] Akram Musa Abdallah (a.k.a. Abu Saiaf) of Mesa, Ariz. was sentenced to 18 months in prison for making false statements related to his involvement in fund-raising activities for the Holy Land Foundation for Relief & Development. (read more)

Queens Imam Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI in Bomb Probe
[3/08/10] Queens imam Ahmad Wais Afzali, who served as an NYPD Confidential Informant, pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI when he denied tipping off Al-Qaida-linked bomb plotter Najibullah Zazi that he was a subject of interest to counterterrorism agents. (read more)

Hamas Biography of Assassinated Military Leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh
[3/05/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a biography, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to the statement, al-Mabhouh joined Hamas in 1978 and is considered “one of its founders in the Gaza Strip.” Hamas asserts that “the Zionist had attempted to assassinate him three times... (read more)

Superseding Indictment Unsealed Against Russian Arms Dealer
Viktor Bout
[3/03/10] Federal prosecutors in New York announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout and his associate Richard Ammar Chichakli with conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act in connection with their efforts to purchase two aircraft from companies located in the United States, in violation of economic sanctions... (read more)

Interview with Taliban Spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi
[3/03/10] The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) have released an interview with spokesman Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi. Assessing the operations in Marjah, Ahmadi said, “[The] Mujahideen’s resistance against the enemy attacks in Marjah, Nad Ali district, has been continuing as per the plan. According to our previous predictions and assessment, the enemy has now been entangled in battles in accordance with... (read more)

'83 U.S. Marine Barracks Bombing Family Members Claim Alavi Foundation Assets
[3/03/10] In Sept. 2007, family members and representatives of the estates of US service persons killed in the October 1983 bombing of a U.S. Marine Barracks in Beirut obtained a judgment against Iran for $2.65 billion. With the entire judgment remaining due, the creditors have asserted... (read more)

AQIM: Statement by Italian Hostage Sergio Cicala
[3/02/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated an Italian-language statement, released by Al-Qaida's network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), in which Italian hostage Sergio Cicala appeals “to the Italian Government, the President of the Republic, and Berlusconi’s Cabinet.” According to Cicala, who was kidnapped with his wife Philomene Kabouree, “my wife’s life and mine depend on the concessions that... (read more)

Congressional Research Service Report: “Al Qaeda and Affiliates”
[3/02/10] The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has released a report titled, “Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy.” CRS wrote, “The Al Qaeda network today also comprises semi-autonomous... (read more)

Australian Counter-Terrorism White Paper Highlights Jihadist Threat
[3/02/10] According to a "Counter-Terrorism White Paper" released by the Australian government, "There remain a significant number of Australian extremists radicalised to the point of being willing to engage in violence to advance their political aims. (read more)

Interview with CIA Bomber "Abu Dujanah al-Khorasani"
[3/01/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a transcript of a video interview, released by Al-Qaida's As-Sahab Media Foundation, with "Abu Dujanah al-Khorasani" (a.k.a. Jordanian doctor Humam al-Balawi), who carried out the deadly suicide bomb attack in late December on the CIA base at Camp Chapman, in the southeast Afghan province... (read more)

Images from Video of Suicide Bombing Attack on a “U.S. Leadership Base in Afghanistan”
[3/01/10] The NEFA Foundation has released still images from a video recording from Al-Qaida’s As-Sahab Media Foundation depicting a suicide bombing attack on a “U.S. Leadership Base in Afghanistan”. The tape’s narrator claims that Turkish operative Muaath al-Turki attacked "the old Khost airport that the U.S. forces and the CIA use as their operations headquarters... (read more)

AQAP’s Saeed al-Shehri: “Repelling the Crusader Aggression”
[2/26/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new audio recording of Saeed al-Shehri, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee who has assumed a key leadership role in Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, titled, “Repelling the Crusader Aggression.” In the message, al-Shehri congratulates the “heroic mujahed Omar al-Farooq”, who attempted to bring down... (read more)

