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| Home Front: WoT |
| Chicago man facing charges over terror hoax |
| 2009-08-19 |
| North Side resident Uzair Ali Hashmi informed the FBI last month that terrorists were trying to recruit him and that one of them gave him a letter stating, "Our job here is to carry out 'the mission' of giving the nonbelievers what they deserve." Hashmi said the letter also asked if he was familiar with downtown Chicago and stated, "This is your calling to Jihad my brother. You have a key roles in our operation." But an investigation found that Hashmi made up the story and fabricated the letter, authorities said. On Wednesday, he was indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of making false statements to the FBI. According to the indictment, Hashmi contacted the FBI on July 28, saying that someone had approached him the previous day and asked him if he was proficient with firearms and suggested that he join "God's military." But the person Hashmi claimed approached him actually "made no such statements," the indictment said. "We take very seriously any allegation of terrorism activity, and we will aggressively investigate every lead," said Robert D. Grant, special agent-in-charge of the Chicago FBI. "But, while we want to encourage people to report genuinely suspicious activity, we also will seek to prosecute anyone who deliberately provides false information that diverts agents and resources from other important matters." If convicted, Hashmi could get up to 24 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. |
| Posted by:ryuge |