Florida Resident Charged with Plotting to Bomb Locations in Tampa

TAMPA, FL—A 25-year-old resident of Pinellas Park, Fla., has been charged in connection with an alleged plot to attack locations in Tampa with a vehicle bomb, assault rifle, and other explosives, announced Robert E. O’Neill, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida; Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Steven E. Ibison, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Tampa Division.

Sami Osmakac, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in the former Yugoslavia (Kosovo), was arrested Saturday night. He is charged in a criminal complaint in the Middle District of Florida with one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) and is scheduled to make his initial appearance today at 2:00 p.m. EST, in federal court, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli, in Tampa. If convicted, Osmakac faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The arrest of Osmakac was the culmination of an undercover operation during which Osmakac was closely monitored by law enforcement officials for several months. The explosives and firearms that he allegedly sought and attempted to use were rendered inoperable by law enforcement and posed no threat to the public.

“The perseverance and diligence of law enforcement caused this investigation to conclude in a successful manner,” said U.S. Attorney O’Neill. “I would like to commend them for their hard work. This investigation was also predicated, in part, by assistance from the Muslim community. I would like to thank them as well.”

“The facts as alleged in this case underscore the need for continued vigilance both at home and abroad. Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort, this alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “I applaud the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who worked together to ensure this matter was resolved safely.”

“The Tampa FBI Division has always considered its relationships with regional community groups throughout Central and Southwest Florida extremely important. In this case, we are grateful for the Muslim community’s continued support. This incident clearly demonstrated how citizens can help law enforcement keep our neighborhoods and our nation safe,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Ibison.

According to the complaint affidavit, in Sept. 2011, the FBI received information from a confidential human source (CHS) indicating that Osmakac had asked for al Qaeda flags. In November 2011, Osmakac and the CHS discussed and identified potential targets, in Tampa, where Osmakac intended on carrying out violent attacks. Osmakac allegedly asked the CHS for help in obtaining firearms and explosives for the attacks. The CHS indicated that he/she knew someone who might be able to provide firearms and explosives and introduced Osmakac to an undercover FBI employee.

The complaint alleges that Osmakac met with the undercover FBI employee, in person, on Dec. 21, 2011, and stated that he wished to acquire an AK-47-style machine gun, Uzi submachine guns, high capacity magazines, grenades and an explosive belt. In a subsequent meeting, Osmakac allegedly provided the undercover FBI employee with a $500 down payment for an AK-47, multiple homemade explosive grenades and the explosive belt.

According to the complaint, Osmakac also asked the undercover employee whether he/she could build bombs that could be placed in three different vehicles and detonated remotely, near where Osmakac would conduct a follow-up attack using the other weapons he requested. The undercover employee said he/she could possibly provide explosives for one vehicle. Osmakac also allegedly said that he wanted an explosive belt constructed to kill people.

During a subsequent meeting with the FBI undercover employee on Jan. 1, 2012, Osmakac allegedly described his attack plans by stating that he wanted to obtain a hotel room; park the vehicle with the bomb in it at his target; leave the area; detonate the car bomb; and then retrieve the weapons and explosives from the hotel room. Among Osmakac’s alleged bomb targets were night clubs in the Ybor City area of Tampa, the operations center of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Ybor City and a business in the South Tampa area of Tampa.

The complaint alleges that, as part of the second portion of his planned attack, Osmakac told the undercover FBI employee that, after the car bomb was detonated, he wanted to use the explosive belt to “get in somewhere where there’s a lot of people” and take hostages. He allegedly stated that he would then make demands of the FBI to release some prisoners. According to the criminal complaint, when discussing law enforcement officers that might respond to the scene, Osmakac allegedly stated, “once I have this . . . they can take me in five million pieces” in an apparent reference to the explosive belt that would be attached to his waist.

During the Jan. 1st meeting, the undercover FBI employee noted that Osmakac could change his mind and back out of the plot. According to the complaint, Osmakac immediately shook his head in the negative and stated, “We all have to die, so why not die the Islamic way?”

On Jan. 7, 2012, FBI agents arrested Osmakac after he took possession of the explosive devices and firearms that had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement. The complaint alleges that, shortly prior to his arrest, Osmakac made a video of himself explaining his motives for carrying out the planned violent attack.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI Tampa Division and the Tampa Joint Terrorism Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Sweeney from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from Trial Attorney Clem McGovern of the Counterterrorism Section in the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

The charges contained in the criminal complaint are mere allegations. As in any criminal case, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Combined Forces Capture Taliban Leaders in Afghanistan

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2012 – A combined Afghan and coalition security force captured two Taliban facilitators and detained a suspected insurgent in the Khugyani district of Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province today, military officials reported.

The facilitators distributed weapons and supplies to insurgent fighters and coordinated attacks throughout the district. The security force confiscated multiple weapons during the operation.

In other news in Afghanistan today:

-- In Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined force captured a Taliban leader who directed the placement of roadside bombs and coordinated attacks against coalition forces. The force also seized about 10 pounds of hashish.

-- An Afghan-led and coalition-supported security force in Khost province’s Bak district captured a Haqqani network leader and detained multiple suspected insurgents. The leader distributed bomb-making materials, planted roadside explosives and organized insurgent fighters for attacks against Afghan forces. The security force also confiscated weapons.

-- In Wardak province’s Maidan Shahr district, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator who planted roadside bombs and acquired ammunition and bomb-making materials for insurgent fighters.

In Afghanistan yesterday:

-- A combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district found 5,500 pounds of marijuana and 3,410 pounds of hashish. Some of the drugs were confiscated as evidence and the rest were destroyed at the scene without incident.

-- In Kandahar province’s Maiwand district, a combined force confiscated about 398 pounds of marijuana and 16 homemade-bomb components. The drugs and components will be destroyed at a later date.

-- In Kandahar’s Panjwai district, a combined force confiscated five improvised explosive devices, various IED-making components and about 44 pounds of homemade explosives. The weapons will be destroyed at a later date.

-- A combined force captured two Taliban facilitators in Kandahar’s Maiwand district. The facilitators distributed weapons, coordinated the movement of insurgent fighters, and planned and conducted attacks against coalition forces.

