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| Fourth ’Buffalo Six’ Member Pleads Guilty |
| 2003-04-08 |
| A jobs counselor who met privately with Usama bin Laden in Afghanistan after attending an Al Qaeda training camp pleaded guilty Tuesday to providing support to a terrorist organization. Sahim Alwan, 30, is the fourth of six American men of Yemeni descent to reach a deal with the government in exchange for a lesser sentence. Like the others, he agreed to cooperate in the government's continuing terrorism investigation. The government indicated it would seek a nine-year term when Alwan is sentenced in July. All of the defendants faced 15 years in prison. In his plea agreement, the Buffalo-born Alwan, a married father of three, said he saw bin Laden at a Kandahar guest house before attending the camp and was taken to meet with the terrorist leader again after he left the camp. At the second meeting, Alwan said bin Laden asked "what Americans thought about martyrdom missions as well as how the brothers were doing at the al-Farooq camp." Alwan also heard bin Laden speak while at the camp. He said, "There were people willing to bear their soul in their hands for jihad." Unlike his co-defendants who pleaded guilty before him, Alwan did not say he knew the trip was illegal. He said he believed he was attending training in jihad, described as a struggle against those not of Islamic faith. "How was I to know it was illegal, I could hardly hear what he was saying over the gunfire and explosions." Last month, Yahya Goba and Shafal Mosed each pleaded guilty to one count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors said they would seek an eight-year sentence for Mosed and a 10-year prison term for Goba. Faysal Galab pleaded guilty in January to supporting Al Qaeda. He is expected to receive a seven-year sentence. The two other defendants, Mukhtar al-Bakri and Yasein Taher, remain in plea negotiations, attorneys said. Four down, two to go. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 He said he believed he was attending training in jihad, described as a struggle against those not of Islamic faith. The thinking of your standard Religion of Peace™(lgf) member in a nutshell. Gotta fight those horrible infidels and kaafir. |
| Posted by: Celissa 2003-04-08 19:04:56 |
| #2 I saw a video colonoscopy Katie was undergoing on TV, and they actually found her head - it was a true dramatic moment™ |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-04-08 18:25:35 |
| #1 Where are all the 'racist' critics now? Quote: 'Other than attending a terrorist training camp in afghanistan, do you have any other proof'? -Katie Curic |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2003-04-08 17:45:55 |