Zazi Associates Face New Charges in NYC Subway Bomb Plot
[2/26/10] Zarein Ahmedzay and Adis Medunjanin have been charged with terrorism violations stemming from, among other activities, their alleged roles in the plot involving Najibullah Zazi to attack the New York subway system in mid-September 2009. The superseding indictment also charges both... (read more)

Israel/Lebanon War Victims Sue Iran's Central Bank
[2/25/10] In U.S. federal court, eighty five American, Israeli and Canadian victims of Hezbollah rocket attacks have sued the Central Bank of Iran (“CBI”), Bank Saderat Iran of Teheran, and Bank Saderat, PLC of London for $1 billion in compensatory damages and an unspecified sum of punitive damages. (read more)

Indictments for Illegally Exporting Electronics to Hezbollah-Linked Entity in Paraguay
[2/25/10] Indictments have been filed in Florida on charges including IEPPA violations and smuggling electronic goods from the United States to Paraguay. The charges stem from a JTTF investigation into electronics shipments to the Galeria Page, a shopping center in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, which has been designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity by OFAC. (read more)

AQIY Magazine: “The Fragility of the Administration and the Loss of Control”
[2/24/10] An article in the March 2008 edition of the official magazine of Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (AQIY), titled “The Fragility of the Administration and the Loss of Control”, asked, “what is the reason for these crises that pass over the country, and how did they cause the situation to reach this deteriorated level in religion and administration?!”  (read more)

Najibullah Zazi Admits Plan to Attack NY Subway System
[2/23/10] Najibullah Zazi pled guilty in New York federal court to charges including providing material support to Al-Qaida. According to DOJ, "Zazi admitted that he brought TATP [Triacetone Triperoxide] explosives to New York on Sept. 10, 2009, as part of [a] plan to attack the New York subway system... (read more)

Usama Bin Laden: “The Way to Save the Earth”
[2/22/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new audiotape message from Usama Bin Laden produced by Al-Qaida's As-Sahab Media Foundation and titled, "The Way to Save the Earth." During his speech, Bin Laden noted: “The effects of global warming have spread to all continents of the world. Drought, desertification and sands are advancing on one front, while on another front... (read more)

Jihadist Receives Life Sentence in Canada for Int'l Web-Based Conspiracy
[2/22/10] Said Namouh was sentenced to life in prison by the Court of in Quebec for his role with the Global Islamic Media Front and his involvement in a plot, with an individual in Austria, to set off a car bomb at an undetermined location. (read more)

(Historical) AQIY Argued in March 2008 re: Religious Duty to Overthrow President Saleh
[2/18/10] An article in the March 2008 edition of the official magazine of Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (AQIY) argues that it is a Muslim religious duty to work towards the overthrow of Yemen’s sitting president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. According to the article, “Ali Abdullah Saleh is an infidel, for he opened espionage agencies against the Mujahidin, nay, against the Muslims in general... (read more)

(Historical) AQIY Magazine: “Freedom from Obligation”
[2/17/10] An article in the March 2008 edition of the official magazine of Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (AQIY) asserts that it is a religious duty to end all treaties and agreements with non-Muslims, drive non-Muslims from the Arabian Peninsula, and overthrow the current governments of Yemen and Saudi Arabia: “We disavow every infidel... (read more)

(PowerPoint) The Massacre at Fort Hood
[2/16/10] The NEFA Foundation has released the 24th report in the "Target: America" series, a PowerPoint examining the November 5, 2009 massacre at Fort Hood and the background of the perpetrator, U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood's Soldier's Readiness Processing Center, where soldiers are processed for deployment overseas, killing 13... (read more)

AQIM Statement on the Italian and French Hostages
[2/16/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from Al-Qaida's network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in which AQIM issues further demands regarding the Italian and French hostages it is holding. According to AQIM, "regarding the French hostage, the mujahideen have decided, for specific considerations, to extend the concluded period... (read more)

Dutch Government Report: “Ideology and Strategy of Jihadism”
[2/12/10] The Netherlands’ National Coordinator for Counterterrorism has released a report titled, “Ideology and Strategy of Jihadism.” According to the Dutch government, “The Jihadist movement is the driving force behind the current worldwide terrorist wave that is carried out on the pretext of a religious armed fight, the ‘jihad’." (read more)

