Former Army Solider Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to al Shabaab

GREENBELT, MD—A criminal complaint was filed today charging Craig Benedict Baxam, age 24, of Laurel, Maryland, with attempting to provide material support to al Shabaab, a foreign terrorist organization. Baxam was arrested on Friday, January 6, 2012, upon his return to Maryland after traveling to Africa.

The complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Lisa O. Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The complaint alleges that Craig Baxam intended to travel to Somalia and join the terrorist organization al Shabaab,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Mr. Baxam was caught in Kenya before he reached Somalia, and there is no allegation that anyone assisted him.”

“This arrest is highly illustrative of the progress the international law enforcement community has made in working together to rapidly share resources and information in order to stop terrorism,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard McFeely. “FBI special agents in Africa, working alongside our Kenyan police partners, worked together to stop an individual who is now alleged to have been on his way to join a major terrorist group. This spirit of cooperation in fighting terrorism continues to transcend borders around the world.”

According to the affidavit supporting the homegrown terror complaint, Baxam joined the U.S. Army in 2007 and completed eight months of advanced training for cryptology and intelligence. Baxam was deployed to Baghdad, Iraq and upon completion of his deployment, he reenlisted. In August 2010, he deployed for a one year assignment in Korea. One month prior to completion of his deployment in Korea, Baxam separated from the Army and returned to Maryland in July 2011.

The affidavit alleges that Baxam secretly converted to Islam days before he separated from the Army, after finding an Islamic religious website on the Internet. Baxam allegedly decided to relocate to Somalia to join al Shabaab and live under Sharia law. Al Shabaab is a brutal militia group that uses intimidation and violence to undermine Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG). In February 2008, the U.S. Department of State designated al Shabaab, aka Harakat Shabaab al-Mujahidin, aka The Youth, as a foreign terrorist organization, stating that al Shabaab has committed or poses a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of the United States.

Baxam cashed out his retirement savings of approximately $3,600 and purchased a plane ticket to Kenya. He set out to travel to Somalia, via Kenya, with between $600 and $700, which he planned to give to al Shabaab as an offering shortly after he crossed into Somalia. On December 20, 2011, Baxam flew from Baltimore-Washington International Airport and arrived in Nairobi, Kenya on December 22. He took a bus to Mombasa, Kenya, and hired taxis to travel through Kenya to Somalia.

On December 23, 2011, Kenyan police stopped a bus in which Baxam was traveling near Mombasa, Kenya, and arrested Baxam for attempting to travel to Somalia to join Al-Shabaab. Baxam was held at the Kenyan Anti-Terrorism Police Unit in Nairobi and interviewed by the FBI.

Baxam faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. His initial appearance will be held at 3:00 p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.

The filing of a complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI’s Maryland and New York Joint Terrorism Task Forces for their work in the investigation and recognized the Department of Justice Counterterrorism Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Souther District of New York for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Gregory Welsh, who is prosecuting the case with assistance from Robert J. Sander of the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice.

U.S. Kills bin Laden in Intelligence-driven Operation

By John D. Banusiewicz

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2011 – An intelligence-driven U.S. operation in Pakistan killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden yesterday, President Barack Obama announced in a nationally televised address from the White House late last night.

“Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan,” Obama said. “A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability.

“No Americans were harmed,” he continued. “They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.”

Obama noted that bin Laden had been al-Qaida’s leader and symbol for more than 20 years and continued to plot attacks against the United States and its allies.

“The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al-Qaida, yet his death does not mark the end of our effort,” Obama said. “There is no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must, and we will, remain vigilant at home and abroad.”

The president revealed that shortly after taking office in January 2009, he ordered CIA Director Leon E. Panetta to make bin Laden’s death or capture the top priority of the U.S. war against the al-Qaida terrorist organization.

“Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground,” he said. The president said he met repeatedly with his national security team as information developed indicating bin Laden was at a compound in Pakistan, and that last week he determined enough information was available and authorized the operation.