-- In Kandahar’s Ghorak district, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator and detained two additional suspected insurgents. The facilitator financed the purchase of explosives and distributed bomb-making materials to insurgents for use in attacks against coalition forces. The force also seized about 15 pounds of heroin.

-- A combined force Paktia province’s Zurmat district captured a Haqqani facilitator and detained a suspected insurgent. The facilitator conducted attacks against coalition forces. The security force also confiscated weapons and bomb-making materials.

-- In Nangarhar province’s Surkh Rod district, a combined force captured a Taliban facilitator who directed a group of insurgent fighters in multiple attacks against Afghan forces. The force also detained a suspected insurgent and seized various weapons and bomb-making materials.

-- A combined force in Logar province’s Pul-e Alam district captured a Haqqani leader and detained two suspected insurgents. The leader coordinated attacks against Afghan forces and procured weapons and bomb-making materials for insurgent fighters.

In other operations:

In Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district, a combined force discovered and destroyed six IEDs, six anti-personnel mines and two jugs filled with homemade explosives Jan. 7.

-- A combined force in Nangarhar province’s Khugyani district confiscated 880 pounds of explosive materials Jan. 7. They will be destroyed at a later date. The force also detained two suspected insurgents during the operation.

-- In Khost province’s Sabari district, a combined force confiscated six mortar rounds, 13 recoilless rifles and 19 grenades Jan. 7. The weapons will be destroyed at a later date.

-- A combined force captured a senior Taliban network facilitator named Mashahud during a security operation in Nangarhar’s Surkh Rod district Jan. 1. Mashahud is a well-known weapons facilitator who planned large-scale attacks against the local populace throughout the region. He also has been linked to a Dec. 21 bomb attack that killed five people in Ghazni.

Army Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of four Soldiers who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

They died Jan. 6 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enermy forces attacked their vehicle with an improvised explosive device.

Killed were:

Staff Sgt. Jonathan M. Metzger, 32, of Indianapolis, Ind.

Spc. Robert J. Tauteris Jr., 44, of Hamlet, Ind.

Spc. Christopher A. Patterson, 20, of Aurora, Ill.

Spc. Brian J. Leonhardt, 21, of Merrillville, Ind.

They were assigned to the 81st Troop Command, Indiana National Guard, Indianapolis, Ind.

For more information media should contact the Indiana National Guard public affairs office, Maj. Shawn Gardner at 317-247-3222 (office)/ 317-407-7065 (cell), or Staff Sgt. Les Newport at 317-247-3222 (office)/ 317-538-8414 (cell).

Pirate Capture Shows U.S. Commitment to Free Seas, Leaders Say

By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7, 2012 – The U.S.Navy’s Jan. 5 capture of 15 suspected pirates in the northern Arabian Sea demonstrates the Defense Department’s commitment to maritime freedom of navigation, DOD’s senior leaders said yesterday.

During a taped interview with Bob Schieffer for the CBS news program “Face the Nation,” Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Joint Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey noted the pirates capture represents a routine U.S. Navy mission.

At about 12:30 p.m. local time on Jan. 5, an SH-60S Seahawk from the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd, part of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group, detected a suspected pirate skiff alongside the Iranian-flagged fishing boat, Al Molai. The master of the Al Molai sent a distress call about the same time reporting pirates were holding him captive.

A visit, board, search and seizure team from the Kidd boarded the dhow, a traditional Arabian sailing vessel, and detained 15 suspected pirates who had been holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for several weeks. The Al Molai had been pirated and used as a "mother ship" for pirate operations throughout the Persian Gulf, members of the Iranian vessel's crew reported.

Dempsey told Schieffer U.S. sailors responded “as we do to calls of distress. We protect freedom of the seas, freedom of navigation.

“We … recaptured the ship, took the pirates into custody, and returned the ship to Iranian control,” he added.

The suspected pirates did not oppose boarding of the Iranian-flagged ship, and no injuries were reported in the incident, the chairman noted.

“I think in the face of the overwhelming combat power that was presented, the pirates made the right decision and surrendered,” Dempsey said.

The secretary said pirate interdiction is “what we do in that part of the world.”

The action “sends an important message to the world that the United States is going to abide by international rules and international order,” Panetta added.

The Stennis left the strategically important Strait of Hormuz in late December. Iran’s government in recent weeks has threatened to close or restrict passage through the strait, which is key to oil and other commercial shipping routes.

Defense officials have stressed that the U.S. government does not seek confrontation with Iran, but will protect safe and secure maritime passage for ships transiting the strait.

While the Iranian government “often [tries] to provoke us,” Panetta told Schieffer, “the United States, in this kind of situation, is going to respond – as we should – in a very humanitarian and responsible way.”

Air Force Casualties

The Department of Defense announced today the deaths of three airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.  

They died Jan. 5 in Shir ghazi, Helmand province, Afghanistan, when their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device.

Killed were:

Senior Airman Bryan R. Bell, 23, of Erie, Pa.  He was assigned to the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.  For more information media may contact the Air Force 2nd Bomb Wing public affairs office at 318-456-3309.

Tech. Sgt. Matthew S. Schwartz, 34, of Traverse City, Mich.  He was assigned to the 90th Civil Engineer Squadron, FE Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.  For more information media may contact the Air Force 90th Missile Wing public affairs office at 307-630-3908.

Airman 1st Class Matthew R. Seidler, 24, of Westminster, Md.  He was assigned to the 21st Civil Engineer Squadron, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.  For more information media may contact the Air Force 21st Space Wing public affairs office at 719-556-5185.

Pakistani Citizen Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to the Pakistani Taliban

Two Co-Defendants Previously Sentenced to 40 and 36 Months in Prison

WASHINGTON—A Pakistani citizen was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 50 months in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), often referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Two co-defendants were sentenced for the same charge in December 2011 to 40 and 36 months in prison.

The sentences were announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco; Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. for the District of Columbia; John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Division as well as international law enforcement agents.

Irfan Ul Haq, 37, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. On Dec. 21, 2011, Judge Bates sentenced Qasim Ali, 32, to 40 months in prison, and Zahid Yousaf, 43, to 36 months in prison. On Sept. 12, 2011, each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants agreed to a stipulated order of removal to Pakistan upon the completion of their criminal sentences.

