Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force Receives FBI Director’s Award

The Director of the FBI recognized 15 members of the Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force with an award for Outstanding Counterterrorism Investigation in Washington, D.C., on September 6, 2012. Robert S. Mueller, III presented the award to members of the team for their work investigating Daniel Patrick Boyd and seven other men who were plotting a terrorist attack on the U.S. and overseas. The case became known as the Triangle Terror Group.

Daniel Boyd was a convert to Islam and was actively recruiting people to join him in an attack. Boyd, Zakaryia Boyd, Dylan Boyd, Hysen Sherifi, Ziyad Yaghi, Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, Anes Subasic, and Jude Kenan Mohammad were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2009 after more than four years of a detailed and highly complex investigation by the FBI and its law enforcement partners. Seven of the men were convicted on federal terrorism charges and are currently serving prison sentences.

The award was presented to employees at the FBI, Raleigh Police Department, Durham Police Department, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, members of the prosecutorial team at the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina, and members of the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. The Director’s Award is considered the most prestigious within the FBI.

“The outstanding work by the Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force is a textbook example of how the FBI handles counterterrorism investigations since 9/11. The JTTF collected intelligence to develop a complete understanding of the threat and disrupted it, likely sparing innocent lives in the U.S. and abroad,” said Chris Briese, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the FBI.

Award recipient and Supervisory Special Agent Maria Jocys said, “This investigation exemplified the importance of a joint task force. They not only enable law enforcement to share intelligence, but they bring together the skills, talent, and unique authorities from each agency into a single team to mitigate emerging terrorist threats.”

North Carolina Resident Found Guilty of Terrorism Violations

RALEIGH—Today, in federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina, a jury found Anes Subasic, 35, guilty of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons abroad, announced Thomas G. Walker, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina; Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; M. Chris Briese, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Charlotte Division; and John F. Khin, Special Agent in Charge, Southeast Field Office, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).

Subasic was charged along with seven other defendants in a federal indictment returned on July 22, 2009. In a separate trial in September 2011, Subasic was found guilty of two counts of unlawful procurement of citizenship.

“We must be ever vigilant in our prosecution of those who seek to visit terror on our way of life,” stated U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker. “This prosecution demonstrates that commitment.”

“Anes Subasic is the seventh individual to be convicted in connection with this multi-year conspiracy to kill persons abroad and provide material support to terrorism. I applaud the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who helped bring about this successful outcome,” said Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

“Subasic was part of a group of terrorists; some viewed their own country as the enemy. This verdict is the culmination of years of hard work by our Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of our vital law enforcement partners. The JTTF will continue its relentless effort to thwart terrorism in North Carolina,” said Chris Briese, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the FBI.

“The Defense Criminal Investigative Service is proud to have worked jointly with the Raleigh FBI JTTF in the investigation of Anes Subasic and others indicted of terrorism related charges,” stated DCIS Southeast Field Office Special Agent in Charge John Khin. “Subasic was part of a conspiracy to commit violent acts against U.S. service members and others abroad. The DCIS remains steadfast in its commitment to protect the warfighter and to thwart efforts of individuals like Subasic.”

According to the superseding indictment, from roughly November 2006 through at least July 2009, Subasic and the other defendants conspired to provide material support and resources to terrorists, including currency, training, transportation, and personnel. Subasic also conspired to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons abroad during this period. The object of the conspiracy, according to the indictment, was to advance violent jihad, including supporting and participating in terrorist activities abroad and committing acts of murder, kidnapping, or maiming persons abroad.

The defendants allegedly offered training in weapons and financing and helped arrange overseas travel and contacts so others could wage violent jihad overseas.

The defendants raised money to support training efforts, disguised the destination of such monies from the donors, and obtained assault weapons to develop skills with the weapons. Some defendants also allegedly radicalized others to believe that violent jihad was a personal religious obligation.

In February 2011, Daniel Boyd, the leader, pled guilty to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons in a foreign country and is currently awaiting sentencing. Boyd’s two sons, Zakariya and Dylan Boyd, have also pled guilty. Zakariya Boyd pled guilty on June 27, 2011 to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, and was sentenced to 108 months’ imprisonment. Dylan Boyd pled guilty on September 14, 2011 to aiding and abetting a conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and received a 96-month prison sentence.

On October 13, 2011, following a 17-day trial, a jury found Hysen Sherifi, Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, and Ziyad Yaghi guilty. Sherifi was found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists; conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons in a foreign country; two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and conspiring to kill a federal officer or employee and was sentenced to 540 months’ imprisonment. Hassan and Yaghi were found guilty of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons in a foreign country. Hassan received a 180-monthprison term and Yaghi received 380 months’ imprisonment.

At sentencing, Subasic faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment followed by up to three years’ supervised release for conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and up to a life term of imprisonment followed by up to five years of supervised release for conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure persons in a foreign country.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI Raleigh-Durham Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes the FBI, the DCIS, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham Police Department, and the North Carolina Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Bowler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Trial Attorney Jason Kellhofer of the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division.