Saturday, September 10, 2011

NYer charged in plot to join Pakistani jihad group (AP)

NEW YORK ? A New York City man sought to travel to Pakistan so he could die as a martyr by fighting jihad against U.S. forces, federal prosecutors said Friday.

Federal agents arrested Agron Hasbajrami on Tuesday after he showed up at John F. Kennedy International Airport with a one-way ticket to Turkey.

Hasbajrami, 27, was awaiting arraignment Friday in federal court in Brooklyn on a charge of providing material support to terrorists. The name of his attorney was not immediately available.

Prosecutors allege that since 2010, Hasbajrami ? an Albanian citizen and legal U.S. resident ? gave more than $1,000 to an unidentified terrorist group fighting in Afghanistan.

Hasbajrami sent a message to the group earlier this year saying that he wanted to "marry with the girls in paradise" ? a phrase authorities say means he wanted to die a martyr.

Initially, Hasbajrami was told he should travel to Pakistan, where he could locate the unidentified group through the Pakistani Taliban, prosecutors say. He obtained a visa and a plane ticket, but ended up canceling the trip late last month.

On Sept. 3, a confidential source working with the FBI contacted Hasbajrami by email, telling him he could help him get to Pakistan, prosecutors say. Two days later, he allegedly bought a one-way plane ticket to Istanbul and told the source he was on his way.

Investigators say when they intercepted Hasbajrami at the airport he was carrying his Albanian passport, a tent, boots and cold-weather gear. He told them "he had intended to travel to Pakistan to fight," court papers say.

If convicted, Hasbajrami faces up to 15 years in prison.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/crime/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110909/ap_on_re_us/us_terrorism_charge

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