(Historical) April 2009 AQIY Article Exhorted Yemeni People to Jihad
[2/11/10] An article in the April edition of Sada al-Malahim, the official magazine of Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (AQIY), sought to exhort the people of Yemen to join Al-Qaida’s jihad against the Saudi and Yemenite governments, as well as western involvement in the Arabian Peninsula. Specifically, the article emphasized their... (read more)

German Taliban Mujahideen Commander Abu Ishaq al-Muhajir Responds to Proposed European Burqa Ban
[2/10/10] The "German Taliban Mujahideen"--a group of German nationals fighting alongside Al-Qaida on the Afghan-Pakistani border--have published a new statement from their top commander, Abu Ishaq al-Muhajir, condemning proposed European bans on the Muslim burqa. Abu Ishaq demanded, "This shows yet again the infidels... (read more)

(Historical) AQIY Lashed Out at Prince Nayef in April 2009
[2/09/10] An article in the April edition of Sada al-Malahim, the official magazine of Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (AQIY), asserted that the government of Yemen has “lost control over” the country and that “the continuation of the war against Al-Qaeda means the collapse of the regime.” According to the article, “This infiltrated... (read more)

Appeals Court Overturns Millennium Bomber's Sentence
[2/09/10] The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the 22-year prison sentence of Millennium Bomber Ahmed Ressam was marred by procedural error and sent the case back to a new judge in the Western District of Washington for a new sentencing hearing. DOJ explained: "The Appeals Court identified four procedural errors at the sentencing hearing... (read more)

Attorney General Letter Re: Xmas Bomb Plotter Charging Decision
[2/09/10] In a letter to Senator Mitch McConnell, Attorney General Eric Holder stated that he “made the decision to charge” the Christmas bomber “with federal crimes…with the knowledge of, and with no objection from, all other relevant departments of the government. (read more)

Arrest for Exporting Missile Components from the U.S. to Iran
[2/09/10] Federal prosecutors in Florida announced that Yi-Lan Chen, a Taiwan passport holder, was arrested on charges of illegally exporting commodities for Iran’s missile program. According to DOJ, "Chen facilitated the purchase and export of various dual use goods from the U.S. to Iran by way of Taiwan... (read more)

Al-Jazeera Interview with Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki
[2/07/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new interview by the Al-Jazeera satellite network with Yemeni-American cleric Sheikh Anwar al-Awlaki. Describing his contacts with Northwest Airlines bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, al-Awlaki said, “The mujahid brother Omar al-Farooq—may Allah release him—is one of my... (read more)

AQIM: “The Annihilation of the Muslims in Nigeria”
[2/05/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a communiqué from Al-Qaida's network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) titled “The Annihilation of the Muslims in Nigeria; A New Episode in the Continuous Crusade War”, in which AQIM emir Abu Musab Abdul Wadud told the Nigerian people, “We are ready to train your children to use weapons... (read more)

Additional Information Revealed on Indicted HLF Representative
[2/04/10] DOJ has revealed that recently indicted Mohammed Masfaka “sang at numerous fund-raising events for” the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) and “the FBI has video evidence of Masfaka praising HAMAS in songs he and his band sang at HLF fundraisers.” NEFA has made several of the exhibits released by DOJ available, including lyrics of those songs, Masfaka's sworn statement in his INS interview, and the INS' denial of his naturalization application. (read more)

U.S. Educated AQ Facilitator Convicted in NY Court
[2/04/10] Aafia Sidiqui, a Pakistani who studied at MIT and Brandeis and who has been identified by the U.S. government as an "al-Qa'ida facilitator", was found guilty of the attempted murder and assault of U.S. nationals in Afghanistan in connection with her attempt to kill the FBI and U.S. Army personnel guarding her in Afghanistan following her arrest there. NEFA has made available numerous documents relating to Siddiqui and her associates.  (read more)

