Author: Sridhar Krishnaswami
Publication: The Hindu
Date: June 21, 2003
URL: http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/2003/06/21/stories/2003062102261200.htm
A Kashmir-born naturalised American
citizen has pleaded guilty to terrorism charges that include plots against
trains and perhaps the Brooklyn Bridge in New York. Iyman Faris pleaded
guilty to providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to provide
support, according to the documents that were unsealed in a district court
in Alexandria, Virginia, today.
Faris, who travelled to Pakistan
and Afghanistan and met Osama bin Laden in 2000, admitted to providing
operatives in Afghanistan with a number of items, including cell phones
and sleeping bags.
Faris came to the U.S. in 1994 and
became a naturalised American citizen in December 1999. His sentencing
has been set for August 1 and, if convicted, he could face 20 years in
jail and $ 500,000 in fines.
``The case highlights the very real
threats that still exist here at home in the United States of America in
the war against terrorism. While we're disabling Al-Qaeda, we don't believe
it is disabled,'' the Attorney-General, John Ashcroft, said at a press
conference.
He said, Faris led a ``secret double
life'', one a truck driver based in Colombus, Ohio and criss-crossing the
U.S. The other as one who ``travelled to Pakistan and Afghanistan and covertly
met with Osama bin Laden and joined Al- Qaeda's jehad (holy war) against
America, scouring sites for acts of terrorism in the United States,'' according
to Mr. Ashcroft.
The arrest of Faris, also known
as Mohammad Rauf, was made when the U.S. picked up a top Al-Qaeda operative,
Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, in Pakistan. Mohammad is seen as the mastermind
of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks. He is also believed to have planned
a series of airlines bombings with the plotting base in Manila, the Philippines.
He is now believed to be cooperating
with authorities here, particularly on the global reach of the Al-Qaeda.
Documents reveal that Faris had
sent messages to the Al- Qaeda saying that plans for attacking bridges
had to be cancelled because security was too tight and the suspension cables
did not appear vulnerable. ``The weather is too hot,'' Faris is said to
have sent in a coded message.
The Attorney-General had said that
to his knowledge Faris or members of his family had not entered the witness
protection programme, but indications are that the Al- Qaeda operative
has been cooperating with the authorities. But what is not being discussed
is if his actions and role went beyond theoretical planning into the realm
of possible execution.
For instance, he had been getting
instructions to do research on bridges and acquiring ultra-light planes
as well as trying to procure ``gas cutters'', possibly acetylene torches
that could cut cables of bridges. ``... We consider him to be a meaningful
participant in a real situation,'' Mr. Ashcroft said.