“This case underscores our continuing commitment to dismantle networks that facilitate terrorist travel,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “I thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who were responsible for this successful prosecution.”

“Mr. Haq conspired with others to smuggle into the United States an individual who was believed to be a member of a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “Such conduct presents a serious threat to our national security, and we will continue to work closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to prevent human smugglers from operating at home or abroad, and to punish them for their crimes.”

“Today’s sentence successfully brings to a close our prosecution of three criminals who aimed to use their human smuggling network to help a person who they believed to be a terrorist infiltrate our homeland,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “By convicting three Pakistani nationals who were operating out of Ecuador, we have demonstrated our ability to dismantle human smuggling operations throughout the world when they threaten our national security.”

“ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents will continue to use every available resource to protect the American public from terrorist organizations and individuals who support them,” said ICE Director Morton. “Today’s sentence demonstrates our international resolve to ensuring that our nation is safer and more secure. I applaud the outstanding work conducted by our HSI attaché office in Ecuador who led this extensive investigation. I would also like to commend our HSI office in Atlanta, along with our law enforcement partners in the United States and Ecuador, who assisted us in this case.”

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: Individuals such as Ul Haq, who operate outside the law to support terror represent a threat to our safety. Ul Haq and his co-conspirators sought to smuggle men into the U.S. and did not care if they came here to ‘blow up’ something as long as they got paid. Ul Haq in turn provided material support to the TTP. Such would-be supporters of terror will be dealt with severely under our system of laws. I commend the FBI and everyone involved in the prosecution of this case for bringing him to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gillies.

Ul Haq, Ali and Yousaf were arrested in Miami on March 13, 2011, on an indictment filed in the District of Columbia charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. Based on the defendants’ guilty pleas to terrorism conspiracy charges, the government dismissed at the sentencing hearing today the charges of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling against the defendants.

Ul Haq, Ali, and Yousaf admitted that between Jan. 3, 2011, and March 10, 2011, they conspired to provide material support to the TTP in the form of false documentation and identification, knowing that the TTP engages in terrorist activity and terrorism. According to court documents, Ul Haq, Ali and Yousaf conducted a human smuggling operation in Quito, Ecuador, that attempted to smuggle an individual they believed to be a member of the TTP from Pakistan into the United States. The TTP was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department on Sept. 1, 2010.

Court documents indicate that law enforcement agents directed confidential sources to ask the defendants, who were residing in Ecuador at the time, for their assistance in smuggling a fictitious person from Pakistan to the United States. Over the course of the ensuing negotiations, the defendants were made aware that the person to be smuggled was a member of the TTP who was blacklisted in Pakistan.

According to the court documents, the defendants agreed to move this person from Pakistan into the United States, despite his purported affiliation with the TTP. Ul Haq, according to the court documents, told the confidential sources that it was “not their concern” what the men “want to do in the United States—hard labor, sweep floor, wash dishes in a hotel, or blow up. That will be up to them.” The defendants accepted payment from the confidential sources for the smuggling operation and procured a false Pakistani passport for the purported TTP member.

The investigation was conducted by the HSI attaché office in Quito, Ecuador, with the HSI office in Atlanta, the Miami Division of the FBI and the Ecuadorian National Police.

The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. National Central Bureau of INTERPOL (International Police), the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Embassy in Quito and the government of Ecuador provided invaluable support.

The case was prosecuted jointly by prosecutors from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division, the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Combined Forces Capture Insurgent Leaders

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force and ISAF Joint Command News Releases

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2012 – Combined Afghan and coalition security forces captured two insurgent leaders in Afghanistan today, military officials reported.

A combined force in Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district captured a Taliban leader who has built roadside bombs and trained insurgent fighters for attacks against coalition forces. Two other suspected insurgents were detained during the operation.

In Khost province’s Sabari district, Khost province, a combined force captured a Haqqani network leader who procured weapons for insurgent fighters and conducted roadside-bomb attacks. The security force seized weapons, bomb-making materials and detained other insurgents during the operation.

In other news from Afghanistan, a coalition patrol in Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district found and seized various bomb-making components yesterday.

Also yesterday, a combined force found and destroyed about 2,420 pounds of hashish and about 880 pounds of marijuana seeds during a routine patrol yesterday in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district.

In other news, an insurgent bomb attack today at a bazaar in Uruzgan province’s capital of Tarin Kot killed seven civilians – six of them children – and wounded many others, International Security Assistance Force officials reported.

Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, ISAF commander, issued a statement condemning the attack.

"On behalf of every member of ISAF, I'd like to extend our most sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims of today's attack," Allen said. "This was a brutal and repugnant act perpetrated by terrorists, and another tragic instance of their blatant disregard for innocent Afghan life as they indiscriminately use violence to intimidate the Afghan people to achieve their own aims.

“Throughout Afghanistan,” he continued, “such violent acts are only sowing greater resentment among the Afghan people, who are bravely and courageously working to build a more hopeful and peaceful Afghanistan."

Pakistani National Sentenced in Scheme to Illegally Export Restricted Nuclear Materials to Pakistan

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz sentenced Nadeem Akhtar, age 46, of Silver Spring, Maryland, today to 37 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit export violations and to defraud the United States in connection with a scheme to illegally export nuclear-related materials.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Special Agent in Charge Rick Shimon of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement’s Washington Field Office.

“The United States regulates the export of items that can be used in nuclear facilities, requiring a purchaser to truthfully disclose the end user,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Nadeem Akhtar conspired to violate export regulations by selling controlled items while misrepresenting what they were and to whom they would be sold.”

“The fast-paced nature of this changing world has created new challenges in preventing nuclear technology from falling into the hands of those who are hostile to U.S. interests,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely. “Nowhere in the national security arena is the FBI’s alliance with private industry as important in preserving the security of this country.”

“This sentence underscores the importance of the U.S. government’s unwavering determination to disrupt and dismantle criminal proliferation networks endangering U.S. national security” said Rick Shimon, Special Agent in Charge of the Commerce Department’s Washington Office of Export Enforcement. “Preventing sensitive U.S.-origin technology from being used in illicit nuclear programs is one of our top priorities at the Commerce Department.”