EMS Report on Christmas Bomber Released
[2/03/10] According to the EMS report, Northwest Flight 253 bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab "pushed one unknown substance out of a syringe onto a stitch of clothing containing an unknown powder. The result was an explosion" in his lap, which caused burns to his hands, thigh, and genitalia.  (read more)

Statement of Passenger Who Subdued Xmas Bomber Released
[2/03/10] A statement proffered by Dutch passenger Jasper Schuringa, who subdued Northwest Flight 253 bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has been released. According to his statement, after he heard a bang and saw smoke, Schuringa removed... (read more)

DNI Head Delivers Annual Intel. Community Threat Assessment
[2/03/10] Testifying before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair stated that "important progress has been made against the threat to the US Homeland over the past few years, but I cannot reassure you that the danger is gone. We face a persistent terrorist threat... (read more)

AQ-Linked Bomb Plotter's Father Indicted for Destroying Bomb Materials
[2/02/10] The father of alleged Al-Qaida-linked bomb plotter Najibullah Zazi, Mohammed Zazi, was indicted in New York for working to "alter, destroy, mutilate and conceal … glasses, masks, liquid chemicals and containers." He previously was indicted in Denver for making a false statement in a matter involving international and domestic terrorism. (read more)

Medical Examiner Report Reveals Luqman Abdullah Was Shot 21 Times
[2/02/10] The Office of the Wayne County Medical Examiner determined that Luqman Abdullah was shot 21 times during the FBI's October 2009 attempt to arrest him on an array of charges, including conspiracy to commit theft from interstate shipments and mail fraud. Following the raid, DOJ reported that "Abdullah did not surrender and fired his weapon. An exchange of gunfire followed and Abdullah was killed. An FBI canine was also killed during the exchange." (read more)

Appeals Court Overturns Mohammed Atif Siddique's Conviction
[2/02/10] Ruling that the instructions given to the jury "amounted to material misdirection" and calling the conviction of Mohammed Atif Siddique "a miscarriage of justice", an Appeals Court overturned Siddique's conviction. In October 2007, a Scottish judge sentenced Siddique to eight years in prison after he was convicted on terrorism charges. Prosecutors had labeled Siddique a "wannabe suicide bomber" whose computer was loaded with jihadist material. (read more)

Usama Bin Laden: “From Usama to Obama”
[2/01/10] On January 24th, an audiotaped message from Usama Bin Laden, titled “From Usama to Obama”, was aired on Al-Jazeera. In the message, Bin Laden praised the “mujahid” “hero” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for his attempt to bomb Northwest Flight 253 on Christmas Day. He also stated, “America will not dream of security... (read more)

American Shabaab Leader Profiled in Depth by NY Times
[1/29/10] An extensive New York Times article provides the most comprehensive open-source reporting to date on American citizen Omar Hammami (a.k.a. Abu Mansour al-Amriki), who now holds a leadership position in Al-Shabaab. The article, which cites NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann, reveals Internet-based and in-person connections between Hammami and Daniel Maldonado, a U.S. citizen who pled guilty in April 2007 to receiving training from a foreign terrorist organization in Somalia. The piece also includes an appendix with Hammami's poetry, including a poem he wrote in memory of his grandfather, and a middle school journal entry in which he labeled the 1996 Oklahoma City bombing "pointless". (read more)

Taliban Leadership Council Statement on the London Conference
[1/28/10] The Leadership Council of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) has released a new communiqué regarding the upcoming London conference on Afghanistan. According to the statement, “The war-mongering rulers under the leadership of Obama and Brown want to deceive the people of the world by holding the London... (read more)

German Taliban Mujahideen Call for Support for Their Yemeni Brothers
[1/28/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a newly-released German-language statement from the German Taliban Mujahideen, a group of German-speaking fighters operating in the Afghanistan-Pakistan arena. In this statement, they call for resistance in support of Al-Qaida fighters in Yemen: “Because of these sad circumstances, the German Taliban... (read more)

