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Home Front: WoT

Pop: U.S. 'Falsely' Charged Man with al-Qaida Tie

2013-11-14

[An Nahar] A father said Tuesday that federal prosecutors have falsely accused his Pakistain-born son of planning to join an al-Qaeda-linked bad turban group that was trying to topple Syria's Bashir al-Assad in that country's civil war. Javed Sheikh rejected FBI statements that his 29-year-old son Basit Javed Sheikh was on his way to Leb, where he'd connect with members of the group Jabhat al-Nusra, when he was tossed in the slammer Drop the rosco, Muggsy, or you're one with the ages! at Raleigh's airport. The U.S. government considers the radical Islamic group a foreign terrorist organization "These are false allegations," Javed Sheikh said in a brief telephone interview. "It's in the court and I hope they will justify the position and all these are false accusations. No reality in that." Javed Sheikh says he has confidence that U.S. courts will handle the case fairly. Court documents describe Basit Sheikh as a Pakistain native with permanent, legal residency in the U.S. Basit Sheikh was assigned two federal public defenders to represent him. They are unable to comment on Sheikh's behalf due to a rule established by local federal judges prohibiting them from discussing active cases, said Elizabeth Luck, a spokeswoman for the federal public defender's office in Raleigh. Sheikh's case is at least the third this year in which the U.S. government has charged U.S. residents with providing material support to a terrorist group based on their alleged efforts to join Jabhat al-Nusrah. Sheikh was assigned two federal public defenders to represent him and they did not return messages seeking comment Tuesday. Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, an 18-year-old from suburban reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown ... home of Al Capone, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel,... , was arrested in April at O'Hare International Airport as he prepared for the first leg of a trip to join the group, authorities say. The American-born Tounisi pleaded not guilty. "Wudn't me." Sheikh told an FBI informant he was going to join Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria, where a 3-year-old civil war has killed more than 100,000 people, an FBI agent said in a sworn affidavit. In August, Sheikh began an online relationship with an undercover FBI employee on a Facebook page promoting Islamic extremism, the affidavit said. Sheikh told the covert informant he had traveled to Turkey last year hoping to join the fight in Syria, but became dispirited by his experience with people who claimed to be part of the Free Syrian Army. If convicted, Sheikh could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison and fined $250,000. In September, federal authorities in northern Virginia released a U.S. Army veteran accused of fighting alongside the jihadi group after a secret plea deal. Eric Harroun, 31, had faced up to life in prison. But defense lawyers argued there was confusion about which rebel group Harroun had joined, that Harroun traveled to Syria planning to fight with the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, and that fighting with the FSA was not a crime. The Sheikh case points out the "hypocrisy" of prosecuting people who support an anti-Assad group the government judged as snuffies while the B.O. regime favors other fighters in the same bloody conflict, said Jeff Addicott, director of the Center for Terrorism Law at St. Mary's University in San Antonio. The anti-Assad forces include some "that are out-and-out terrorist groups, that are designated by our state department as linked to al-Qaeda. Some of them aren't," Addicott said. "The hypocrisy is that you're going to prosecute someone for taking up arms against the Assad regime that may simply be caught up and labeled as a member of one of these Islamic groups."

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

American woman killed in Syria

2013-05-31

Syrian state-run television reported Thursday that forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad killed three Westerners, including an American woman and a British citizen, who it claims were fighting with the rebels and were found with weapons. Syrian TV identified the woman, releasing what it claimed were images of her Michigan driver's license and U.S. passport. It also released what is said was the name and passport of a British citizen. It did not identify a third person who it claimed was a Westerner. The report said the three were ambushed in their car in the flashpoint province of Idlib in northwestern Syria, where government forces have been battling rebels for control. TV footage showed a bullet-riddled car and three bodies laid out. It also showed weapons, a computer, a hand-drawn map of a government military facility and a flag belonging to the al Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. The United States is aware of the claim that an American woman was killed and is working through the Czech Republic mission in Syria to obtain more information, [said] a State Department official. Citing privacy concerns, "we are unable to comment further," the official said. A family member of the American woman told CNN on Thursday she was informed by the FBI about the death. The family member said the FBI did not provide any details about how the woman died. Per Gateway Pundit, her name has been released: Nicole Lynn Mansfield of Michigan. If the Syrian state TV report is true, it will not be the first time an American has been accused of fighting with rebel groups to overthrow al-Assad. In March, a former U.S. soldier was arrested and charged by the U.S. government with illegally using a weapon on behalf of the al-Nusra Front. Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix, was arrested by the FBI after returning to the United States from Syria, where authorities allege he fought with the militant group. He was charged with the alleged use of a rocket-propelled grenade. The organization he allegedly fought with, al-Nusra Front, is linked to al Qaeda in Iraq. An FBI affidavit says Harroun crossed into Syria in January 2013 and fought against al-Assad's forces. He posted photos and videos of himself on the Internet handling RPGs and other weapons, it said.