The president emphasized that the war against al-Qaida is not a war against Islam.

“Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader,” he said. “He was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al-Qaida has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.”

Counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped in finding bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding, the president said.

“Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people. Tonight, I called [Pakistani] President [Asif Ali] Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations, and going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al-Qaida and its affiliates.”

The president praised those who worked to find bin Laden and those who carried out the operation that killed him.

“Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome,” he said. “The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

“We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation,” he continued, “for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.”

Former President George W. Bush released a statement after he received a call from Obama:

"Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden the leader of the al Qaida network that attacked America on September 11, 2001.  I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message:  No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.

Defendant Convicted of Lying About Funds Bound for Religious Extremist Militants

Federal Jury Convicts Leader of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation of Two Felonies

PORTLAND, OR—Last night, a jury in Eugene, Oregon, convicted the former leader of the U.S. Chapter of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation of two felonies related to the organization’s efforts to send nearly $150,000 to support religious extremist militants in Chechnya. Pirouz Sedaghaty, 52, was convicted of all charges, which included a charge that he filed a false tax return and conspired to file a false tax return as part of Al Haramain’s efforts to hide the trail of money. Both the U.S. Chapter of Al-Haramain and its parent organization in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been listed as Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations by the United States government. The Riyadh-based organization was disbanded in 2004 by the Saudi government.

U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan set sentencing for November 23, 2010. Sedaghaty faces a maximum prison sentence of eight years. Sedaghaty, who had been released on bail prior to and during trial, was taken into federal custody after the verdict.

The $150,000 at issue was wired by an Egyptian citizen from London, England to a bank in Ashland, Oregon, where the U.S. chapter of Al-Haramain was based. From there, the funds were converted into $130,000 in traveler’s checks and a cashier’s check for the balance. The funds were hand carried by fugitive co-defendant Soliman Al-Buthe back to Saudi Arabia. The traveler’s checks were then cashed in for Saudi riyals at the Al Rahji Bank and disappeared, presumably to be smuggled into Chechnya. Al-Buthe deposited the remainder into his personal bank account.

“The lifeblood of terrorism is money—if we can stop the flow of money to violent extremist organizations, we’ll be safer both here and abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Dwight C. Holton. “By lying to the IRS about where this money went, the defendant sought to hide the true destination of this money.” Holton continued, “The jury’s verdict demonstrates once again the critical role—and effectiveness—of civilian criminal courts in the battle against terrorism.”

“The FBI‘s role in battling crime takes many forms,” said Arthur Balizan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “Our agents and our partners have to aggressively chase the evidence down whatever path we find… in this case, a trail of cash leading half way around the world. Once again, this case proves that partnerships between law enforcement agencies can bring solid, positive results for the American people.”

"IRS Criminal Investigation will always be there to partner with the FBI, the U.S. Attorney's Office, and all other law enforcement in combating those who support violent extremism," said Marcus Williams, the IRS Special Agent in Charge of the Pacific Northwest. "Our agents will not sit idly by while those who attempt to finance terrorism violate the tax laws in order to hide their crimes."

The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Gorder and Chris Cardani. The IRS – Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Holton praised the joint efforts of the Department of Justice, the IRS and the FBI, as well as other agencies that helped prepare the case and obtain evidence from points around the world, including the Departments of State and Treasury.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- January 4, 2008

Alameda County [California] shines in study on contagious disease response

“Most public health departments are not meeting U.S. guidelines for quickly handling cases of contagious diseases, and a good number are ignoring phone calls from doctors reporting possible outbreaks, according to a national study published Wednesday. The good news is that at least one [San Francisco] Bay Area agency - the Alameda County Public Health Department -was a top performer in the study. […] The Rand Corp. study tested the disease-reporting systems at 74 public health departments selected at random. Researchers found that two-thirds of health departments they surveyed did not return phone calls from doctors reporting possible outbreaks within the 30-minute window recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But more disturbing is that nearly 40 percent of the health departments never returned at least one phone call from a doctor reporting a possible outbreak.” (San Francisco Chronicle, 03Jan08, Erin Allday) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/03/BAU6U865B.DTL
The press release for the study is available at http://www.rand.org/news/press/2008/01/02/

