Ohio Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Scheme to Send Money to Hizballah

CLEVELAND—Hor I. Akl was sentenced to more than six years in prison today after previously pleading guilty to criminal charges related to a scheme to send hundreds of thousands of dollars to Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio; and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Division.

Akl, 39, of Toledo, Ohio, pleaded guilty to a total of five counts: conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to violate money laundering statutes, perjury, and two counts of bankruptcy fraud.

He was sentenced to 75 months in prison by U.S. District Judge James G. Carr, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

Hor Akl’s wife, Amera Akl, 39, is currently serving a 40-month prison sentence. She previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

“Money is the lifeblood of terrorist organizations, and stopping the flow is a key component to choking off these organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach.

“This case demonstrates the continued effort by the FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Forces to deny financing and support to those terrorist organizations that present a threat to the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony.

The Akls met multiple times between August 2009 and June 2010 with a confidential source who was working on behalf of the FBI. During those meetings, the Akls discussed ways to secretly send money to Hizballah leaders in Lebanon, according to court documents.

Amera Akl told the confidential source during a meeting in Toledo on August 30, 2009 that she dreamed of dressing like Hizballah, carrying a gun, and dying as a martyr, according to court documents.

Hor Akl, in the presence of his wife, told the confidential source during a September 10, 2009 meeting in Toledo that he understood the money was being transported to “terrorists.” He also stated he understood the funds would be sent to a designated terrorist organization and used to target Israel, according to court documents.

Eventually, the Akls agreed to send the money by secreting it inside a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, which they planned to send to Lebanon via a container ship.

On June 3, 2010, the confidential source delivered $200,000 to the Akls at their home in Toledo and told them he would return later in the day with more money. Shortly thereafter, the Akls were observed inside their residence wearing latex/rubber gloves, in close proximity to various automobile accessories, plastic wrap, duct tape, latex/rubber gloves, and fragrant insect repellant sticks. Hor Akl had prepared a portion of the money for concealment into the auto accessories, wrapped it in plastic, and taped into a bundle, according to court documents.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Northern District of Ohio Justin E. Herdman, Duncan Brown, Thomas E. Getz; and Trial Attorney S. Elisa Poteat of the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division following an investigation by the FBI (through its Joint Terrorism Task Force in Toledo) and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division.

Five People Accused in Plot to Detonate Bridge Indicted

A three-count indictment was filed today against five people accused of taking part in a plot to detonate a bridge near Cleveland, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

All five men face identical charges: one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction to destroy property used in interstate commerce; one count of conspiracy to use of a weapon of mass destruction to destroy property used in interstate commerce; and one count of attempted use of an explosive device to damage or destroy real property used in interstate commerce.

Indicted are Douglas L. Wright, 26, of Indianapolis; Brandon L. Baxter, 20, of Lakewood, Ohio; Anthony Hayne, 35, of Cleveland; Connor C. Stevens, 20, of Berea, Ohio; and Joshua S. Stafford, of Cleveland.

According to the indictment, the five men conspired between February 20 and April 30, 2012 to use two improvised explosive devices containing C-4 plastic explosives on the Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge.

“The indictment in this case alleges that the defendants took specific and defined actions to further a terrorist plot,” Dettelbach said. “The defendants stand charged based not upon any words or beliefs they might espouse, but based upon their own plans and actions.”

“The safety of the citizens of the Northern District of Ohio is and continues to be our primary focus. The individuals charged in this plot were intent on using violence to express their ideological views,” Anthony said. “The Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to be vigilant in its efforts to detect and disrupt any terrorism threat, domestic or international.”

This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Duncan Brown and was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Agencies represented on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force include: Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Air Marshal Service, Cleveland Police Department, Cleveland Heights Police Department, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence, Westlake Police Department, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, RTA Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Transportation Security Administration, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Shaker Heights Police Department, North Olmstead Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspectors, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistance was also provided by the U.S. National Park Service Park Rangers, Sagamore Hills Police Department and Brecksville Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

Five Men Arrested in Plot to Bomb Ohio Bridge

CLEVELAND—Five people were arrested and accused of conspiring to use explosives to destroy a bridge near Cleveland, Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Cleveland Division of the FBI, announced today.

