Western Resistance

« Chechnya: Jihadists Call for Offensive Against Russia | | US: Creeping Shari'a in Tennessee »

April 23, 2006

Bangladesh: Muslim Extradited To US In Georgia Jihad Case

On Friday, the FBI revealed that a 21 year old student at Georgia Tech, Syed Haris Ahmed (pictured) had been in custody since March 23, and had earlier that month in Toronto plotted with others to discuss "strategic locations in the United States suitable for a terrorist strike". The news was carried by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and also by Associated Press via Access Northga.com, the Hamilton Spectator and United Press International.

Syed Haris Ahmed, a Pakistani-born US citizen had travelled to Toronto with another US citizen of Bangladeshi origin, 19-year old Eshanul Islam Sadequee from Roswell Georgia. There they apparently met with at least three others, who were targets of FBI terrorist investigations. The pair had grown up in Atlanta.

The FBI affidavit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York on Friday (21 April). The two men had apparently planned attacks against oil refineries and military targets in the US. They intended to disrupt military and commercial communications systems, and also flight paths of aircraft by disabling the Global Positioning System. They had also planned to travel to Pakistan to attend a jihadist training camp.

Ahmed had indeed tried to travel to Pakistan before he was arrested. He is indicted for suspicion of providing material support to terrorism, and has pleaded not guilty. The indictment was unsealed on Tuesday. If convicted, he could get a maximum sentence of 15 years' jail and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sadequee was, according to Associated Press, arrested in Bangladesh last week. He is accused of making false statements in connection with false statements in connection with a US government terrorism investigation. He claimed to have traveled to Toronto on his own in January, to visit an aunt.

Ahmed's family came to the US in 1997, after winning a green-card lottery. They have denied that their son could be involved in any terrorist plot. But his sister Samia admits he had been developing his Islamic faith more seriously. "He's religious and liked the simple life. He wants us to abide by the rules. He isn't against anyone - he just doesn't want us to lose our faith," Samia Ahmed said. She said he was wishing to teach himself Arabic, in order to read the original text of the Koran. She claimed: "He was trying to learn everything. He's still very innocent in his mind. He's a child." Her brother was working at an oil and perfume stand in a Cobb County mall before his arrest at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. He had just returned from a trip to Pakistan.

According to the Bangladesh Daily Star, Sadequee's father had been frantically searching for his son, who had disappeared from Baridhara in Bangladesh on April 17. Sadequee was arrested in Dhaka by Bangladeshi intelligence agents and was given to the FBI and sent back to the US. When arrested in Dhaka, he had been intending to fly to New York. Sarder Mohammed Sharif, Sadequee's father said his son could not be involved in terrorist activities.

On Sunday, the Star reported that Mr Sharif had been asked by the US Embassy to send his son's inhaler and medicine for his asthma.

There is no extradition treaty between the United States and Bangladesh, but it is assumed that an Interpol arrest warrant was made out, and that the Bangladeshi authorities accepted this.

The latest news from Bangladesh is that Sadequee's activities in Bangladesh were suspicious, and for that reason he was deported. That is the version given by Luftozzaman Babar, the Bangladesh State Minister for Home. He explained: "No extradition treaty is needed for that. We have deported many people. Every year we extradite five to seven people to the USA. He was handed over on the basis of sufficient information and evidence about his involvement in militancy."

Moudud Ahmed, the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, said: "If the government considers him persona non grata, it can very well deport him. Not only our government, any government can do that."

A barrister from Bangladesh has said that an exchange of detainees between nations must happen as a result of an extradition treaty.

There are still questions about how Sadequee ended up in custody. He was arrested on April 17 in Dhaka, the time that his father reported him missing. Yet Mr Sardar was not aware of the fate of his son until the US news was reporting the event. He had filed an abduction case report concerning his son.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at April 23, 2006 10:46 PM

Comments

Post a comment