According to his plea agreement, Akhtar, a Pakistani national and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., owns Computer Communication USA (CC-USA). From October 2005 through March 11, 2010, Akhtar and his conspirators used CC-USA to obtain or attempt to obtain radiation detection devices, resins for coolant water purification, calibration and switching equipment, attenuators, and surface refinishing abrasives for export to restricted entities in Pakistan. Due to their use in both commercial and military applications, a license would be required to export these items to an end-user of concern or if exported in support of a prohibited end-use, such as activities related to related to nuclear explosives, nuclear reactors, or the processing and production of nuclear-related materials. Other items that Akhtar unlawfully procured or exported, or attempted to procure or export, to restricted entities in Pakistan include mechanical and electrical valves, cranes and scissor lifts. The total worth of all of these items exceeded $400,000.

The restricted entities in Pakistan included organizations of concern to the U.S. government as acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. These restricted entities included: Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission; and the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and its subordinate entities, such as the Chasma Nuclear Power Plant I in Kundian, Pakistan and the research reactor maintained by the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, a constituent institution of the PAEC in Nilhore, Pakistan, specializing in nuclear-related research and development. Exports of commodities to these organizations were prohibited absent the issuance of an export license.

Akhtar attempted to evade export regulations and licensing requirements by: undervaluing and falsely describing the items being exported; failing to reveal the true end-user by using third parties and/or real and fake business entities/locations in Pakistan, Dubai and the United States; using individuals in Illinois and California to procure items for him under false pretenses; shipping items to his residences in Maryland so it would appear as though his company was the actual purchaser/end-user of the items; and trans-shipping the items from the U.S. through the UAE.

Akhtar took direction from the owner of a trading company located in Karachi, Pakistan, who had business relationships with governmental entities in Pakistan. This individual would obtain orders for nuclear-related and other commodities from Pakistani government entities identified above, and then direct Akhtar as to what commodities to purchase in the United States for export to Pakistan, and the methods to be used to conceal the true nature, value and end-user of the items. Akhtar would then negotiate prices with manufacturers and suppliers of commodities sought in the U.S. and arrange for shipment of the commodities. Akhtar’s co-conspirators included individuals in Pakistan, Dubai, UAE and New York associated with the owner of the Pakistani trading company. The owner usually paid Akhtar a commission of 5 to 7.5 percent of the cost of each item Akhtar obtained for export from the U.S.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney Christine Manuelian, who prosecuted the case.

Pakistani Citizen Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Support to Taliban

Pakistani Citizen Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to the Pakistani Taliban Two Co-Defendants Previously Sentenced to 40 and 36 Months in Prison

 

WASHINGTON – A Pakistani citizen was sentenced today in the District of Columbia to 50 months in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), often referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Two co-defendants were sentenced for the same charge in December 2011 to 40 and 36 months in prison.

The sentences were announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco; Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. for the District of Columbia; John Morton, Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Division.

Irfan Ul Haq, 37, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates. On Dec. 21, 2011, Judge Bates sentenced Qasim Ali, 32, to 40 months in prison, and Zahid Yousaf, 43, to 36 months in prison. On Sept. 12, 2011, each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants agreed to a stipulated order of removal to Pakistan upon the completion of their criminal sentences.

“This case underscores our continuing commitment to dismantle networks that facilitate terrorist travel,” said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. “I thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who were responsible for this successful prosecution.”

“Mr. Haq conspired with others to smuggle into the United States an individual who was believed to be a member of a foreign terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer. “Such conduct presents a serious threat to our national security, and we will continue to work closely with our domestic and international law enforcement partners to prevent human smugglers from operating at home or abroad, and to punish them for their crimes.”

“Today’s sentence successfully brings to a close our prosecution of three criminals who aimed to use their human smuggling network to help a person who they believed to be a terrorist infiltrate our homeland,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “By convicting three Pakistani nationals who were operating out of Ecuador, we have demonstrated our ability to dismantle human smuggling operations throughout the world when they threaten our national security.”

“ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents will continue to use every available resource to protect the American public from terrorist organizations and individuals who support them,” said ICE Director Morton. “Today’s sentence demonstrates our international resolve to ensuring that our nation is safer and more secure. I applaud the outstanding work conducted by our HSI attaché office in Ecuador who led this extensive investigation. I would also like to commend our HSI office in Atlanta, along with our law enforcement partners in the United States and Ecuador, who assisted us in this case.”

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: Individuals such as Ul Haq, who operate outside the law to support terror represent a threat to our safety. Ul Haq and his co-conspirators sought to smuggle men into the U.S. and did not care if they came here to ‘blow up’ something as long as they got paid. Ul Haq in turn provided material support to the TTP. Such would-be supporters of terror will be dealt with severely under our system of laws. I commend the FBI and everyone involved in the prosecution of this case for bringing him to justice,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Gillies.
Ul Haq, Ali and Yousaf were arrested in Miami on March 13, 2011, on an indictment filed in the District of Columbia charging them with one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. Based on the defendants’ guilty pleas to terrorism conspiracy charges, the government dismissed at the sentencing hearing today the charges of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling against the defendants.

Ul Haq, Ali and Yousaf admitted that between Jan. 3, 2011, and March 10, 2011, they conspired to provide material support to the TTP in the form of false documentation and identification, knowing that the TTP engages in terrorist activity and terrorism. According to court documents, Ul Haq, Ali and Yousaf conducted a human smuggling operation in Quito, Ecuador, that attempted to smuggle an individual they believed to be a member of the TTP from Pakistan into the United States. The TTP was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department on Sept. 1, 2010.
Court documents indicate that law enforcement agents directed confidential sources to ask the defendants, who were residing in Ecuador at the time, for their assistance in smuggling a fictitious person from Pakistan to the United States. Over the course of the ensuing negotiations, the defendants were made aware that the person to be smuggled was a member of the TTP who was blacklisted in Pakistan.

According to the court documents, the defendants agreed to move this person from Pakistan into the United States, despite his purported affiliation with the TTP. Ul Haq, according to the court documents, told the confidential sources that it was “not their concern” what the men “want to do in the United States – hard labor, sweep floor, wash dishes in a hotel, or blow up. That will be up to them.” The defendants accepted payment from the confidential sources for the smuggling operation and procured a false Pakistani passport for the purported TTP member.