IJU Video Depicts Training Camps for Small Children
[1/26/10] A new German language propaganda video titled "The Next Generation of Mujahideen, Part 2", released by the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU), shows makeshift IJU terror training camps for small children, along with footage of goods and materiel donated by supporters around the world over the past few months in order to help underwrite the IJU mission. For background on the Islamic Jihad Union... (read more)

Little Rock, Ark. Military Recruiting Station Shooter Claims AQAP Ties
[1/26/10] In a handwritten letter to Pulaski County circuit judge Herb Wright Jr., Little Rock, Ark. military recruiting station shooter Abdulhakim Muhammad wrote, “I’m affiliated with Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Member of Abu Basir’s Army. This was a Jihadi attack on infidel forces. That didn’t go as plan [sic]."  See the NEFA Foundation "Target: America" Report "The Little Rock Arkansas Recruiting Station Shooting”. (read more)

FBI Director: Threats "Becoming More Diverse and More Dangerous"
[1/25/10] Testifying before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, FBI Director Robert Mueller noted that "As the Christmas Day attempted bombing illustrates, the threats we face are becoming more diverse and more dangerous with each passing day. We not only face threats from al Qaeda... (read more)

Queens Man Plotted to Kill US Troops; Admitted Guilt
[1/25/10] According to Assistant United States Attorney James P. Loonam, Queens College graduate Adis Medunjanin "traveled with others from the United States to Pakistan [in 2008], with the intent of killing U.S. service members in Afghanistan." Additionally, a document filed by DOJ revealed that after his arrest, he "provided very detailed information about terrorist-related activities of himself and others in the United States and Pakistan." (read more)

Holy Land Foundation Representative Arrested
[1/25/10] Syrian native Mohamad Mustapha Ali Masfaka was arrested attempting to enter the United States from Canada via the Ambassador Bridge and charged with attempted naturalization fraud, false statements and perjury. In 1997 and 1998, Masfaka worked as the Detroit-area representative for the Holy Land Foundation, which was convicted... (read more)

Conspirator Pleads Guilty in Canadian Bomb Plot
[1/25/10] Amin Mohamed Durrani pled guilty to terrorism charges pled guilty in connection with a 2006 conspiracy to attack the Toronto Stock Exchange, a CSIS building, and a military base and was sentenced to seven and a half years in jail. (read more)

Three New York Businessmen Charged with Laundering Money through Iran
[1/21/10] Federal prosecutors in New York indicted Reza Safarha, Nick Mohamey, and Mohammad Soroush Mahalaty for conspiring to launder money from the United States to Iran. According to DOJ, "From 2007 to 2008, Safarha, Mohamey, and Mahalaty engaged in the transfer of illicit funds to Iran through the use of the 'hawala' system, a money remittance system that facilitates the transfer of money... (read more)

Senate Hearing on Lessons/Implications of Christmas Bomb Plot
[1/21/10] In testimony before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, NCTC Director Michael Leiter and Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair asserted that the Intelligence Community’s failure to detect the Christmas Day bomb plot “was not – like in 2001 – a failure to collect or share intelligence; rather it was a failure to connect... (read more)

Senate Report Warns of American Ex-Convicts Training with AQ in Yemen
[1/20/10] In a newly released report, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Staff revealed that "Law enforcement and intelligence officials told the Committee staff in interviews in December in Yemen and other countries in the region that as many as 36 American ex-convicts arrived in Yemen in the past year, ostensibly to study Arabic." (read more)

Two Plotters – Including Ringleader – Sentenced in Toronto Bomb Conspiracy
[1/20/10] Toronto bomb plot conspirator Saad Gaya was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while mastermind Zakaria Amara was sentenced to life in prison in connection with a 2006 conspiracy to attack the Toronto Stock Exchange, a CSIS building, and a military base. The judge sentencing Amara commented, “What this case revealed was spine-chilling. The potential for loss of life existed on a scale never before seen in Canada.'' Numerous case documents are available on the NEFA website. (read more)

