It's now coming out that the recent arrests in Canada are directly linked to previous arrests of two college students in Atlanta, GA - first reported in April. Syed Ahmed and Ehsanul Sadequee were arrested in April for conspiring with others under investigation. Possible American targets, including oil refineries were mentioned at that time.
At the time their parents protested their arrests, suggesting it was because they were Muslims. They had traveled to the Middle East for religious education.
From Canada today:
The Canadian investigation involves a complicated web of connections, with alleged ties to two men from Georgia who came to Toronto in March 2005 to meet with "like-minded Islamic extremists," according to U.S. court documents.
Syed Ahmed is a 21-year-old Georgia Tech student, and Ehsanul Sadequee is a 19-year-old from Roswell who was arrested in Bangladesh where his family claims he went to get married. Both men are U.S. citizens. The two knew each other through interaction in Atlanta's growing Muslim community.
The two men and their activities have been tracked as part of an FBI international terrorism investigation. The investigation has uncovered a trip the two young men made to Canada in 2005, allegedly to meet with other known terrorist figures. The meeting was to discuss possible targets for future terrorist attacks in the United States, including military bases and oil refineries. Another part of the discussion involved how the men could disrupt GPS technology to interfere with military communications.
Though the U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta on Thursday unsealed an indictment against Syed Ahmed, 21, details remained sealed. A grand jury indicted him March 23, the same day he was arrested.
"The charge against Mr. Ahmed is serious and involves national security and will be prosecuted with that in mind," U.S. Attorney David Nahmias said in a news release.
Ahmed is not accused of committing a terrorist act; he is charged only with providing material support, the federal prosecutor said.
At a Wednesday court appearance, Ahmed entered a plea of not guilty, and a magistrate ordered him held until trial, authorities said. A trial date was not given.
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko earlier declined to provide specifics on the case, but insisted there is "no imminent threat."
Ahmed's attorney, Jack Martin, declined to comment.
Ahmed's sister, Samia Ahmed, 18, said her brother told her that federal authorities found a video of a building on the Internet and traced the video to him, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It was unknown where the building was or when it was taped.
One agent familiar with the case, however, said Ahmed's arrest stemmed from "much more than a video."
On Monday, Ehsanul Islam Sadequee, 19, was arrested in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka, according to his sisters. He was handed over to the FBI and put on a plane to New York on Thursday, the federal source said.
Also see Counterterrorism blog.
Update: As is already known from links above, the suspects had a large amount of Ammonium Nitrate. (3 tons) Per below, there have been several incidents in the US around plants and trucks which manufacture or ship ammonium nitrate.
Nov 03:CHATTANOOGA (AP) -- State officials are investigating whether a man who recently inspected a chemical plant in Chattanooga was an official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as he claimed, or an impostor.
Mjr. Gen. Jerry Humble, Tennessee's chief of homeland security, said his group is aware of the situation and intends to get to the bottom of it. more on that disturbing incident here.
Jan. 04 HOUSTON (Reuters) - U.S. and Texas law enforcement agencies are investigating the shooting of a security guard outside an ammonia terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast, a law enforcement official said on Saturday.
WASHINGTON – While FBI, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs, the U.S. Coast Guard, state police and local law enforcement sources are publicly downplaying terrorism fears in the shooting of a guard at a BASF Corp. ammonia terminal in Freeport, Texas, some of those same sources are telling Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin, off the record, they strongly suspect the guard stumbled into a terrorism reconnaissance operation.
A Toronto born man has also been linked to planned terrorist attcks in Britain using ammonium nitrate.
LONDON -- A Canadian software programmer accused of playing a role in a failed terrorist plot in Britain has been heard for the first time discussing alleged detonators and transmitting devices with British accomplices.
Ottawa-born Mohammed Momin Khawaja, who authorities say was the Canadian end of the thwarted 2004 conspiracy, explained in audiotapes what prosecutors say was bomb-making equipment to the accused ringleader, Omar Khyam.
Mr. Khyam is among seven British men on trial, accused of planning to blow up a shopping centre or a night club using 600 kilograms of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. Yesterday, the London trial focused on Mr. Khawaja's alleged role in the plot as it gained momentum.
Well, well, who would believe it.
Terrorists in Canada!!
You don't suppose they may be catching any of these suspected terrorists by listening in to their phone conversations do you?
I ask you, now would that be fair!!
Posted by: annie | Saturday, June 03, 2006 at 07:43 PM