The investigation was conducted by the HSI attaché office in Quito, Ecuador, with the HSI office in Atlanta, the Miami Division of the FBI and the Ecuadorian National Police.

The investigation was conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.

The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Embassy in Quito and the government of Ecuador provided invaluable support.
The case was prosecuted jointly by prosecutors from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division, the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

The National Guard's contribution: 300,000-plus Iraq deployments

By Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. John Orrell

National Guard Bureau

 ARLINGTON, Va. (1/4/12) - On Dec. 18, 2011, when the final U.S. troops crossed the Iraqi border into Kuwait, the National Guard had deployed more than 250,000 Guard members in support of the war.

 Already participating in combat operations in Afghanistan, the National Guard lived up to its motto of "Always Ready, Always There," and answered the call in January 2003 to send troops to Iraq for the beginning stages of what would later be known as Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 Serving side-by-side with their active duty counterparts until the last Guard member came home, the Army National Guard deployed 222,485 Citizen-Soldiers for a total number of 259,467 deployments.

 Providing air support missions throughout the world for Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, the Air National Guard deployed 34,243 Citizen-Airmen, successfully completing 44,882 deployments.

 During those more than 300,000 deployments by the Army and Air National Guard, Guard members back in America answered the call and served on the home front - fulfilling the National Guard's domestic mission.

 The former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - retired Navy Adm. Mike Mullen - said more than once in 2010 and 2011, "We would not be anywhere close to where we are in terms of our execution of mission without the National Guard."

Texas Guard unit signs forward operating base over to Afghan control

By Staff Sgt. Luke Graziani

Combined Joint Task Force 1 - Afghanistan

 PANJSHIR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (1/5/12) - Another big step in the transition process has been taken with Forward Operating Base Lion now under the direct control of the Afghan government. 

 A provincial reconstruction team from the Texas National Guard, 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, officially signed over authority of the FOB to the Panjshir Provincial Governor, Keramuddin Karim on Dec. 28. 

 A formal ceremony was held to sign the last legal documents and to present the governor with an oversized 'key to the city'. 

 "It's a little nerve wracking, but it's exciting," said Army Master Sgt. Valerie Lofton, native of Bucyrus, Ohio, 321st CA Brig. FOB mayor. "I actually hate to leave. It's a great province. It's been a great experience working with everybody here." 

 Forward Operating Base Lion resides in, what has been deemed the model

 province - Panjshir.  

 "We're very proud of the work that the team has accomplished here," said Army Lt. Col. Daniel Gajewski, native of Chicago and 321st CA Brig. Provincial Development Support Team commander, "This is one of the true success stories. We see nothing but a bright future for the people of Panjshir. We look forward to coming back here someday as tourists." 

 The governor of the province envisions great things for the future of the FOB. There are plans to convert the namesake of the province into a college for women. 

 "We do have our four-year development program planned for Panjshir," said Keramuddin Karim, Panjshir provincial governor. "What we are trying to do is...make a college or university for the young generation of Afghanistan."

Everyday heroes: Eagle Eyes helps fight terrorism

by Airman 1st Class Whitney Tucker
36th Wing Public Affairs

1/4/2012 - ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- With the threat of terrorism still ringing hard in the ears of Americans, every citizen, military or civilian, has the opportunity to take action in the ongoing war on terrorism.

The Eagle Eyes program is an Air Force anti-terrorism initiative that enlists the eyes and ears of Department of Defense members and citizens in the war on terror. Eagle Eyes teaches people about the typical activities terrorists engage in to plan their attacks. Armed with this information, anyone can recognize elements of potential terror planning when they see it.

"Eagle Eyes is a global neighborhood watch program," said Special Agent Patrick Morgan, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Det. 602. "We ask that service members, their families and local citizens stay alert and keep their eyes open for suspicious activity."

"The program is island-wide," Agent Morgan continued. "We want to maintain a proactive stance when it comes to force protection issues, as opposed to reactive. This is a reminder of who we are, what we do and that we must maintain this proactive posture."

No matter how well trained and vigilant our law enforcement and counterterrorism personnel are, they simply cannot be everywhere at all times. Each member of Team Andersen, as well as those of our neighbors in the local community, plays a crucial role in the prevention of terrorism.

"It is a force-multiplier," said Patrick Glasscock, 36th Wing Antiterrorism Office. "It helps the trained professionals, local and federal law enforcement agencies, draw on the military and civilian communities to assist in the war on terror. By being aware of suspicious activity and alerting the proper authorities to investigate, we're making it difficult for terrorists to attack on and off base."

OSI has compiled a list of seven observable activities commonly linked to terrorist planning: surveillance, elicitation, tests of security, acquiring supplies, suspicious persons out of place, conducting a dry run and deploying assets.

"When you see any of the seven signs, it is important to notify leadership, OSI or contact the Law Enforcement desk right away," Agent Morgan said. "It is better to report activity that turns out to be nothing, than not report it and hope for the best. We encourage everyone to call in and up-channel the information regardless of the outcome."

Servicemembers, dependents and local community members have the ability to impact the lives of countless Americans through the Eagle Eyes program. Few initiatives provide participants the chance to become heroes and touch the lives of individuals around the world.

"Eagle Eyes is an avenue to get words out in a timely manner and deals with issues across the board," Agent Morgan said. "Regardless of how irrelevant you think it might be, still always call the 24-hour phone number."

To report any suspicious activity, contact your local OSI office or the Law Enforcement desk.

Combined Force Kills Taliban Leader

From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Jan. 5, 2012 – An Afghan and coalition security force killed a Taliban leader in the Mazar-e Sharif district of Afghanistan’s Balkh province today, military officials reported.

The leader was responsible for logistical and financial support of insurgent fighters, led a recent ambush against Afghan forces and buried roadside bombs.

In operations in Afghanistan yesterday:

-- A combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district found and destroyed about 5,500 pounds of marijuana.

-- In Kandahar province’s Zharay district, a coalition security force confiscated seven mines, eight 82 mm recoilless rifle rounds, a heavy machine gun and several bomb components.

-- A combined force in Helmand province’s Reg-e Khan Neshin district found and destroyed about 500 pounds of marijuana seeds.