Security Scares at US, UK, Israeli Posts [in Australia]

“The U.S., British and Israeli embassies each received packages containing a suspicious powder Wednesday, creating a security scare in which some staff was evacuated and police cordoned off nearby streets, police said. The powder proved to be harmless in each case, an Australian Federal Police spokesman said on condition of anonymity, citing police policy. Police would not detail their security response. They blocked traffic to the diplomatic precinct and a fire engine was sent to the scene.” (Google News, 03Jan08, AP) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jQ2t8wFJGIcAfN_0Gqu3HIymjDdAD8TTVST80

Hospital anthrax scare [in New Zealand]
“Powder used on New Zealand Post mail sorting machines could be the cause of a fourth anthrax scare in the Central North Island in a month. About 40 Rotorua Hospital staff working in the Edward Guy Building were evacuated when a white powder was found on the outside of an envelope yesterday. Three staff were decontaminated as a precaution.” (The Daily Post, 04Jan08, Matthew Martin) http://www.dailypost.co.nz/localnews/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3759983&thesection=localnews&thesubsection=&thesecondsubsection=

Osiris Therapeutics Awarded Department of Defense Contract for Prochymal Fully Valued at $224.7 Million
“Osiris Therapeutics announced today that it has been awarded a $224.7 million contract, including purchase options, from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to develop and stockpile Prochymal, an adult stem cell therapy, for the repair of gastrointestinal injury resulting from radiation exposure. Under the terms of the contract, the DoD will provide funding to Osiris for the development of Prochymal for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) in two stages, with an initial amount of $4.2 million in 2008.” (FOX Business, 03Jan08, BusinessWire) http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/industries/health-care/article/osiris-therapeutics-awarded-department-defense-contract-prochymaltm-fully_423618_10.html

A jihadi dirty bomb will be of Pak[istan] origin'

“A turmoil-hit Pakistan may stress that fears about its nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of Islamic extremists are ‘totally unfounded and nonsense’. But the scare is not so much about the safety of the actual nuclear weapons or warheads, as about radicals getting access to enriched uranium, nuclear components and know-how. ‘Attempts by Al-Qaida to acquire dirty bombs are quite well-established,’ said a senior official, who in the past has been linked with India's nuclear weapon programme.” (The Times of India; 01Jan08; Rajat Pandit, TNN) http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/A_jihadi_dirty_bomb_will_be_of_Pak_origin/articleshow/2665894.cms

Special Fund Aids Albania-U.S. Munitions Destruction Project: Nonproliferation and disarmament successes registered around the world

“The recently completed U.S.-Albania munitions destruction project marked another success in the effort for disarmament and nonproliferation of weapons. […] The project was carried out under the auspices of the State Department’s Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (NDF). It is one of many projects that the fund selectively tackles. Operating quietly since 1994, the fund tends to finance high-priority or especially difficult nonproliferation projects when money is unavailable through other agencies or departments that typically are involved in disarmament issues. A project could be undertaken in any corner of the world as long as it sets out to do the following: halt proliferation of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and associated technologies and delivery systems; destroy or neutralize existing conventional weapons or weapons of mass destruction, related materials and delivery systems; limit the spread of sophisticated conventional weapons and related technologies and delivery systems; and track, control and secure dangerous fissile or radiological materials or chemical agents and pathogens.” (U.S. Department of State,
03Jan08)
http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2008&m=January&x=20071221160907sjhtrop0.2555811


CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

For more information and resources on CBW and WMD terrorism, visit the web page of the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, at http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/index.htm