via JihadWatch.orgTwo Louisiana men have appeared in U.S. District Court on the first terrorist charges filed in Mississippi. Lamont Ranson and Cedric Carpenter, both of New Orleans, were arrested Feb. 18 and charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to defraud the United States and an attempt to provide material support to terrorists. Carpenter faces an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute and criminal forfeiture.
The two men made their initial court appearance Thursday in federal court in Jackson.
A Jackson television station reported that the two men bragged they had contacts at the Mississippi Highway Patrol and could obtain material to produce false driver's licenses and other forms of identification. Court records indicate they agreed to do so in exchange for cash and heroin from Abu Sayyaf, a radical Islamic separatist group based in the Philippines, WLBT-TV reported.
"The information alleges they could obtain Mississippi drivers licenses, false documents that could be used by terrorists to enter the country, remain in the country, travel in the country," U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton said. "That is a very disturbing aspect and we've looked into it as thoroughly as we can."
Lampton says more court proceedings could come Monday.
If convicted, Ranson faces up to 85 years in prison and a $3 million fine, and Carpenter faces up to 35 years in prison and a fine of $750,000.