Douglas L. Wright, 26; Brandon L. Baxter, 20; and Anthony Hayne, 35, were arrested by members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force on the evening of April 30, 2012, on charges of conspiracy and attempted use of explosive materials to damage physical property affecting interstate commerce. Also arrested were Connor C. Stevens, 20, and Joshua S. Stafford, 23, and charges are pending against them.

The public was never in danger from the explosive devices, which were controlled by an undercover FBI employee. The defendants were closely monitored by law enforcement. The explosives that the defendants allegedly purchased and attempted to use were inoperable and posed no threat to the public.

A criminal complaint was filed this morning in U.S. District Court in Cleveland.

According to that complaint, Wright, Baxter, and Hayne are self-proclaimed anarchists who formed into a small group and considered a series of evolving plots over several months.

The initial plot involved the use of smoke grenades to distract law enforcement in order for the co-conspirators to topple financial institution signs atop high rise buildings in downtown Cleveland, according to the complaint.

The plot later developed to the utilization of explosive materials. The defendants conspired to obtain C-4 explosives contained in two improvised explosive devices to be placed and remotely detonated, according to the complaint.

The defendants discussed various bridges and physical targets in and around the Cleveland metropolitan area over the course of several months. The final plan resulted in the Route 82 Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge being the designated target. This bridge crosses from Brecksville, Ohio to Sagamore Hills, Ohio over the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, according to the complaint.

“The complaint in this case alleges that the defendants took specific and defined actions to further a terrorist plot,” said U.S. Attorney Dettelbach. “The defendants stand charged based not upon any words or beliefs they might espouse, but based upon their own plans and actions.”

“The safety of the citizens of the Northern District of Ohio is and continues to be our primary focus. The individuals charged in this plot were intent on using violence to express their ideological views,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Anthony. “The Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to be vigilant in its efforts to detect and disrupt any terrorism threat, domestic or international.”

Wright, Baxter, Hayne, Stevens, and Stafford will appear before a federal magistrate in U.S. District court today, May 1, 2012, in Cleveland.

Agencies represented on the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force include: Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office; Federal Air Marshals Service; Cleveland Police Department; Cleveland Heights (Ohio) Police Department; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence; Westlake (Ohio) Police Department; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Customs and Border Protection; RTA Police; Ohio State Highway Patrol; Transportation Security Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Shaker Heights (Ohio) Police Department; North Olmstead (Ohio) Police Department; U.S. Postal Inspectors; and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistance was also provided by the U.S. National Park Service Park Rangers, Sagamore Hills Police Department, Brecksville Police Department, and the Summit County Sheriff’s Office.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Somali-Based Terror Group

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 27-year-old man from Westerville, Ohio pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide money and personnel to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization based in Somalia. Ahmed Hussein Mahamud, formerly of Eden Prairie, Minn., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Mahamud, who was indicted on June 7, 2011, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis.

In his plea agreement, Mahamud admitted that from 2008 through February 2011, he conspired with others to provide money and people to al Shabaab, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, in its fight against the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) and the Ethiopian military, which supports the TFG.

The defendant also admitted that he and his co-conspirators raised money from the Somali-American community in Minnesota under false pretenses to pay for men in Minnesota to travel to Somalia to join al Shabaab. Specifically, the defendant and his co-conspirators claimed the money raised would be used for a local mosque or to help orphans in Somalia. In fact, the money collected was used to purchase airline tickets and to pay other expenses so men could travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join al Shabaab.

Further, Mahamud admittedly sent money via wire transfers to a co-conspirator in Somalia, knowing the money would be used to purchase weapons or otherwise support al Shabaab.

