Former U.S. sailor who leaked secrets about U.S., Cdn navy ships indicted
The Canadian Press
JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN
topix.net
March 21, 2007
(CP) - A former U.S. navy sailor arrested two weeks ago was indicted Wednesday on charges of supporting terrorism by giving a suspected terrorism financier secret information about the location of U.S., Canadian navy ships and the best ways to attack them.
Hassan Abujihaad was charged with one count of providing material support to terrorists with intent to kill U.S. citizens and one count of disclosing classified information relating to the national defence.
Abujihaad, 31, was arrested March 7 in Phoenix, where he was apparently working as a delivery man, and is expected to appear in court Friday. Messages seeking comment were left Wednesday with his lawyers.
The classified information involved a navy battle group scheduled to move from California to the Middle East in the spring of 2001 to engage in missions against al-Qaida and the Taliban, according to the indictment.
The battle group included HMCS Winnipeg, a multi-role patrol frigate.
The material included a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz, which links the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, at night under a communications blackout, the indictment states.
"The information set forth in the battle group document, including advance knowledge of the location and movements, missions, personnel and capabilities of the ships, has significant implications for force protection and would be very useful to terrorists attempting to plan an attack," the indictment states.
The investigation began at an Internet service provider in Connecticut and followed a suspected terrorist network across the country and into Europe and the Middle East.
Abujihaad, also known as Paul Hall, is charged in the same case as Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist arrested in 2004 and accused of running websites to raise money for terrorism. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.
During a search of Ahmad's computers, investigators discovered files containing classified information about the positions of U.S. navy ships and discussing their susceptibility to attack.
Abujihaad, a former enlisted man, exchanged e-mails with Ahmad while on active duty on the USS Benfold, a guided-missile destroyer, in 2000 and 2001, according to an FBI affidavit. In those e-mails, Abujihaad discussed naval briefings and praised Osama bin Laden and those who attacked the USS Cole in 2000, according to the affidavit.
One of the memos noted the Winnipeg carried 150 personnel and specialized in anti-air warfare.
It added the Canadian sailors were armed with MP5 submachine-guns and 9 mm pistols.
Abujihaad received an honourable discharge from the navy in 2002, according to the affidavit.
If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.
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