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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Caucasus Emirate (CE) Emir Doku Umarov Lists US as Target in 2007

2013-04-22

In Oct. 2007, Caucasus Emirate (CE) Emir Doku Umarov released a 16-minute video statement announcing the formation of the Caucaus Emirate (CE). In the statement, he said he disagreed with those who felt their enemy was only those attacking them directly. He said , "All those who have attacked the Muslims, wherever they may be, are our common enemies. Our enemy is not only Rusnya [derogatory term for Russia], but also America, Britain and Israel, and all who are waging a war against Islam and the Muslims. And they are our enemies first and foremost because they are God's enemies." The statement is significant in that it illustrates Umarov's philosophy in terms of targeting and operations. It establishes that as early as 2007 he was not limiting his thinking to just Russia for the near enemy but also the far enemies of the US, UK and Israel. This is further supported by the ties CE has with groups around the world like al-Qaeda and also runs in parallel with the heavy participation of Chechen fighters around the world in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other areas. Recently captured American jihadi fighter Eric Harroun was seen in a 13 Feb. 2013 video from Syria showing him riding in a jeep with a Chechen fighter on their way to a downed Syrian helicopter. He was arrested after landing at Washington, DC's Dulles airport on 27 Mar. 2013. The last two sentences [above], quite interesting. If Boston Marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev received training or guidance during his 6-month trip to Russia in 2012, the Caucasus Emirate (CE) would be the leading suspect as it is the dominant jihadi group in Russia with an extensive reach not just through Chechnya and Dagestan but all of Russia.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

The web of US policy in Syria entangles US Army vet charged with terrorism

2013-04-10

That the fight in Syria is closer to home than many may think was underlined in a Virginia court on April 8 , when U.S. Army veteran Eric Harroun was charged with firing a rocket-propelled grenade as he fought alongside members of Jabhat al-Nusra. Harroun was a volunteer in Syria's insurgent forces, and even posted photographs of himself on Facebook in the fight. Harroun has been remanded in official custody despite claims by his lawyer that this was the first time an American citizen has ever been prosecuted for fighting alongside a group actually aligned with U.S. interests. Harroun faces a possible death penalty.

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Home Front: WoT

Father of Eric Harroun, accused of fighting with al-Qaida, says his son is 'no terrorist'

2013-03-29

Video at link. The father of Eric Harroun talked to ABC15 a day after his son was arrested and charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction. Darryl Harroun spoke from the yard of his Phoenix home, saying that his son is no terrorist. "They treat Eric like a hero over there," he said. "He was trying to save lives." Whose, exactly? Eric Harroun was seen in a YouTube video along with Syrian rebels seemingly claiming victory for a downed chopper. According to the FBI, Harroun has been fighting against the Syrian government since January. He did not hide his actions and posted several pictures on Facebook. "He was working with the same rebels that Obama was going to fund," said Darryl Harroun. It's different when Champ does it... The FBI alleges that Eric Harroun aligned himself with a group that has links to al-Qaida in the fight against Bashar al-Assad's regime. "It is funny really to me," said his father. "Anyone who knows Eric knows he is 100 percent American." Darryl also said that his son was quietly working for the CIA and even turned over a terrorist. "I don't understand what these charges are about," he said. Then you should consult with a lawyer... Erric Harroun is not being charged with providing material to support a terrorist group, but conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States. The law applies to all U.S. nationals and makes no exception for anyone who may be fighting a hostile regime.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

U.S. vet charged with using RPG for al Qaeda

2013-03-28

Interesting case, Giving aid to Syrian rebels, bad. Giving aid and training to Syrian rebels as a government, good, A former U.S. soldier has been arrested and charged with illegally using a weapon on behalf of an al Qaeda-affiliated group in Syria. Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix was arrested Tuesday night by the FBI at a hotel near Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia. A Justice Department official tells CNN that FBI agents questioned Harroun at the hotel, then took him into custody. Harroun appeared Thursday in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, and was charged in connection with his alleged use of a rocket-propelled grenade in Syria. The law used to charge him states, "Any national of the United States who, without lawful authority, uses or threatens, attempts, or conspires to use a weapon of mass destruction outside of the U.S. shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or if death results, may be punished by death." Harroun served with the U.S. Army from 2000 to 2003. He is not charged with targeting U.S. troops in Iraq. The organization he allegedly fought with, al-Nusra Front, is one of several aliases used by the al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist organization. The organization claims responsibility for nearly 600 terrorist attacks in Syria, the Justice Department said. An FBI affidavit says Harroun crossed into Syria in January 2013 and fought against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces. He posted photos and videos of himself on the Internet handling RPGs and other weapons, it said.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