-- In Helmand province’s Musa Qalah district, a coalition force found 40 electronic bomb components, 15 five-gallon containers of homemade explosives, multiple artillery rounds and detonation cord. An explosive ordnance disposal team destroyed the weapons.

Marine, Recruiter Reunite in Afghanistan

By Marine Corps Cpl. Brian Adam Jones

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan, Jan. 4, 2012 – Three years ago, Staff Sgt. James Pribyl, then a Marine Corps recruiter, met Ernest Wetzel at a public library in Wetzel’s hometown of Woodstock, Conn.   “I was the new recruiter in town,” said Pribyl, who was based in Worcester, Mass. “About three months after we met, he decided to join.”

Now deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand province, Pribyl works alongside the young man he helped to become a Marine.

“I never expected to see him again – it’s hysterical,” said Wetzel, now a corporal. “I’ve said it multiple times: ‘Damn, I’m in a combat zone with my recruiter.’”

Both Marines serve with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, deployed from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., which provides aviation ground support for coalition aircraft operating in southwestern Afghanistan.

“It’s one of the reasons I joined -- to deploy. I just never expected it’d be with him,” said Wetzel, who works as a maintenance management specialist with the squadron.

Wetzel’s duties with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 include ensuring a steady supply of parts for the squadron’s heavy equipment platoon. The platoon does everything from moving cargo to constructing helicopter landing zones.

“I’m the first enlisted Marine in my family,” said Wetzel, a 2008 graduate of Woodstock Academy in Connecticut. “I met Staff Sergeant Pribyl and he didn’t lie to me. He set me up with a good job.”

Pribyl, the squadron’s supply administration and operations chief, and a native of Centerport, N.Y., is responsible for making sure assets are ordered and received in a timely manner. This means Pribyl and Wetzel work closely together in a field Pribyl helped the young Marine get in to.

“Supply and [maintenance management] work hand in hand, so I had a lot of friends who were [maintenance management], and I knew he would do well there,” Pribyl said. “He wanted the military. It was just a matter of convincing him that the Marine Corps was the best.”

“It didn’t take long for that,” Wetzel said.

Wetzel described Pribyl as a mentor to him in Afghanistan, but the staff sergeant spoke highly of the young corporal, as well.

“I knew he was going to be a good Marine,” Pribyl said. “I’ve always said it. I always will.”

‘AfPak Hands’ Program Pays Dividends in Afghanistan, Pakistan

 

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2012 – Just over two years since its inception, the Afghanistan-Pakistan Hands program is delivering the capability it was designed to provide and a model for future U.S. engagement around the world, the program’s director reported.

The “AfPak Hands” program stood up in September 2009 to develop a cadre of military and senior civilian experts specializing in the complexities of Afghanistan and Pakistan – the language, culture, processes and challenges.

The goal, explained Army Lt. Col. Frederick “Fritz” Gottschalk, the AfPak Hands division chief on the Joint Staff, was for these “hands” to be able to develop close working relationships with their Afghan and Pakistani counterparts and determine how their countries operate.

With about 180 of the first cohort of hands returned from their 12-month deployments and about 200 members of the second cohort now on the ground, Gottschalk said, the program is living up to its promise.

Working closely with Afghan and Pakistani military and civilian officials, the hands are making inroads in areas outside the security domain that typical military elements often can’t, he said. They’re able to identify roadblocks to progress, become catalysts in breaking those logjams and serve as conduits between Afghan and Pakistani government officials, local populations and military leaders on the ground and their higher headquarters.

Even in Pakistan, where tensions have increased since a deadly late-November border incident, the AfPak Hands program remains viable, despite being scaled down, Gottschalk said. Twenty-eight AfPak Hands members served primarily with the Office of Defense Representative in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad during the program’s first cohort, but at Pakistan’s request, the element has been reduced by about half.

Unlike in the past, where knowledge acquired in Afghanistan and Pakistan was scattered throughout the force after redeployment, AfPak Hands participants return home to apply their experience and insights in key staff positions at the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command and other headquarters.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, then the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recognized the need for this knowledge base when he joined Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, then the top military commander in Afghanistan, and Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, then commander of U.S. Central Command, in advocating the program in 2009.

At the time, Mullen had scrubbed the entire Joint Staff and was able to come up with only a few members with experience in Afghanistan or Pakistan, Gottschalk said. “That’s a big part of why the AfPak program was developed: to get that expertise from the theater into key billets,” he said.

Now, with the first two cohorts of AfPak Hands deployed or in key staff positions and a third cohort of about 230 members in training for its upcoming deployment, the program has generated almost 700 Afghanistan and Pakistan specialists.

“They will have various levels of experience, but the bottom line is they have a greater understanding of how these countries work,” Gottschalk said.

The hands rotate among three general statuses: deployed, serving related out-of-theater staff assignments, and training for the next deployment. Even during the deployment and staff phases, they received continued language and cultural training to ensure their skills don’t lapse.

Meanwhile, the program aims to expand their horizons. For example, about 40 members of the first cohort are enrolled in master’s degree programs designed to broaden their expertise before they return to the theater.

“During their one year in Afghanistan or Pakistan, they are looking at the problems right in front of them,” Gottschalk said. “When they go into their master’s degree program, they see the whole picture: the region, the regional dynamics, and how religion … [and] travel dynamics influence the area.

“These folks will study as much as they can and learn as much as they can,” he continued. “Then they will go back into Afghanistan or Pakistan into key billets where they need someone who thinks at that strategic level and has a deeper understanding of the regional issues and dynamics.”

Gottschalk conceded that the program ran into a few bumps in the road before reaching its current stride. When members of the first cohort began deploying in January 2010, just four months after the program started, many had to figure out their own jobs. Some found themselves working for commanders on the ground who didn’t know exactly how to use them.

“Nobody really knew what an AfPak hand was or their capabilities,” Gottschalk said. “It was a learning curve on both sides. The AfPak hands had to learn how to integrate into the local command structure, and the local command structure had to learn how to best use that AfPak hand’s capability in his or her area of operations.”

“It was like you are starting to build the plane while you are flying,” he said. “When that happens, you might put some of the parts in the wrong spot.”

As a result, about 40 percent of that first group was moved to different billets. That dropped to 20 percent for the second cohort, and Gottschalk said he expects an even smoother transition for the third cohort.

