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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1132031/posts Fingerprint links Oregon with SpainOregonian Live ^ | May 08, 2004 | Marc Larabee, Steven Beaven, Kathleen Blythe, Bryan Denson and Lori Tobias This story could have "legs" that take us all over the US and the world re: Islamoterrorism. Someone better start seriously thinking about these terrorists in Kosovo....talk about a world sactioned breeding ground--Bosnian Arrested in Madrid Bombings Probe The FBI analysts also found indications that whoever left the fingerprint on the bag involved in the Madrid bombings had some connection to the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, where international Islamic extremists have been active. Some of the...

The final members of a group of Muslim men with Portland ties who tried, but failed, to enter Afghanistan as Taliban foot soldiers were each sentenced to prison time Monday morning.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The final three members of a group of Muslim men from the Portland area who tried to enter Afghanistan to join the Taliban were each sentenced to prison time Monday.They were among six men and one woman accused of conspiring to wage war on the United States.Palestinian-born Maher Hawash, 39, was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison. Ahmed Bilal, 25, was sentenced to 10 years and his brother, Muhammad, 23, was sent to prison for eight years.All were given reduced terms because they cooperated with authorities.``I do not blame anybody else except myself,'' Hawash said...

SYDNEY, Australia - Australia is willing to extradite two brothers convicted by a Lebanese military court of participating in attacks on American and British businesses, Prime Minister John Howard said Monday. The two men, Bilal and Maher Khazal, were convicted in absentia Saturday in Lebanon but remain free at their homes in Sydney because they have not been charged with crimes in Australia. They were among 32 people convicted Saturday by the military court in Beirut for the attacks. The brothers were each sentenced to 10 years in prison. "We are ready to extradite them if an extradition request is...

JEDDAH, 6 December 2003 — Saudi authorities have detained two expatriates for questioning. The two continue to be held in a jail in Jeddah for as yet unspecified reasons, Arab News has learned. David Heaton, a British national and convert to Islam, and Abdullatif Ibrahim Bilal, a US national, were taken into custody for questioning last Thursday. “We confirm that David Heaton is currently being detained,” Barry Peach, a spokesman for the British Embassy, told Arab News. “The embassy has requested a counselor to assist Heaton and has been in touch with his next of kin, but up to now...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2003 (202) 514-2008WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514 - 1888 TWO DEFENDANTS IN 'PORTLAND CELL' CASE PLEAD GUILTY TO CONSPIRACY TO CONTRIBUTE SERVICES TO THE TALIBAN, FEDERAL WEAPONS CHARGES WASHINGTON, D.C. - Attorney General John Ashcroft, Assistant Attorney General Christopher Wray of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Michael W. Mosman of the District of Oregon announced today that Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal and Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal, two defendants in the so-called "Portland cell" case, have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to provide services to the Taliban, and conspiracy to possess and discharge firearms in...

FBI affidavit alleges imam bankrolled plot 08/23/03 LES ZAITZ One of six men charged with trying to join the Taliban and kill U.S. soldiers said Mohamed Abdirahman Kariye, leader of Portland's largest mosque, funded the overseas trip with $12,000 that came from mosque members, according to a newly released FBI affidavit. Defendant Jeffrey Battle also was secretly recorded telling how Kariye, religious leader of the Islamic Center of Portland, participated in a prayer session at the mosque with the group just before the men left and later directed them to return if they couldn't get into Afghanistan, the affidavit said....

After he was arrested on federal terrorism charges, Portland Seven defendant Jeffrey Leon Battle told investigators “that his intentions were to go fight in the jihad against American and coalition troops” and named other defendants as taking part in the alleged plot, according to recently filed court documents. Battle’s comments were detailed at length in a motion filed with the U.S. District Court by attorney Andrew Bates requesting that his client, Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal, be tried separately from the other defendants. In the motion, which was filed Wednesday, Bates alleges that Battle told a federal informant that he wanted to:...

Four days ago Warblogging reported on the story of Maher (Mike) Hawash. Mr. Hawash's problems have now been the subject of an article in the New York Times. Mr. Hawash is a programmer, working at Intel, who was detained by the FBI and Joint Terrorism Task Force as a material witness. He has so far spent just about two weeks in jail without being charged with a crime and without being questioned or told why he is detained. He is being kept in solitary confinement. Mr. Hawash was detained by FBI agents wearing helments, body armor and carrying assault rifles...

Sgt. Held in Attack Feared Persecution .c The Associated Press FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (AP) - A sergeant accused of killing a fellow serviceman by throwing grenades into tents at a military command center in Kuwait told his mother he feared persecution because he is a Muslim and reportedly had recently been reprimanded for insubordination. Sgt. Asan Akbar of the 101st Airborne Division's 326th Engineer Battalion was in custody, said George Heath, a civilian spokesman at Fort Campbell. Heath said Akbar had not been charged with a crime but was the only person being questioned in the attack that also wounded...

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Oct 09, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A suspected American Islamic militant was deported Thursday from Malaysia to face charges of conspiring to fight with al-Qaida in Afghanistan, U.S. and Malaysian officials said. Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal was on a flight to the United States. Officials would not disclose the exact destination, but he was indicted last week in federal court in Portland, Ore. Bilal turned himself in Sunday. He had been in Malaysia since January, studying at an Islamic university but dropped out of sight after his indictment. A Malaysian judge cleared the way to...

U.S. Charges 6 in al-Qaida Plot Fri Oct 4, 1:45 PM ET By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Six people, including a former U.S. reservist, were charged with trying to travel to Afghanistan ( news - web sites) after the Sept. 11 attacks and join forces with al Qaida and the Taliban against the United States. U.S. Arrests 6 on Terror Charges (AP Video) Attorney General John Ashcroft ( news - web sites), announcing the arrests of four of of them at a Justice Department ( news - web sites) news conference Friday, called it a "defining...

U.S. Arrests 6 on Terror Charges Fri Oct 4, 1:21 PM ET By TED BRIDIS, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Authorities arrested six men Friday in Oregon and Michigan on charges they conspired to wage war on the United States and provide support to al-Qaida. Attorney General John Ashcroft ( news - web sites), announcing the arrests at a Justice Department ( news - web sites) news conference, called it a "defining day" in the fight against terrorism. Ashcroft noted the sentencing in federal court Friday of John Walker Lindh and the guilty plea in Boston from accused shoe-bomber...

Just when you think you know somebody, he goes and gets himself detained by the FBI for questioning in connection with alleged ties to the terrorist network of Osama bin Laden. So, who do you stand by: your country or an individual who you've known all your life-but who may not be what he seems to be? Such is the predicament of the friends and relatives of James Ujaama, a 36-year-old American black Muslim convert also known as James Earnest Thompson and Ahmed Bilal, who was born in Denver, raised in Seattle, and moved to London in 1996 to worship...