The key point to this story is that two U.S. born African-American citizens appear to be plotting with Al Qaeda to poison a U.S. water supply. Many are concerned about enemies of Middle Eastern ethnicity, it appears the profile of the potential enemy needs to be expanded when you compare this story to the story of Menepta in Oklahoma City.
James Ujaama was arrested Monday at his grandmother's home. Mustafa Ujaama said he did not know what was on the disks that were taken from the home. One of the computers belonged to Mustafa Ujaama and the other was his son's, he said.
FBI spokesman John Lipka confirmed that agents went to the grandmother's house but would not say why. "We are in furtherance of an active investigation," he said.
Holding a person as a material witness — someone believed to have important information — allows federal authorities to keep him in custody indefinitely.
Federal authorities speaking on condition of anonymity have said authorities believe James Ujaama took computer equipment to an Al Qaeda terrorist camp in Afghanistan. They said authorities also were investigating whether James Ujaama trained at the camp.
Earlier news reports said James Ujaama was taken to Virginia after his arrest, but his lawyer, Daniel J. Sears, said he was jailed in Denver. Justice officials have refused to confirm where he was being held.
Sears said James Ujaama had not been charged with any crime. He said a hearing has been scheduled to review the legality of the detention, but he could not say where or when. He said his client is outspoken and has publicly disagreed with the government on Middle East issues.
"I hope we have not advanced to the point in this country where we are jailing people because the government may disagree with their beliefs," Sears said.
Agents arrived at the home at about 5 p.m. and spent about two hours inside. Mustafa Ujaama said they had a warrant.
The brothers moved to Denver this month from Seattle. Mustafa Ujaama was detained briefly on Monday when his brother was arrested.
Their aunt, Robin Thompson, stood outside the home during the search.
"They could have done this in Seattle. We are Americans. I don't know why they're doing this," she said.
The brothers were born James Ernest Thompson and Jon Thompson and grew up in Seattle. Some community leaders there have credited them with helping to rid their poor, black neighborhood of drugs and prostitution by recruiting former gang members and others into the Dar-us-Salaam mosque.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.