Most of the hands in Afghanistan are assigned supporting government ministries throughout Afghanistan that Gottschalk said have far more impact on long-term stability than their names may imply, as well as to district, provincial and village government support teams. Others support reintegration programs, serve on counterinsurgency advise-and-assist teams or as Afghan national security force advisors.

“We know we will have to make some adjustments, but we think we have it about right,” Gottschalk said.

The program works, he said, “because you have the right people in the right places getting the right command support.”

“You have people who are put where they are needed,” he said. “And you have got commanders in theater who are supporting them and understanding the program and saying, ‘This is what you can do for me, and this is how I am going to help you.’”

As the program gains traction, Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen, commander of U.S. and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan, has become one of its biggest fans. Allen called the program a major component in the comprehensive civil-military counterinsurgency plan and campaign in Afghanistan.

“You are force multipliers,” he told those enrolled in the program. “AfPak hands are punching way above their weight in terms of the effects that you bring.”

Recalling that he was accepted into the international relations officer program as a young officer, Allen said he would have jumped at the opportunity to be part of something like the AfPak Hands program if it had been available at the time. “I would certainly have applied for it – and had a broken heart if I couldn’t be in it,” he said.

Looking to the future, Gottschalk said, a fourth AfPak Hands cohort is likely be stood up to replace outgoing members who have fulfilled their 42- to 45-month commitments to the program.

In doing so, he said, plans call to expand enlisted participation in the program – currently just 21 in a field dominated by mid- and senior-grade officers and senior civilians. And even as the force begins the process of drawing down in Afghanistan, he sees a continued need for the program.

“We anticipate that as traditional military forces scale back, AfPak Hands will be scaling up, and the last service members to leave Afghanistan will be AfPak hands,” he said.

Allen is working with the Joint Staff to determine exactly what that future program may look like, Gottschalk said.

A Special Forces soldier with 17 years of experience working with foreign militaries, Gottschalk said he sees the AfPak Hands program as a template for the future.

“With what’s being learned through this, this could be a model for how the U.S. military engages in future operations,” he said. “This is a model of how to assist a country that is struggling in an area without applying a lot of military force.”

History has shown that wherever the U.S. military engages next, it will have to understand and deal with the “human dimension of the battlefield” – and how to operate after major combat operations end, he said.

“If you don’t understand how the government of Country X works or what the people of Country X need from their government, you can’t help Country X become a better country,” Gottschalk said. “That is where a ‘Hands’ program would be a huge benefit.”

ISAF Commander Condemns Suicide Attacks in Kandahar

 

WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2012 – The commander of the International Security Assistance Force condemned yesterday’s terrorist attacks that reportedly killed at least 12 people, including two children, and wounded dozens of others in Kandahar City, Afghanistan.

“Once again, insurgents have needlessly brought tragedy and sadness to the families of those killed and injured in Tuesday’s terrorist attacks,” Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen said today. “Our prayers and condolences are with the families and loved ones of those civilians and brave Afghan National Security Force members killed and injured in these brutal attacks.”

In operations in Afghanistan today:

-- A combined Afghan and coalition security force in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district captured a Taliban leader and detained two suspected insurgents. The leader coordinated attacks against coalition forces and moved explosives, heavy weaponry and rockets throughout the district.

-- A combined security force captured a Taliban leader and detained multiple suspected insurgents in Baghlan province’s Baghlan-e Jadid district. The leader directed a group of insurgent fighters to construct and place roadside bombs throughout the district. The force also confiscated numerous weapons and bomb-making material.

-- In Khost province’s Sabari district, a combined force detained two suspected insurgents while searching for a Haqqani network leader who procures weapons and coordinates attacks throughout the region.

In operations yesterday:

-- A combined force in Helmand province’s Musa Qal’ah district discovered and destroyed a homemade bomb-making facility that contained about 250 pounds of ammonium nitrate, 220 feet of detonation cord, 36 main charges, 21 pressure plates and 45 power sources.

-- A combined force in Kandahar province’s Panjwa‘i district found and destroyed 2,420 pounds of marijuana.

Navy Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Sailor who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. 

Petty Officer 1st Class Chad R. Regelin, 24, of Cottonwood, Calif., died Jan. 2 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.  Regelin was assigned as an explosive ordnance disposal technician to Marine Special Operations Company Bravo.  Regelin was stationed at Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 3, San Diego, Calif. 

For further information related to this release, contact Lt. David Bennett at 619-767-1989 or 619-405-4020.

Maersk Line to Pay Us $31.9 Million to Resolve False Claims Allegations for Inflated Shipping Costs to Military in Afghanistan and Iraq

WASHINGTON – Maersk Line Limited has agreed to pay the government $31.9 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims to the United States in connection with contracts to transport cargo in shipping containers to support U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, the Justice Department announced today. The government alleges that Maersk, a wholly-owned American subsidiary of Denmark-based A.P. Moller Maersk, knowingly overcharged the Department of Defense to transport thousands of containers from ports to inland delivery destinations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The government contends that Maersk inflated its invoices in various ways. For example, Maersk allegedly billed in excess of the contractual rate to maintain the operation of refrigerated containers holding perishable cargo at a port in Karachi, Pakistan, and at U.S. military bases in Afghanistan; allegedly billed excessive detention charges (or late fees) by failing to account for cargo transit times and a contractual grace period; allegedly billed for container delivery delays improperly attributed to the U.S. government; allegedly billed for container GPS-tracking and security services that were not provided or only partially provided; and allegedly failed to credit the government for rebates of container storage fees received by Maersk’s subcontractor at a Kuwaiti port.

“Our men and women in uniform overseas deserve the highest level of support provided by fair and honest contractors,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “As the Justice Department’s continuing efforts to fight procurement fraud demonstrate, those who put profits over the welfare of members of our military will pay a hefty price.”

The settlement resolves allegations against Maersk that were filed in San Francisco by Jerry H. Brown II, a former industry insider. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals called “relators” to bring lawsuits on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the proceeds of a settlement or judgment awarded against a defendant. The relator in this action will receive $3.6 million as his statutory share of the proceeds of this settlement. In 2009, the United States resolved the relator’s allegations against shipping company APL Limited and its parent company for $26.3 million.

