Student faces more charges in 'battlefield jihad' case
Houston Chronicle ^ | Oct. 19, 2007 | CINDY GEORGE
chron.com
Federal prosecutors have filed additional charges against Adnan Mirza, one of the four Muslim students accused of preparing to join the Taliban to fight U.S.-led forces overseas. Mirza, 30, was accused of planning to engage in "battlefield jihad" in the Middle East and financially supporting the terrorism group.
Here on a student visa, the Pakistani originally was charged in a four-count indictment with Kobie Williams, a U.S. citizen attending the University of Houston-Downtown. Williams, 34, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and awaits sentencing.
The new 13-count indictment names Mirza alone and more completely outlines the allegations against him.
The charges include 10 firearm possession offenses, the alleged purchase of ammunition at a gun show for use during a paramilitary exercise and two conspiracy counts related to the training and financial support. He is accused of failing to secure a work visa before starting a job and overstaying his visa. The indictment also alleges that $1,000 earmarked for Taliban fighters and their families passed through Mirza's hands.
Mirza, who had been studying biomedical technology at Houston Community College before his arrest last November, engaged in firearms training eight times at Houston-area campsites and shooting ranges from May 2005 through June 2006, the indictment alleges.
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