U.S. Man Questioned About London Suspect [Ujaama, Seattle]

Authorities Questioning Seattle Man About Individual Sought in Connection With London Bombings

An American once accused of trying to set up a terror training camp in Oregon is being questioned about a man sought in the London bombings, U.S. officials said Friday.

James Ujaama, a Muslim convert from Seattle, was charged in 2002 with trying to set up a terrorist training camp for Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri. He pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for cooperating with terrorism investigations until 2013.

Three federal law enforcement officials said Ujaama is being questioned about Haroon Rashid Aswat, who also was implicated in the 1999 plan to establish a training camp in Bly, Ore. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.

British authorities are looking into whether Aswat had been in close contact with the suicide bombers just before the July 7 attacks. They have asked Pakistan to search for Aswat.

The officials did not say whether Ujaama has provided any useful information on Aswat, and Ujaama's lawyer, Peter Offenbecher, declined to comment.

Federal officials have said Ujaama's help was crucial in last year's indictment of al-Masri on charges that included trying to establish the Oregon camp. Al-Masri, formerly the head preacher at London's Finsbury Park mosque, also faces British charges of incitement to murder. He is being held in England.

Aswat is one of two al-Masri associates who are referred to but not named or charged in the 2002 indictment of Ujaama by a federal grand jury in Seattle, officials said. The other is Oussama Kassir, a Lebanese-born Swede, who was convicted of weapons violations in Sweden in 2003.

Aswat and Kassir traveled to the high desert area of Oregon in 1999 to check out property Ujaama identified as suitable for a training camp because it was on terrain comparable to Afghanistan's and could be used to store guns, ammunition and bunkers, the indictment said.

As emissaries of al-Masri, they flew to New York on an Air India flight, then traveled to Bly via Seattle, the indictment said.

Aswat and Kassir "inspected the proposed jihad training camp at the Bly property ... and they and others participated in firearms training and viewed a video recording on the subject of improvised poisons" in November and December 1999, it said.

The following February, the men lived in Seattle where they "expounded the writings and teachings" of al-Masri, the indictment said.

Note: For archival purposes:
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"U.S. Man Questioned About London Suspect [Ujaama, Seattle]"
ABC News.com ^ | July 22, 2005 | By MARK SHERMAN, The Associated Press
Posted on 07/22/2005 7:18:46 PM PDT by aculeus
"Authorities Questioning Seattle Man About Individual Sought in Connection With London Bombings"

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "An American once accused of trying to set up a terror training camp in Oregon is being questioned about a man sought in the London bombings, U.S. officials said Friday.

James Ujaama, a Muslim convert from Seattle, was charged in 2002 with trying to set up a terrorist training camp for Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri. He pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for cooperating with terrorism investigations until 2013.

Three federal law enforcement officials said Ujaama is being questioned about Haroon Rashid Aswat, who also was implicated in the 1999 plan to establish a training camp in Bly, Ore. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1078719/posts
"'Unusually light' prison sentence given to Ujaama"
Seattle Times ^ | Saturday, February 14, 2004 | Mike Carter
Posted on 02/15/2004 12:26:16 PM PST by garjog

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1077899/posts
"Bin Laden's own doctor once treated Ujaama"
Seattle Times ^ | Feb 12, 2004 | Mike Carter
Posted on 02/13/2004 8:57:58 PM PST by JohnathanRGalt

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1006087/posts
"Swedish police arrest militant Muslim named in Ujaama case."
Seattle Times ^ | October 22, 2003 | Mike Carter
Posted on 10/22/2003 1:07:36 PM PDT by tubavil

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/921132/posts
"Ujaama will testify in New York about al-Qaida links"
Seattle Times ^ | June 1, 2003 | Mike Carter
Posted on 06/01/2003 12:24:12 AM PDT by sarcasm

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/893094/posts
"Islamic convert James Ujaama pleads guilty to conspiring to aid Taliban"
The Associated Press | 4/14/03 3:46 PM
Posted on 04/14/2003 1:39:09 PM PDT by freeperfromnj

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/788497/posts
"Video shows Ujaama talking about jihad"
The Seattle Times ^ | Nov. 13, 2002 | Ray Rivera
Posted on 11/13/2002 5:43:03 PM PST by JohnathanRGalt

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/743686/posts
"'I love bin Laden ... I hate Bush': Man connected to Ujaama, hijacking suspect speaks out"
The Seattle Times ^ | 9/3/02 | David Heath
Posted on 09/03/2002 1:27:30 AM PDT by ppaul

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/725317/posts
"The friends of James Ujaama"
Jewish World Review ^ | July 31, 2002 | Michelle Malkin
Posted on 07/31/2002 7:33:13 AM PDT by alloysteel

ADDING Links:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1777773/posts?page=164#164

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=GLOBALJIHAD

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=belize

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=seattle

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=JAMESUJAAMA
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=UJAAMA

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/302165_ujaama02.html

Friday, February 2, 2007
Ujaama headed to prison, may lose plea deal

By AMY ROLPH
P-I REPORTER

ARTICLE SNIPPET; “James Ujaama, the Seattle man convicted three years ago of aiding suspected Taliban terrorists, is heading back to prison after he was caught skipping the country while on parole.

Federal prosecutors also are considering rescinding the plea agreement they made with the 41-year-old man in exchange for information about possible terrorist activities.

Ujaama acknowledged to a federal judge in Seattle on Thursday that he used a fake Mexican passport to flee to Belize in December. U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein sentenced him to two years in jail, the maximum allowed by law.

Ujaama’s attorney, Peter Offenbecker, spoke for his client during most of the hearing, until Rothstein asked if the defendant had anything to say for himself.

“Yes, your honor,” Ujaama said softly. “I would just like to say I am very, very sorry.”

But neither Ujaama’s nor Offenbecker’s apologies softened the sentence handed down, and it has yet to be seen if they will keep the federal government from revoking the plea agreement Ujaama signed four years ago while on trial.

In April 2003, Ujaama signed an agreement stating he would cooperate with investigators and reveal information about terrorist activity as long as prosecutors dropped charges he provided training, facilities, computer services, safe houses and personnel to al-Qaida.”

164 posted on February 3, 2007 2:20:27 AM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 163 | View Replies | Report Abuse]

ADDIING 2 links to post no. 164:

Previously...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1769005/posts

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/attack/299991_ujaama17.html

Wednesday, January 17, 2007
“Ujaama returns to court, accused of violating parole”

By MIKE LEWIS
P-I REPORTER

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “A Seattle man convicted of supplying Taliban fighters with cash and computers returned to federal court Tuesday to face charges that he violated his parole by traveling overseas with a false Mexican passport.

James Ujaama denied the multiple federal counts that could land him back in prison for two years. Arrested in Belize one month ago, Ujaama had only four months left on his parole stemming from the 2003 conviction.

His attorney, Peter Offenbecher, said he hadn’t yet gathered all the information that led to his client’s arrest. “I’m investigating the facts to determine the appropriate course of action,” he said after the brief court appearance.

Federal prosecutors in the Western District Court charged Ujaama, 41, with four violations of his three-year parole agreement: making false statements to a federal officer; use of a Mexican passport under the assumed name of Jose Luis Ramirez Ramirez; failure to follow a probation officer’s order; and leaving the U.S. without permission from a federal court.”

165 posted on February 3, 2007 2:28:23 AM PST by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 164 | View Replies | Report Abuse]

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