US Army vet charged with using a RPG outside USA

2013-03-29

U.S. Army veteran Eric Harroun of Phoenix AZ has been charged with conspiring with an al Qaeda group to wage war against the Syrian regime. Harroun, 30, was charged Thursday in federal court in northern Virginia with plotting to use a rocket-propelled grenade - considered a weapon of mass destruction - outside the U.S., an offense which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, according to the Justice Department. The FBI began investigating Harroun after videos and photos were posted online of him fighting in Syria, posing with weapons and boasting of killing members of the Syrian regime. In one post, he claims credit for downing a Syrian helicopter. Prosecutors say Harroun has also been fighting with the al-Nusrah Front, which is commonly known as al Qaeda in Iraq. According to the State Department, al-Nusrah has claimed responsibility for roughly 600 terrorist attacks in Syria. Harroun returned to the U.S. on Wednesday after several interviews with FBI investigators in Turkey, where they grilled him about his dealings with al-Nusrah, according to a nine-page criminal complaint

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Rogue U.S. Army veteran fighting for Syrian rebels is declared dead in graphic video

2013-03-15

A U.S. Army veteran who was fighting for Syrian rebel forces has been declared dead in a graphic YouTube video showing at least a half dozen dead bodies. That was fast. Last we heard, he was taking a break in Turkey. The bloodied face of someone resembling Eric Harroun, 30, of Phoenix, was shown in the video, which was posted Wednesday under the title, 'Terrorists, including American Extremist "Eric Harroun" Have Been Terminated.' The Pentagon said it is aware of the video but could not confirm whether Harroun is alive or dead. 'We are aware of the reports and we're watching them,' Pentagon spokesman Steve Warren told MailOnline.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

US Vet Fighting With Syrian Rebels Got Full Disability Pay, His Dad Says

2013-03-13

Eric Harroun is an Arizona native who rioted with rebels in Cairo and fought in Syria for Al Qaeda affiliate Jabhat Al Nusra. He's also a former U.S. Army servicemember who was discharged following a vehicle accident. He was left with full disability pay, his father Darryl Harroun, tells Fox News. Fox also dug up a bit of his past: Harroun's descent into Islamic fanaticism seems to have begun sometime after his discharge from the military. With seemingly no way to pursue his lifelong dream of being a soldier, he fell in with two Iraqi brothers, Maadh and Hayder Ibrahim, who he met while attending Pima Community College in Tucson, and began to identify himself as a Muslim, according to people who know him. Harroun, who talked briefly with Fox via Skype, says that he's now in Istanbul, Turkey. His father isn't sure if Harroun will make it home alive. "Maybe Gaza is next for me, maybe [the] West Bank," Harroun told Fox.

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Terror Networks

Meet Eric Haroun, another of Al Q's al Amrikis

2013-03-13

[FoxNews] He's a U.S.-trained soldier turned Moslem warrior who moves between America and countries where the winds of the Arab spring blow, fighting alongside jihadists and America-hating Islamic fascisti while celebrating his bloody exploits on YouTube videos. Eric Harroun, 30, grew up in Phoenix before joining the U.S. Army in 2000. Although Harroun was never deployed during his three-year hitch, he has seen plenty of combat fighting with Syrian rebels and, more recently, Jabhat al-Nusra, a group the U.S. State Department classifies as an alias for Al Qaeda in Iraq. His father, Darryl Harroun, told FoxNews.com that his son was discharged from the Army after he was maimed while riding in a pickup truck that hit a tree. He was left with full disability pay and a steel plate in his head, according to his father. "Now he has mood swings and what-not," said Darryl Harroun, who lives in Arizona and talks to his son by phone frequently. "He was already suffering from depression before that, and the accident just kind of multiplied it." Darryl Harroun said his son is seen as an adventurer by friends and relatives, who call him "Arizona Jones." "He just loves that part of the world," said Darryl Harroun, who said his family has been in the U.S. for several generations and is not Moslem. "We scratch our heads and wonder what the hell he's doing. I told him, 'You're never going to change those people's minds over there.' But he says they treat him like a hero. Harroun's descent into Islamic fanaticism seems to have begun sometime after his discharge from the military. With seemingly no way to pursue his lifelong dream of being a soldier, he fell in with two Iraqi brothers, Maadh and Hayder Ibrahim, who he met while attending Pima Community College in Tucson, and began to identify himself as a Moslem, according to people who know him. He became active on anti-Israeli message boards, posting virulent rants against Zionism as well as his own uploaded images and videos. In Syria, Harroun has become so well known that a pro-regime video was created claiming that "The American" is a "criminal from Miami." A mugshot and rap sheet are provided as proof of Harroun's criminal past, but the picture in the video does not resemble Harroun. In recent months, Harroun has appeared in several online videos alongside Syrian rebels fighting in Damascus ...The City of Jasmin is the oldest continuously-inhabited city in the world. It has not always been inhabited by the same set of fascisti... . Described in his Facebook profile as a Sunni Moslem, Harroun has posted in several threads claiming to have personally killed several Shabiha (supporters of the Assad regime), Syrian soldiers and an Iranian. "I hate bad guys like Bashar [Assad]," Harroun told FoxNews.com. "I hate Iran, too. I am a freedom fighter."

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