Court documents indicate that since September 2007, approximately 20 young men have left the Minneapolis area for Somalia, where they have trained with al Shabaab. The charges against Mahamud stem from an ongoing, three-year investigation into that activity. To date, 18 people have been charged in the District of Minnesota in unsealed indictments or criminal complaints. Eight of those individuals have been arrested in the United States or overseas; of these eight, seven have pleaded guilty to related charges. Of the remaining 10 defendants, eight are at large and believed to be abroad, while two others are believed to have died in Somalia.

The charge levied against Mahamud carries a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal judge will determine the actual sentence at a hearing not yet scheduled.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with assistance from the FBI’s JTTF in Columbus, Ohio. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Kovats, Jr. and John Docherty and Trial Attorney William M. Narus of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.

Soldiers, Sailor Secure Safe Passage in Afghanistan

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace
Special to American Forces Press Service

Oct. 6, 2008 - "Stay alert and stay vigilant," shouted a chiseled-face soldier during an Oct. 4 pre-convoy briefing at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan. Army Staff Sgt. Carlos Padilla was one of five servicemembers charged with securing the safe passage of troops from Camp Eggers to Bagram Airfield. Like the fingers on a hand, each member of the five-man team is paramount to today's mission, said Padilla, who proudly ferries troops across perilous Afghan roads.

Moments later, Army Sgt. 1st Class Ramon Curiel ordered the three soldiers and the Navy sailor on his team into their respective positions, loaded the passengers aboard an armored bus known simply as "the Rhino," and set off on their journey from Kabul to Bagram.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Matt Hildebrand of Tallmadge, Ohio, drove the Rhino as Padilla rode 'shotgun' and served as the team's eyes and ears. Meanwhile, the convoy commander, Curiel, rallied Army Staff Sgts. Ruben Rosas and Eddy Rosales to provide security and blocking positions during the trip.

"We've got to be watchful and ready to act at all times," said Curiel, who explained that an ever-present threat of vehicle bombs and other threats exist from enemy forces.

Curiel's team is a hinge pin to allow servicemembers ground transportation between the bustling missions of Combined Joint Task Force 101, with headquarters at Bagram Airfield and at the Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan, with headquarters in the Afghan capital of Kabul.

Despite the vitality of their mission, not a single member of Curiel's team is a transportation servicemember by military specialty. Curiel, Padilla, Rosas and Rosales all proudly proclaimed their "11B" roots as Army infantrymen. Hildebrand normally is an administrative specialist on the USS Boxer, homeported in San Diego.

Still, the infantry soldiers and administrative sailor take their job of security and troop transport very seriously, they said. They know well that they cradle the lives of many servicemembers in their arms on each trip they make.

"We know we've got to keep everyone alive, and nothing else matters out here except that," said Curiel. "We drive aggressively, stay vigilant and keep watch over each other."

Bringing everyone to their destination unscathed and breathing is the mission -- it's that simple, he explained.

Bagram Airfield serves as the command and control and air operations hub for coalition forces in the region. Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan plans programs and implements reforms to develop a stable Afghanistan, strengthen the rule of law, and deter terrorism.

(Air Force Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace serves in the Combined Joint Task Force 101 Public Affairs Office.)

America Supports You: Ohio Remembrance Gives Meaning to Sacrifice

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

Sept. 12, 2008 - Significance is meaningless without sacrifice. That was the message more than 100 people heard yesterday after completing Sebring's third annual America Supports You Freedom Walk.

"It's so painful, but we need to remember," said Scott Warner, who fought to maintain his composure. "Today, we come together to remember all the lives that were lost at the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, Flight 93 and all the troops that have fought for freedom since then. Those freedoms were paid for with the lives of others few of us actually knew."

Those cowardly acts perpetrated by terrorists prompted new heroes, including his son, to step forward and defend the United States, Warner said.

Marine Pvt. Heath Warner was killed Nov. 22, 2006, while serving in Iraq's Anbar province. He deployed to Iraq two years ago yesterday, and his father said he remembers that day as a "bittersweet time of fond last memories."

