Accused al-Qaida Member Caught in Yemen

Chicago Tribune on-line ^ | January 29, 2004 | AP

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

NEW YORK -- The last member of a group of Yemeni-American men from western New York sought by U.S. authorities for attending an al-Qaeda training camp has been taken into custody in Yemen, according to a newspaper report.

Jaber Elbaneh was being held by Yemeni authorities, and negotiations are under way for extradition, The New York Times reported in a story for Thursday editions, citing unidentified officials in Yemen and the United States.

Six men from Lackawanna pleaded guilty last year to aiding a terrorist organization by attending the camp in Afghanistan in 2001.

In December, 31-year-old Sahim Alwan was the final member of the 'Lackawanna Six' sentenced to prison, a term of 9 1/2 years. Alwan, along with Faysal Galab, Mukhtar al-Bakri, Yasein Taher, Yahya Goba and Shafal Mosed, accepted plea bargains which compelled them to cooperate in government terrorism investigations.

Authorities said there was no evidence the Lackawanna group was involved in planning or participated in any terrorist act. But the investigation into the recruiters, financiers and others who may have traveled with the group continues.

[Coop]

Outstanding! Finally nabbed the sonuvagun!

[Dog]

Hunting them down....one at a time.

[Tricorn]

Yes, but neither Yemen nor America is any safer...

-Howard Dean

[Cap Huff]

Great news!

Thanks for the ping.

[DoctorMichael]

Good. Get the little bastard back over here.

".....no evidence the Lackawanna group was involved in planning or participated in any terrorist act......"

My guess is that since they were so close to the Canadian border that would be utilized to provide al Qaeda operative's safehouses for easy access in and out of the US from our northern neighbor.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Sounds plausible to me!

[Peach]

Some good morning news. Bump.

[ConservativeMan55]

Wasn't there also a raid in Saudi Arabia this morning as well?

[Peach]

Yes, I heard there was a raid in Saudi Arabia and they caught someone (phone rang and I missed the reporting).

[Grampa Dave]

The DNC loses another hard working voter.

Remember, all of these Islamofascist thugs were registered Rats!

Just drop him off in Pakistan for questioning and save the expense of taking him to Gitmo.

[Coop]

Here's the story, from the Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Saudi Agents Killed in Security Raid

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP)--Suspected terrorists exchanged fire with Saudi security forces raiding a house in Riyadh on Thursday, killing several Saudi agents, an Interior Ministry official said. One suspect was arrested.

The shootout came amid heightened security as about 2 million Muslims from around the world flocked to the Saudi kingdom for the start of the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, or hajj.

Security forces had received a tip about the house in an eastern section of the Saudi capital and came under fire when they arrived, said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

He said one suspected terrorist was captured and an unspecified number of security agents were killed. The official gave no further details.

Saudi authorities have carried out numerous anti-terrorism raids in recent months, particularly since last year's bombings of two housing compounds for foreigners in Riyadh. Saudi and U.S. officials blamed both on al-Qaida, whose leader Osama bin Laden is a Saudi exile.

Authorities have detained hundreds of people in the crackdown on alleged militants and urged wanted persons to surrender. Saudi officials also has more publicly tried to discourage extremism in the kingdom, airing television footage of alleged militants repenting of their crimes.

AP-NY-01-29-04 1052EST

[Peach]

Thanks for finding that article. We're recovering from an ice storm and I'm playing catch up around here.

I think big things are happening in the WOT; the heat is on the bad guys and that's good.

[OrioleFan]

Yes, I voted to go to war, but I wouldn't have done it the way George Bush did.

-John Effing Kerry

[Jaguar Girl]

Great news!

[Tricorn]

LOL!!

or this:

I only voted to THREATEN to capture this guy...

-John Effing Kerry

[Sacajaweau]

Good catch. We don't want these folks in New York. It's bad enough we have someone like Hillary terrorizing us.

[Imal]

Sheesh. It's getting so you can't even go to an al-Qaeda training camp without being hassled by The Man.

[csvset]

[Boot Hill]

LOL, they can run half way 'round the world and still not get away!

--Boot Hill