Former Los Angeles Resident Pleads Guilty in Plot to Attack Seattle Military Processing Center

Defendant Agrees to Sentence of 27-32 Years in Prison for Plotting Attack

SEATTLE—A former Los Angeles man pleaded guilty today in connection with the June 2011 plot to attack a military installation in Seattle, announced Jenny A. Durkan, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington; Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Laura M. Laughlin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle office.

 
Walli Mujahidh, aka “Frederick Domingue, Jr.,” 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to murder officers and agents of the United States, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction and unlawful possession of a firearm. If the plea agreement is accepted by the court, Mujahidh will be sentenced to between 27 and 32 years in prison under the terms of the agreement. Following the prison term, Mujahidh will be on federal supervised release for the rest of his life. Mujahidh is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on April 16, 2012.
 
“This defendant tried to carry out a plot to kill American servicemen and women, and other innocent citizens who happened to be at the federal facility on the day of the planned attack,” said U.S. Attorney Durkan. “I applaud the FBI, Seattle Police Department, and the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their work in disrupting this plot and bringing Walli Mujahidh to justice. I also want to thank the many leaders of the Muslim community who have worked with my office to ensure that acts of a few are not used to condemn the faith of many.”
 
“Today’s plea underscores the threat posed by homegrown violent extremists and the need for continued vigilance to detect and dismantle their plots. I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked together to thwart this planned attack before anyone was harmed,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco.
 
“The FBI is pleased that Mr. Mujahidh accepted responsibility for his actions, but this case remains a chilling reminder that there is constant work to be done,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Laughlin. “The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force continues to work tirelessly to detect, disrupt and dismantle threats to our community.”
 
The other defendant in the case, Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, aka “Joseph Anthony Davis,” 33, of Seattle, remains scheduled for trial in May 2012.
 
Law enforcement first became aware of the plot when a citizen alerted them that he/she had been approached about participating in the attack and supplying firearms to the conspirators. The person then agreed to work with law enforcement, which began monitoring Abdul-Latif and Mujahidh. Since early June, the conspirators were captured on audio and videotape discussing a violent assault on the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). The MEPS is where each branch of the military screens and processes enlistees. In addition to housing many civilian and military employees, the building houses a federal daycare center.

In his plea agreement, Mujahidh admits that he became aware of the planned attack in May 2011, and in early June was making plans to travel to Seattle from Los Angeles to participate in the attack. Mujahidh arrived in Seattle on June 21, 2011, and in a meeting with a person who was working with law enforcement, Mujahidh suggested going into the MEPS with machine guns and grenades and killing everyone there.
 
The next day, the person working with police brought some firearms, which had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement, to a meeting with Mujahidh and Abdul-Latif. The men were arrested after they took possession of the weapons. Mujahidh is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a felony conviction in California for theft.
 
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
 
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which has investigators from federal, state and local law enforcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) contributed significant expertise to this investigation.