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Suspension of Scientist's Clearance
[1/20/10] A federal appeals court upheld the Department of Energy's suspension of the security clearance of Dr. Abdel Moniem Ali El-Ganayni, a native-born Egyptian who became a U.S. citizen in 1988 and who worked as a physicist at Bettis Laboratory. The ruling also provided additional details on the case: "On June 30, 2006, the FBI raided the Light of Age Mosque... (read more)

AQIM Issues Demands for the Release of French Hostage
[1/19/10] Al-Qaida's network in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) announced that it was giving “France and Mali a period of 20 days that begins with the publishing date of this statement, to respond to our legitimate demand, and at the end of the period both governments will be fully responsible for the life of the French hostage”, Pierre Camatte, who was seized from a Mali hotel in November. AQIM demanded “the release of... (read more)

California Man Charged in Conspiracy to Ship Items to Iran
[1/19/10] Federal prosecutors in California charged three men in a conspiracy to ship items from the United States to Iran, in violation of U.S. sanctions imposed on that country and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Jiraiir Avanessian, 56, of Glendale, Calif., and Farhoud Masoumian, 42, of Tehran, Iran, were charged with multiple violations... (read more)

DOD Releases Report on Fort Hood Shooting
[1/19/10] In announcing the release of a DOD report on the failings that led to the Fort Hood attack, Defense Secretary Robert Gates commented, "It is clear that as a department, we have not done enough to adapt to the evolving domestic internal security threat to American troops and military facilities that has emerged over the past decade." (read more)

Chicago Businessman Charged for Involvement in 2008 Mumbai Attacks
[1/15/10] In a newly filed superseding indictment, federal prosecutors in Chicago charged Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 49, a Canadian citizen, Chicago resident, and native of Pakistan, with involvement in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed approximately 164 people, including six Americans. (read more)

Two Zazi Associates Charged in NYC Bomb Plot Probe
[1/13/10] Zarein Ahmedzay, a NYC taxi driver, and Adis Medunjanin, a U.S. citizen born in Bosnia who attended high school with Najibullah Zazi and Ahmedzay, have been indicted in connection with the probe of the September 2009 NYC bomb plot.  Ahmedzay was charged with lying to the FBI about locations he visited during his trip to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Medunjanin was indicted for conspiring to commit murder in a foreign country and receiving military training from a Foreign Terrorist Organization. (read more)

Maersk Hijacker Charged with 2 Additional Hijackings
[1/13/10] Somali pirate Abduwali Abdukhadir Muse has been brought to New York after he was captured following the "April 8, 2009, hijacking of the Maersk Alabama container ship in the Indian Ocean, and the subsequent taking of the captain of the ship as a hostage." According to DOJ, "Once on board the Maersk Alabama, Muse, who conducted himself as the leader of the pirates... (read more)

JFK Plot Conspirator Admitted He Was "Brain of Everything"
[1/12/10] During an interview with FBI agents shortly after his arrest, JFK bomb plotter Russell Defreitas admitted that he “was the ‘brain of everything’ and the plan was ‘blow up the tanks’. Defreitas stated that the plan was the damage the tanks and the gas lines and the intention was to hurt the economy of the United States.” He further acknowledged that he had not requested a lawyer earlier because he “did not realize” the FBI “had so much evidence”. (read more)

Mustafa Abu al-Yazid: “Infiltrating the American Fortresses”
[1/08/10] The NEFA Foundation has obtained a communiqué issued by Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, identified by the As-Sahab Media Wing as “the overall head of al-Qaida Organization in Afghanistan,” titled, “Infiltrating the American Fortresses.” In claiming responsibility for the December 30th suicide bombing attack by Jordanian physician Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi that killed seven CIA... (read more)

White House Review of Christmas Bomb Plot
[1/08/10] Following the failed Christmas day plot to detonate an explosive device onboard flight 253, President Obama ordered Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan to conduct a complete review of the terrorist watchlisting system. The preliminary review found that “the U.S. government had sufficient information to have uncovered... (read more)

Backgrounder: Sgt. Hasan Akbar and the March 2003 Kuwait Attack
[1/07/10] On March 23, 2003, Army Sgt. Hasan Akbar killed two fellow military officers and wounded 14 others in an attack at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait that bore many similarities to the November 5, 2009 mass shooting at Fort Hood by Major Nidal Malik Hasan. Both Akbar and Hasan were born and raised in the United States, and both had personal, academic, and military careers... (read more)

