Fort Lewis Soldier Accused of Trying to Aid al-Qaida (with Photo)

AP ^ | February 12, 2004

[Shermy]

FORT LEWIS, Wash. - A National Guardsman was arrested Thursday and accused of trying to provide information to the al-Qaida terrorist network, the Army said.

Defense officials speaking on the condition of anonymity said Spc. Ryan G. Anderson, 26, signed onto extremist Internet chat rooms and tried to get in touch with al-Qaida operatives, offering the organization information on U.S. military capabilities and weaponry.

It is unclear how the government got wind of his alleged offer, but authorities began monitoring his communications, the officials said. It does not appear he transmitted any information to al-Qaida, the officials said.

Anderson, from Everett, became a Muslim during the last five years, officials said.

Army Lt. Col. Stephen Barger said Anderson was being held at Fort Lewis "pending criminal charges of aiding the enemy by wrongfully attempting to communicate and give intelligence to the al-Qaida terrorist network."

Barger said Anderson was taken into custody without incident as part of a joint investigation by the Army, Justice Department (news - web sites) and FBI. He was being held at the Fort Lewis Regional Corrections Facility near Tacoma.

Barger declined to give any details on the arrest, and it was not immediately clear if Anderson had a lawyer.

Anderson is a tank crew member from the National Guard's 81st Armor Brigade, a 4,200-member unit set to depart for Iraq. It is the biggest deployment for the Washington Army National Guard since World War II.

Washington State University spokeswoman Charleen Taylor said Anderson was a 2002 graduate with a degree in history. Anderson graduated from high school in Everett in 1995, the Herald of Everett reported, and at WSU studied military history with an emphasis on the Middle East.

The brigade has been training at Fort Lewis since November. Eighty percent of the soldiers — 3,200 — are from Washington state, and 1,000 are from guard units in California and Minnesota.

It includes two tank battalions, a mechanized infantry battalion, engineers, support troops, artillery and an intelligence company.

Anderson is the second Muslim soldier with Fort Lewis connections to be accused of wrongdoing related to the war on terror.

Capt. James Yee, 35, a former Fort Lewis chaplain, is accused of mishandling classified information from the U.S. prison for suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay. Yee ministered to Muslim prisoners there.

There were initial reports that Yee was being investigated as part of an espionage probe, but he was never charged with spying.

Associated Press Writer John J. Lumpkin contributed to this report from Washington, D.C.

[Shermy]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040213/ids_photos_ts/r107886205.jpg

[Shermy]

Ping.

[observer5]

He looks a bit retarded... just the right guy to become a MUUU-SLIME!

[GeronL]

FReepers have been looking for photo's

here

Thanks

[GeronL]

FEB 7 in the HERALD

Everett
Cascade grad among guard unit being honored: A 1995 Cascade High School graduate is taking part in a historic event in the Tacoma Dome today.

Spc. Ryan Anderson will participate in the mobilization of the 81st Armor Brigade, which has not been mobilized since World War II.

Approximately 15,000 people will attend the tickets-only ceremony to honor the 3,500 Washington National Guard soldiers who will be going to Iraq for at least a year.

Anderson is a military historian, graduating from WSU in 2002 with a degree in military history with an emphasis on the Middle East. Converting to the Muslim faith five years ago, he said the tour of duty will be an interesting experience.

[Viking2002]

I'll be interested to know where the little puke was born and raised.......

[Hank Rearden]

Converting to the Muslim faith five years ago, he said the tour of duty will be an interesting experience.

Yeah, well - maybe next lifetime, ya dumb Moo.

[GeronL]

can you believe that paper published that on the 7th of this mont?? days before the guy was arrested.

[GeronL]

... Washington State... Everett apparently

[Hank Rearden]

Quite the coinkydink, eh?

[SICSEMPERTYRANNUS]

If convicted he needs to be made an example of.

SIC

[GeronL]

its another sample of out great media

[GeronL]

/sarcasm

[demnomo]

I wonder if his parents are as liberal as Taliban Johnnies?

[Viking2002]

Oh. OK, that explains it. I would have been surprised if he'd have been from, say, Misissippi, but coming from 'Osama Mama' territory clears it up greatly. Thank you.

[BushMeister]

Just saw on FOX NEWS that this guy was supposedly cruising Al Qaeda-type web sites, looking to give information on the best way to attack American vehicles in Iraq.

[nicmarlo]

here's another link, Shermy, with another photo, FYI:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1076967/posts

[Destro]

What was brewing at Ft. Lewis? (Muslim Chaplain Yee has not been cleared -charges pending)

[okie01]

If the case is as alleged and Anderson was actually engaged in transferring information that could have been deadly to his fellow soldiers, he needs to die.

No lifetime sentence in the stockade. This is treason, in a time of war. Aimed at your own unit on the battlefield.

A firing squad will send a message to two vital constituencies:

1. Any other "Jihad Johnnies" that may be out there.

2. Our troops, who deserve to be secure in the notion their officers, Commander-in-Chief and the country will defend them to the end.

Ryan G. "Turkey" Anderson, class of '95, needs to go.

[Uncle Miltie]

Ryan is a member of Classmates.com where he posted the following:

Describe your political views: Middle of the road

Kind of pet(s) you have: Cat(s)

I knew there was a reason to distrust cat owners.

[archy]

Ping.

Yep!

[Shermy]

21

You were first! Good work.

[Libloather]

...signed onto extremist Internet chat rooms...

DU won't like being called a 'room' - I'm sure...

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.


ANDERSON = KERRY


.

[Ophiucus]

I just saw this on the local news tonight.

This is disgusting. When on earth is the military going to wise-up and place all Muslims on security restrictions, remove the Muslim "chaplins", and start putting these traitors in front of a firing squad?

And to go out trolling for a spy contact in a chat room!!! Moron Muslim of the year award.

[GOPyouth]

I hope this guy hangs.

[jocon307]

"When on earth is the military going to wise-up and place all Muslims on security restrictions[?]"

Send 'em to South Korea, that's what hubby said, and he's right!

[Ophiucus]

Send 'em to South Korea, that's what hubby said, and he's right!

He is right. Historical precedent from WWII - the American soldiers descended from the Japanese were sent to Europe to fight to keep them out of the Pacific theater.

[RIGHT IN LAS VEGAS]

I agree, a real dummie!

[ISonnet]

"Ryan G. "Turkey" Anderson, class of '95, needs to go."

Agree completely. Well said.

OTOH, if he ends up in jail I wouldn't mind seeing the headline: "Turkey Stuffed in Prison"