Madrid case leads to lawyer in Oregon

The Oregonian ^ | May 7, 2004 | Noelle Crombie and Mark Larrabee

[blam]

Sorry, my computer is to old and slow to try to watch videos. Kinda like me, lol.

[countess]

Only a few weeks ago, AvNell Mayfield said, Mr. Mayfield was telling her how upset he was by the case of Capt. James Yee, a Muslim Army chaplain who had been accused of espionage before charges were dropped. Captain Yee and Mr. Mayfield had both been stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington State and had crossed paths while stationed in Germany, she said.

"He thought that was so unfair, that our government could ruin a person like that and no public apologies were made," Mrs. Mayfield, a seventh-grade art teacher, said. "I never thought it would happen to my family."

Hillary was just talking about Captain Yee yesterday. Coincidence?

[5050 no line]

Don't forget he is Muslim. They always work weekends. They prefer to take Friday off to do the mosque thing.

[piasa]

Speaking of Moroccans:

Part of the Portland-based support came from Elmahjoub Boulhanna, 42, a Moroccan national whose role is described in the arrest affidavit. Boulhanna, who attended the Portland mosque and has since left the United States, was "assisting the families of the mujahedeen fighters who had gone to carry out jihad in Afghanistan," according to the affidavit. It said Boulhanna also provided money for the defendants' return to Oregon. Battle is quoted in the affidavit telling an informant that "Boulhanna had gained the necessary funds from his Muslim brothers in Portland." Boulhanna also hosted Battle's wife, October Lewis. She lived in the Boulhanna apartment during the weeks that she repeatedly wired money overseas to Battle to help him reach Afghanistan, according to the arrest affidavit. She also e-mailed Battle that "Mr. C said to tell you they got five more brothers trying to enter for you know what." After Battle returned to Oregon in February 2002, he and Boulhanna talked about "the need for the Muslim community to carry on a jihad." The federal affidavit said Battle later briefed Boulhanna on Al Saoub's progress, reporting that he had made it into Afghanistan. Al Saoub reportedly also was in touch with Sofiane Benziadi, 31, who also attended the Portland mosque. Benziadi told the FBI he had heard at the mosque about a group heading to Afghanistan to join the Taliban. He later recanted that statement, saying instead he heard about the group on television news, but the trip didn't become public until nine months after his original statement to investigators. Benziadi also said Al Saoub called him in late 2001 but kept the conversation general and didn't disclose where he was. Al Saoub worried the FBI was monitoring Benziadi's phone, according to the arrest affidavit. Benziadi subsequently left the country following his arrest on immigration violations. Boulhanna and Benziadi were listed in a defense court filing as possible co-conspirators. Also listed were Ilir Koni, an Albanian who was among the men found shooting weapons at a Clark County gravel pit in the days after Sept. 11, 2001. Koni has left the country. - "FBI affidavit alleges American imam bankrolled jihad plot, " by LES ZAITZ , oregonlive.com , 08/23/03 , http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/978983/posts