Bomb Plotter Indicted in Michigan Federal Court
[1/07/10] Christmas day bomb plotter Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was charged in Michigan federal court in a six-count indictment. The charges include attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction... (read more)

Anwar al-Awlaki: “The Lies of the Telegraph”
[1/06/10] In December 2008, Al-Qaida-linked cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who has been in the spotlight recently due to his contacts with Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Hasan and alleged connections to the Christmas bomb plotter, posted a statement on his blog titled, “The Lies of the Telegraph.” In the post, Awlaki disputed claims made by The Daily Telegraph. For example... (read more)

Images of the PETN Underwear Bomb
[1/05/10] The NEFA Foundation is releasing images of the PETN underwear bomb that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to detonate aboard a Northwest flight on Christmas Day. ABC News was the first to release images of the device, which Abdulmutallab was given in Yemen. Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula has issued an official communique claiming responsibility for the failed attack. (read more)

Fmr. Alavi Foundation President Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice
[1/05/10] Farshid Jahedi, the former president of the Alavi Foundation, pled guilty to two felony counts of obstruction of justice, admitting that he destroyed documents covered by a grand jury subpoena that pertained to Assa Company and 650 Fifth Avenue Company. Additional background information on this complex case is available in the legal documents section. (read more)

Comprehensive Set of Online Postings by Underwear Bomber
[1/05/10] NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann has collected the 310 online posts that failed Christmas bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab made to the Islamic Forum on Gawaher.com, using the name “Farouk1986.” (read more)

Yemen Link in Little Rock Recruiting Station Shooting
[1/05/10] As detailed in NEFA's "Target: America" report "The Little Rock, Arkansas Recruiting Station Shooting", Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammed reportedly studied at Damaj Institute in Yemen, which DOD has alleged “was often used for indoctrination and [a] recruiting grounds for foreign extremists/terrorists seeking entry into paramilitary or jihad organizations.” His lawyer also claimed that Muhammed was “brainwashed” in prison by radicals with whom he was imprisoned. (read more)

NEFA "Backgrounder" Reports Highlighted Influence of Faisal/Awlaki
[1/02/10] On the heels of open source reports that Christmas day bomb plotter Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was influenced by imams Abdullah al-Faisal and Anwar al-Awlaki, the NEFA Foundation is highlighting the "Backgrounder" reports it published on them in 2009. For more, see "Abdullah al-Faisal: Extremist Ideologue with Influence in the West" and "Anwar al Awlaki: Pro Al-Qaida Ideologue with Influence in the West". (read more)

Charges Filed in Attempt to Down U.S. Airliner
[12/29/09] 23-year-old Nigerian national Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was charged with attempting to destroy a Northwest Airlines aircraft on its final approach to Detroit Metropolitan Airport on Christmas Day. A preliminary FBI analysis found that the device contained PETN, a high explosive. (read more)

AQIY Claims Responsibility for Christmas Airline Attack
[12/28/09] Al-Qaida's network in Yemen (otherwise known as "Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula") has issued an official communique claiming responsibility for the failed terrorist bomb plot targeting a Delta/Northwest airliner traveling from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas day. The communique included original photographs of would-be bomber...(read more)

More Info on AQIY's Interest in PETN Explosives
[12/28/09] On September 21, 2009, Al-Qaida's network in Yemen released a video about the failed assassination of Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Nayif carried out by AQ operative Abdullah Assiri. The video stated, "The idolic tyrants of the Saudi Family thought that they closed the doors on the face of the Mujahideen, by banning all explosive substances from the markets. But Allah made available to us something they cannot handle....Allah willing, we will come to you with only 50, 100 or 200 grams. Allah willing, our brothers in the explosives department will release some instructive videos about how you can blow up the enemies of Allah with simple ingredients available to all which they cannot ban, except if they kill everyone or close all the stores." (read more)