“Contractors that submit false claims for monies they are not owed cost the government millions of dollars every year,” said Melinda Haag, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. “This settlement should send a strong signal that the government is committed to safeguarding taxpayer funds by ensuring that contractors operate ethically and responsibly.”

The settlement with Maersk was the result of a coordinated effort among the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California; the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the Department of Defense; the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command; and the Defense Contract Audit Agency of the Department of Defense.

“Aggressively investigating any allegation of fraudulent practices, such as those taken by Maersk Line Limited in order to profit at the expense of the safety and welfare of America’s Warfighters – especially those serving in dangerous locations such as Iraq and Afghanistan – as well as the security of the United States, is the Department of Defense Inspector General’s and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service’s highest priority,” said James Burch, Deputy Inspector General for Investigations, Department of Defense Office of Inspector General. “The settlement with Maersk was only made possible through our partnership with the Army Criminal Investigation Command and the hard work by attorneys from the Department of Justice and auditors from the Defense Contract Audit Agency.”

“We are fully committed to tirelessly pursuing all those who knowingly submit false claims with respect to military contracts, particularly while our nation’s finest are at war,” said Major General David Quantock, the Provost Marshal General of the U.S. Army and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. “Our commitment is to ensure taxpayer dollars are not wasted or stolen. During the last 10 years alone, Army CID Special Agents have been instrumental in recovering and returning $2.1 billion dollars to the Treasury and the Army from fraudulent practices involving contractors.”

Afghan, Coalition Forces Capture Insurgents, Weapons, Drugs

Compiled from International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Releases

 WASHINGTON, Jan. 3, 2012 – Combined international and Afghan forces captured two Taliban leaders in Afghanistan today, military officials reported.

 A combined force in the northern province of Baghlan captured a Taliban leader in the Baghlan-e Jadid district, where he was known to operate a bomb-making cell and direct attacks against Afghan forces.

 In the south, a combined security force captured a Taliban leader and another insurgent in Helmand province’s Nahr-e Saraj district. The leader coordinated direct-fire attacks in the upper Gereshk Valley and planted roadside bombs.

 Afghan and coalition forces detained another suspected insurgent while searching for another Taliban leader who is known to distribute explosives and plan roadside-bomb attacks.

In other operations in Afghanistan:

 -- An Afghan and coalition security force captured a Haqqani Network member in Khost province’s Nadir Shah Kot district today. The man coordinated attacks against coalition forces.

 - A combined force found and destroyed two illegal drug caches while on patrol yesterday in Kandahar province’s Panjwai district. One cache had about 2,200 pounds of marijuana; the other had about 330 pounds of marijuana and about 110 pounds of marijuana seeds.

 In Jan. 1 operations:

 -- A combined force observed a roadside bomb detonation on a road in Kandahar province’s Maiwand district yesterday. Shortly after, the patrol stopped and searched a vehicle that was found to contain two explosive devices, two power sources and about 300 pounds of explosives. Security forces took the vehicle’s two occupants into custody for questioning. The security force confiscated the bombs and explosive materials for destruction at a later date.

 -- A combined patrol found three weapons caches in Uruzgan province’s Tarin Kot district. The caches consisted of 60 antipersonnel mines, three hand grenades, three rocket-propelled grenade warheads, four 60 mm mortar rounds, 10 mortar charges and more than 1,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition. Security forces destroyed a portion of the weapons on site and confiscated the rest for destruction at a later date.

 -- A combined security force seized weapons and detained multiple suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban member who moves weapons and explosives in the Zharay district of Kandahar province.

 -- In the Sherzad district of Nangarhar province, a combined security force confiscated weapons and bomb-making materials and detained multiple suspected insurgents while searching for a Taliban leader who directs a group of insurgent fighters responsible for attacks against Afghan forces.

-- A combined force detained multiple insurgents during a search for a Haqqani Network member in Logar province’s Pul-e Alam district. The man was wanted in connection with a car bomb attack last month that killed a civilian and wounded nine others in the province.

-- A combined security force captured a Haqqani Network leader and multiple other insurgent suspects in the Bermal district of Paktika province. The man is known to organize insurgent operations and provide safe passage for insurgents traveling from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

 -- A combined security force in Helmand’s Nahr-e Saraj district captured a Taliban leader who operated in both Musa Qalah and Kajaki districts, supporting insurgents and planning attacks against coalition forces. An additional suspected insurgent was detained.

-- A combined force found and destroyed 300 pounds of marijuana while on patrol in Kandahar’s Panjwai district.

 In Dec. 31 operations:

-- Combined forces in the Ghazni district of Ghazni province found and destroyed a 125 mm tank round, 39 mortar rounds, more than 400 rounds of small-arms ammunition, a rocket-propelled grenade and 29 artillery fuses.

 - A coalition security force on patrol in the Argo district of Badakhshan province found and destroyed four anti-tank mines, an 82 mm mortar round, a hand grenade and a jug of explosives.

 -- A combined patrol in the Zharay district of Kandahar province uncovered and destroyed five armed bombs with a total of 33 pounds of explosive material.

In Dec. 30 operations:

 -- A combined Afghan and coalition security force in Nangarhar’s Lalpur district found and destroyed an anti-tank mine, 25 sticks of dynamite, more than 1,000 rounds of small-arms ammunition, a fragmentation grenade, a bolt-action rifle and bomb-making materials.

 -- Coalition security forces in Kandahar’s Arghandab district found and destroyed 38 recoilless rifle rounds, eight rocket-propelled grenade warheads, 38 RPG boosters and 17 120 mm mortar rounds.

 -- An Afghan and coalition security force in Kandahar’s Zharay district captured a Taliban leader who planned attacks against Afghan forces. Multiple suspected insurgents also were detained.

 -- With coalition support, an Afghan force in Paktia province’s Gardez district captured a Taliban leader who conducted roadside-bomb attacks throughout the area. The security force seized weapons and ammunition and detained multiple suspected insurgents during the operation.

Army Casualty

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Spc. Pernell J. Herrera, 33, of Espanola, N.M., died Dec. 31, in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered in a non-combat incident.  He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, Santa Fe, N.M.

For more information, the media may contact the New Mexico Army National Guard public affairs office at 505-417-1751 or via email at Jamison.herrera@us.army.mil .