WAR: Two Men Face Terror Charges in U.S., page 1

A grand jury at the federal district court in Miami has handed down a 10 count indictment against two men for providing financial support to terrorists. Adhan Amin Hassoun and Mohamed Hesham Youssef are accused of providing material support as well conspiracy to provide support to know terroist organizations. Both men are currently in custody, with Hassoun in jail in Florida (since June 2003) and Youssef is being held in Egypt. Hassoun, the indictment indicates, was active in recuiting terrorist for Islamic Jihad in Afganistan, Somalia, adn Chechnya. Also included was a September 2000 conversation in which the pair discuss paying for an American citizen to travel to the Middle East in order to attend training at a terrorist camp. This citizen returned back to the US in May 2002 following his training.

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WASHINGTON - Two men were charged Thursday with providing financial support to terrorists and recruiting terror group members, including one person identified by U.S. authorities as suspected al-Qaida member Jose Padilla.

A 10-count grand jury indictment handed up in federal district court in Miami charges Adhan Amin Hassoun and Mohamed Hesham Youssef with providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to provide support. Hassoun has been in custody on other charges in Florida since June 2003 and Youssef is jailed in Egypt on a terrorism conviction

The indictment contends Hassoun helped recruit individuals from the United States for groups engaging in Islamic "jihad," or holy war, in countries such as Afghanistan (news - web sites), Somalia, Chechnya (news - web sites) and Kosovo.

Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites), who announced the charges at a news conference, said accusations against Hassouna and Youssef include a conversation in September 2000 in which they discussed supporting the travel of a U.S. citizen who had applied to attend a terrorist training camp in the Middle East. The citizen, who Ashcroft did not name, returned to the United States in May 2002.

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Speaking on the condition of anonymity federal officers identified the citizen in question as Jose Padilla. Padilla who is being held as an enemy combatant was initally arrested for plotting to detonate a dirty bomb. The indictment also claims that Hassoun has written check to Islamic charities such as Holy Land Foundation and Global Relief Foundation which were then diverted to terrorist groups. The Holy Land Foundation foundation has been charged with helping to finance the Hamas terrorist group. The Global Relief Foundation it is charged fronts several groups.

Attorney General John Ashcroft who announced the charges at a press conference said that this was an example of how terrorist take advantage of our freedoms all the while plotting violence against us. The carges carry a maximum term of 15 years in prison if convicted. Hassoun also faced addition time if found quilty of lying to federal officials and gun possesion.

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