"It was a day of last phone calls, last texts, and the day that I began to endlessly worry about a son going to war," Warner, of Canton, Ohio, said. "I will remember my son, today, as a hero."

Americans certainly should take time to remember their servicemembers, but others deserve that courtesy as well, Mark Lowman, a Sebring Police officer, said.

"Take time to remember the 2,996 lives that perished at Ground Zero due to terrorism," he said. "Remember your thoughts, your feelings of shock, pain, helplessness and anger throughout the days and weeks that followed."

Lowman noted the national unity that followed the attacks.

"Remember, at that particular, time we weren't considering ourselves Ohioans, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers or District of Columbians. We were Americans," Lowman said. "Remember that at that particular time, there were no color barriers. The only colors that we really recognized were the red, white and blue."

Another speaker, Rick Mirenzi of The Veterans Connection, echoed Lowman's sentiment and said the Freedom Walk participants were displaying America's true power.

"One of the things that I heard this week is there's nothing more powerful than the heart of a volunteer, and that's why I know terrorists can never win in this country," he said. "I would encourage you to never let events like this [Freedom Walk] die."

Colton Lockner, 11, who organized this and Sebring's first two America Supports You Freedom Walks, said he does it because people in places like Ohio, where none of the terror attacks took place, need to keep the memory alive.

"My Freedom Walk helps people remember the lives lost on that day and how it was a national tragedy," he said. "[The attacks were] so far away, and people forget. They just won't remember."

Lockner, now in sixth grade, recently moved from his hometown of Sebring to Lake Milton, about 20 minutes away, but he said he never thought twice about organizing the third walk. In fact, he geared up and got nearly 300 residents of his new town walking to commemorate the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor veterans past and present, with a walk Sept. 10.

His mom, Robyn, who has served as her son's de facto secretary during the planning of all of the walks, cited the distance between the two towns as the biggest obstacle.

"We spent a lot of money going back and forth for door prizes from businesses in both places, fliers, advertising in both places," she said. "This year we utilized the fax machine and e-mail a lot more, especially with the two walks in two cities."

She said her son's desire to maintain the walk in Sebring was supported by his former school and village council members.

"That kind of gave him the driving force," she said. "He started the tradition. He started it here. This is his hometown. This is where he wanted to continue."

The Sebring and Lake Milton walks were part of more than 300 America Supports You Freedom Walks held across the country to commemorate the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program that connects citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

America Supports You: Freedom Walk Plans Shaping Up Worldwide

By Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service

July 28, 2008 - Individuals and organizations around the globe are planning special commemorations to mark the quickly approaching seventh anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. So far, nearly 185 America Supports You Freedom Walks are scheduled to take place on and around Sept. 11. Of those walks, eight are scheduled overseas, in Heidelberg, Germany; Santa Rita, Guam; Baghdad; Vicenza, Italy; Iwakuni, Japan; Moron, Spain; and Seoul and Daegu, South Korea.

America Supports You is a Defense Department program connecting citizens and companies with servicemembers and their families serving at home and abroad.

"The America Supports You Freedom Walk continues this year as a national tradition to commemorate the lives lost on 9/11 and honor our veterans past and present," said Allison Barber, deputy assistant secretary of defense for internal communications and public liaison. "This will be a special year for Department of Defense employees, as the National America Supports You Freedom Walk begins a week of commemorations culminating in the opening of the Pentagon Memorial on 9/11."

Colton Lockner, 11, who organized his first America Supports You Freedom Walk two years ago, is organizing two this year. One will be held in Sebring, Ohio, and the other in Lake Milton, Ohio.

Joey Rizzolo, 13, is organizing Paramus, N.J.'s second America Supports You Freedom Walk. This walk comes on the heels of Rizzolo's recently published guide to organizing a Freedom Walk, "20 Steps to a Freedom Walk."

The national America Supports You Freedom Walk will be held on Sept. 7. The walk, which has become a national tradition, calls on people to reflect on the lives lost on Sept. 11, remember those who responded, honor veterans past and present, and renew commitment to freedom and the values of the United States.

The fourth annual national walk will begin at the Women's Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery at 9 a.m. About one mile later, the walk will conclude in the Pentagon's south parking lot, adjacent to the site where American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. A musical tribute is being planned immediately after the walk.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- June 27, 2008

Avalanche Photodiodes Target Bioterrorism Agents
“Researchers have shown that a new class of ultraviolet photodiode could help meet the U.S. military's pressing requirement for compact, reliable and cost-effective sensors to detect anthrax and other bioterrorism agents in the air.” (Medical News Today; 27June08) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112926.php

Viruses rewritten
“A gene by any other name is not quite the same, and scientists could exploit that fact to develop new vaccines for viral diseases, research suggests. By ‘misspelling’ the genetic code of the virus that causes polio so that the virus still reproduced but did so a thousand times slower than normal, researchers created a weakened version of the virus that trained mice’s immune systems to fight off the real one.” (Science News; 26June08; Patrick Barry) http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/33671/title/Viruses_rewritten

CDC faces challenge of aging work force
“More than a quarter of workers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta — and more than a third of its medical officers — will be eligible to retire in the next five years. Replacing them will be difficult because of a national shortage of public health professionals, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.” (Atlanta Journal-Constitution; 27June08; Alison Young) http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/06/27/cdc_workers.html

NEOUCOM [Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy], KSU [Kent State University] get bioterrorism grant
“Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy and Kent State University have been awarded $6.7 million for the continued development and commercialization of a real-time pathogen detection instrument.” (Vindy; 27June08) http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/jun/27/colleges-receive-grant-for-bioterror-detection/

Smiths Detection Launches Smart Trigger For Biological Agent Detection
“Smiths Detection, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, announced the launch of SmartBio™ Sensor (SBS), a real-time detector for biological agents or airborne toxins. SBS provides a visual or audio alarm when a bio-threat is detected and classifies the agent by threat category.” (Medical News Today; 27June08) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/112951.php

Arthur Galston, botanist, died on June 15th, aged 88
“If you had asked him, on one of his visits to Vietnam in those years, whether Agent Orange was directly responsible for the sarcomas, lesions and deformities, he would have replied, like the careful scientist he was, that it was hard to make a connection solid enough to stand up in a court of law. But three things he was sure of. First, Agent Orange had caused ‘an ecological disaster’ that might take decades to repair. Second, its use contravened the Geneva protocols against chemical and biological warfare. And third, he had a responsibility to speak, because this agent of horror was partly his child.” (The Economist; 26June08)
http://www.economist.com/obituary/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11613789

Iran: US should disarm chemical weapons
"‘The Islamic Republic of Iran is a main victim of chemical warfare as Iraq attacked the country for eight years using weapons of mass destruction. Iran expects the international community to bring war criminal to justice and force major powers, including the US and the occupying regime of al-Quds [Jerusalem], to take practical steps in fulfilling their international obligations, particularly concerning chemical disarmament,’ reads a statement released Friday by Iran's Foreign Ministry.” (Press TV; 27June08)
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=61673&sectionid=351020101

Hanford Nuclear Services, Inc. (HNS) to sell US Patent 6805815, Unique ‘Dirty Bomb’ Cleanup Polymer
“Hanford Nuclear Services, Inc. (HNS), a leading research and advisory firm for the nuclear and environmental industries, announces the sale of US Patent 6805815, ‘Composition For Shielding Radioactivity’ through a website that offers access to patent, test data, an applications presentation, and portable deployment system information (http://hns.adventdes.com).” (STL Today; 25June08)
http://www.stltoday.com/pr/business/PR06250807471293

N. Korea declares nuclear program, but what's next?
“The Bush administration hailed North Korea's declaration of its nuclear program as a success for the multilateral diplomacy it engaged in through the Six Party Talks with South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. […] But as important as what the document says is what it doesn't say. There is no mention of how many weapons North Korea has or where they are hidden. Nor did North Korea admit to a suspected uranium enrichment program or what nuclear secrets it may have shared with Syria. Both issues are reduced in the declaration to ‘concerns’ which Pyongyang promises to address down the road.” (CNN; 27June08; Elise Labott) http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/06/26/nkorea.nuclear.negotiating/

Ensuring public safety
“Interpol is the world's largest international police organization, with 186 member countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime. Terrorism poses a grave threat to individuals' lives and national security around the world. Interpol has therefore made available various resources to support member countries in their efforts to protect their citizens from terrorism, including bio-terrorism; firearms and explosives; attacks against civil aviation; maritime piracy; and weapons of mass destruction.”
(The New Nation; 27June08)
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2008/06/27/news0679.htm

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.

Lima Company Memorial Honors Fallen Marines

By Marine Corps Sgt. G.S. Thomas
Special to American Forces Press Service

May 27, 2008 - Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England and other senior officials began the Memorial Day weekend by participating in a ceremony at the Ohio Statehouse here May 23 that included the unveiling of a memorial honoring 22 Marines and a Navy corpsman killed in Iraq. The memorial consists of eight panels with life-sized portraits of the Marines and corpsman from Company L, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, who lost their lives while serving in Iraq from February to September 2005.

Marine Gunnery Sgt. Shawn Delgado, who deployed with the company as the weapons platoon commander, was among those who spoke at the unveiling. He held back his emotions as he shared personal stories about many of the fallen.

"None of us want these Marines or anyone from Lima Company to be remembered for their death," Delgado said. "Please never forget why Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen go forward, and that's to push the cause of freedom."

England praised the courage of the Lima Company Marines who he said followed in the footsteps of Americans who have defended freedom for more than 230 years, including the "Greatest Generation" from World War Two.

"Just as the 'Greatest Generation' answered the call almost 70 years ago and changed the course of history, today's 'Greatest Generation,' Lima Company, has preserved for us this marvelous, precious gift," he said.

"In honoring them, let us all never forget their sacrifices," he said. "Let us all recommit ourselves to the preservation of freedom for future generations, so those generations will wake each morning as free Americans."

England said it's not by accident or chance that Americans live in freedom, but because patriots like Lima Company Marines have stepped forward to defend it when it was threatened.

"Lima Company -- and especially those honored today and their families -- knows that the American people are grateful for your sacrifice, your tireless service, your dedication, and especially your gift of freedom," he said.

Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert Magnus shared words sent to the Lima Company Marines by Deb Dunham. Her late son, Marine Cpl. Jason Dunham, became the first Marine since Vietnam to earn the Medal of Honor when he threw himself on a live terrorist grenade in Iraq to protect his fellow Marines.

"My message is Deb Dunham's message for those who honor the fallen angels of Lima 3/25 today and for those who carry on and celebrate the meaning of their lives," Magnus said. "Just like her boy Jason, who volunteered after 9/11 to do an important mission and to take care of his Marines, we say, 'Thank you, keep doing what you are doing, and take care of each other.'

"God bless the angels for the lives that they lived," he said. "God bless all who celebrate their lives. God bless those who do the difficult and often dangerous work of serving. God bless all who support them and their families. God bless America. Semper fidelis."

The eight canvas panels of the Lima Company Memorial honoring the fallen Marines were painted by Columbus artist Anita Miller, who said the idea came to her in a dream. The panels are arranged in an octagon, with each fallen warrior's boots and an ever-living candle beneath his likeness.

The memorial will stay in the statehouse before traveling across the country.

"These paintings tell a story of courage and strength and hope," Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland said during the dedication ceremony. "The paintings will stand in our state house from Memorial Day through Veterans Day, but the Lima Company will remain in our hearts every day."

Depicted in the paintings are:

-- Lance Cpl. Eric J. Bernholtz, 23. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 27, 1981. His hometown is Grove City, Ohio, where he attended school from first grade through high school. Bernholz was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an improvised explosive device.

-- Lance Cpl. Wesley G. Davids, 20. He was born in San Jose, Calif., on May 10, 1985. Davids was a freshman in high school when his family moved to Dublin, Ohio, where he rowed with a team on the Scioto River. Davids was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Christopher Jenkins Dyer, 19. He was born in Cincinnati on March 13, 1986. Dyer considered both Evendale and Glendale, Ohio, as hometowns. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Christopher P. Lyons, 24. He was born in Charleston, S.C., on Sept. 26, 1980. His hometown is Shelby, Ohio, where he worked as an advertising salesman for the Mansfield News Journal before he was deployed. Lyons was killed in action July 28, 2005, in Cykla, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Lance Cpl. Aaron H. Reed, 21. He was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, on Aug. 23, 1983. Reed was killed in action on Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Sgt. David N. Wimberg, 24. He was born in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 24, 1981. Wimberg was killed in action on May 25, 2005, in Haditha, Iraq, while leading his squad in a firefight.

-- Pfc. Christopher R. Dixon, 18. Born in Columbus, Ohio, on July 24, 1986, Dixon called Obetz, Ohio, home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Michael J. Cifuentes, 25. He was born in Hamilton, Ohio, on June 25, 1980. Cifuentes called Fairfield, Ohio, home. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Nicholas William Baart Bloem, 20. Born in Bellevue, Wash., on Aug. 2, 1985, he called Belgrade, Mont., home. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Nicholas B. Erdy, 21. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 22, 1983, and called Owensville, Ohio, home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Cpl. Dustin A. Derga, 24. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Aug. 18, 1980. His hometown is Pickerington, Ohio. He was killed in action May 8, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Cpl. Andre´ "Dre´" L. Williams, 23. He was born in Lima, Ohio, on Aug. 9, 1981, and called Galloway, Ohio, home. He was killed in action July 28, 2005, in Cykla, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Lance Cpl. Grant B. Fraser, 22. Fraser was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on Feb. 3, 1983. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Staff Sgt. Kendall H. Ivy II, 28. He was born in Galion, Ohio, on Sept. 15, 1976. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Travis L. Youngblood, 26. Born at Pensacola Naval Base, Fla., on June 5, 1979, Youngblood called Ivor, Va., home. He died July 21, 2005, from IED wounds suffered in Hit, Iraq, on July 15, 2005.

-- Lance Cpl. William Brett Wightman, 22. He was born in Fayette County, Ohio, on Jan. 11, 1983, and called Sabina, Ohio, home. Wightman was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Edward August "Augie" Schroeder II, 23. He was born in Columbus, Ohio, on April 10, 1982, and his hometown is South Orange, N.J. Schroeder was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Staff Sgt. Anthony L. Goodwin, 33. He was born in Fitchburg, Mass., on May 28, 1971, and called Shirley, Mass., his home. He was killed in action May 8, 2005, in New Ubaydi, Iraq, from enemy fire.

-- Sgt. Justin F. Hoffman, 27. He was born in Orange, Calif., on Nov. 9, 1977, and his hometown is Delaware, Ohio. He was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Sgt. David Kenneth John Kreuter, 26. He was born in Cincinnati on June 25, 1979, and was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Jourdan Lin Grez, 24. He was born in Little Silver, N.J., and called Richmond, Va., home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Timothy M. Bell Jr., 22. He was born in Kansas City, Mo., on May 11, 1983, and his hometown is West Chester, Ohio. Bell was killed in action Aug. 3, 2005, in Barwanah, Iraq, by an IED.

-- Lance Cpl. Jonathan W. Grant, 23. Born on April 15, 1982, he called Espanola, N.M., home. He was killed in action May 11, 2005, in Qaim, Iraq, by an IED.

(Marine Corps Sgt. G.S. Thomas is media chief for Marine Forces Reserve. Donna Miles from American Forces Press Service contributed to this article.)