FBI Seeks Assistance in Locating Wanted Fugitive Ahmad Abousamra

www.fbi.gov/boston/press-releases/2012/fbi-seeks-assistance-in-locating-wanted-fugitive-ahmad-abousamra

BOSTON—FBI Boston Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers announced today that the FBI is seeking the public’s assistance to locate wanted terrorist Ahmad Abousamra, a U.S. citizen from Mansfield, Massachusetts who left the United States in 2006. He may be living in Aleppo, Syria, with his wife, at least one child (a daughter), and extended family.

A reward of up to $50,000 is being offered for information leading to his arrest.

Abousamra was first indicted in 2009 after taking multiple trips to Pakistan and Yemen, where he allegedly attempted to obtain military training for the purpose of killing American soldiers overseas. He also traveled to Iraq with the hope of joining forces fighting against the United States. The exact nature of his activities in Iraq is unknown.

On November 5, 2009, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Abousamra after he was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, conspiracy, false statements, and aiding and abetting. In 2010, he and his co-conspirator were charged in a superseding indictment with an additional single count each of conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, namely al Qaeda. In total, Abousamra was indicted on nine charges.

In 2011 Abousamra’s co-conspirator, Tarek Mehanna, was convicted by a federal jury on four terrorism charges and three charges related to providing false information to the government. In April 2012, Mehanna was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison.

“Conspiring to use force or violence to achieve a political or social goal violates our cherished ideal of peaceful dissent. Our goal is to find and arrest Abousamra so he can be tried by a jury of his peers,” said Special Agent in Charge DesLauriers. “We believe publicizing Abousamra’s photo and characteristics will lead to a tip about his whereabouts and, ultimately, to his arrest.”

Abousamra is of Syrian descent and has dual citizenship in the United States and Syria. He was born in France on September 19, 1981, and is currently 31 years old. He is 5’11” tall and at the time of his disappearance weighed approximately 170 pounds, had a slim build, dark brown hair, and brown eyes. He speaks, reads, and writes fluently in English and Arabic. He has a college degree related to computer technology and was previously employed at a telecommunications company.

His known aliases include Ahmad Abou-Samra, Ahmad Abou, Ahmad Abou Samira, Ahmad Samra, Ahmad Abu Samra, and Ahmad Abou Samra.

“Since one of the FBI’s earliest terrorism investigations—the 1920 anarchist bombing that killed more than 30 people on Wall Street—the FBI has known that combining the reach and power of the media with alert citizens is a successful formula for identifying suspects and catching fugitives,” said Special Agent in Charge DesLauriers. “Knowing that the public is the FBI’s best ally in finding fugitives, we’re requesting their assistance to locate Ahmad Abousamra.

Today’s announcement is part of a comprehensive publicity campaign using traditional media as well as the FBI’s 673,000 Facebook and Twitter social media followers to generate tips from the public. The FBI will also use limited advertising on a social media site to reach an overseas demographic.

For more information regarding our search for Ahmad Abousamra, including his Wanted poster, radio podcast, audio clip, and video, visit www.fbi.gov/boston.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or (617) 742-5533, submitting at tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov, or by calling their local FBI office or the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

- See related story for more information, including video, audio, podcast, and Wanted poster

Note: Wanted Poster, Audio Clip and other info here at this link.

NOTE The following text is a quote:

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/october/help-us-catch-a-terrorist/help-us-catch-a-terrorist

View Wanted Poster | Press Release

Help Us Catch a Terrorist
U.S. Citizen Wanted for Supporting Al Qaeda

10/03/12

The FBI today announced a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Ahmad Abousamra, a U.S. citizen from Massachusetts charged with traveling to Pakistan and Yemen to seek military training so he could kill American soldiers.

“Knowing that the public is the FBI’s best ally in finding fugitives, today we’re requesting your assistance to locate Abousamra,” said Richard DesLauriers, special agent in charge of our Boston office.

Listen

- Ahmad Abousamra Voice Clip
- Podcast: Investigator Discusses Case

Abousamra is charged with conspiracy to provide material support or resources to al Qaeda. He was indicted in 2009 for taking multiple trips to Pakistan and Yemen in 2002 and 2004 to seek jihad training. He also traveled to Iraq with the hope of joining forces fighting against Americans overseas. Abousamra left the U.S. in 2006 and may be living in living in Aleppo, Syria with his wife, at least one daughter, and extended family.

Abousamra’s co-conspirator, Tarek Mehanna, was convicted of terrorism charges by a federal jury in December 2011 and sentenced last April to 17.5 years in prison.

“Both men were self-radicalized and used the Internet to educate themselves,” said Special Agent Heidi Williams, a member of our Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in Boston who has been working the case since 2006. “They came to it independently, but once they found each other, they encouraged each other’s beliefs,” Williams said, adding that both Abousamra and Mehanna were inspired by the 9/11 terror attacks. “They celebrated it,” she said.

Abousamra is of Syrian descent and has dual U.S. and Syrian citizenship. He is 31 years old, 5’11” tall, and at the time of his disappearance weighed about 170 pounds. He has dark brown hair and brown eyes. He is fluent in English and Arabic, has a college degree related to computer technology, and was previously employed at a telecommunications company. Abousamra last lived in the U.S. in a prosperous Boston suburb and has family members in the Detroit, Michigan area.

One of his distinguishing characteristics is his higher-pitched voice, which can be heard on our website.

Transcript | Download

Today’s announcement is part of a publicity campaign employing traditional and social media to seek the public’s assistance. We are using social media to reach an overseas audience—information about Abousamra such as photos and audio clips can be found on the website and our Facebook, You Tube, and Twitter pages.

“Combining the reach and power of multiple media platforms is a powerful way to inform the public about our search,” DesLauriers said. “We believe publicizing Abousamra’s photo and characteristics will lead to a tip about his whereabouts and, ultimately, to his arrest.”

Thomas Daly, a sergeant with the Lowell Police Department in Massachusetts and a task force officer on the Boston JTTF since 2002, said catching Abousamra “will close the chapter on this story. We had two people who were planning to harm U.S. soldiers overseas,” Daly said, referring to Abousamra and Mehanna. “These two were actively radicalizing others. We can only assume Abousamra is still on the same path and remains a threat to our soldiers overseas.”

We need your help. If you have any information regarding Ahmad Abousamra, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also submit a tip electronically on our website.

Resources:
- FBI Boston Press Release Announcing $50,000 Reward

- Tarek Mehanna Sentenced in Boston to 17 Years in Prison on Terrorism-Related Charges

- Superseding Indictment Charges Two Men with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization

- Two Men Charged with Material Support to Terrorists, Conspiracy to Kill in a Foreign Country, and Other Offenses

Previously...

http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/abousamra/index

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2538568/posts

Quote:

Superseding Indictment Charges Two Men with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to...
Boston.FBI.gov - DOJ Press Release ^ | June 17, 2010 | n/a
Posted on June 21, 2010 1:18:29 AM PDT by Cindy

NOTE The following text is a quote:
Superseding Indictment Charges Two Men with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391905/posts

NO BAIL FOR ALLEGED SUDBURY TERROR PLOTTER

BOSTON.com - BOSTON GLOBE ^ | November 18, 2009, 05:46 pm | y Shelley Murphy and Martin Finucane
Posted on November 22, 2009 1:10:44 AM PST by Cindy

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367836/posts

Feds: Sudbury man planned terror attacks on malls

My Fox Boston ^ | 10/21/09 | Mike Levine
Posted on October 21, 2009 1:58:09 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants
BOSTON

Note: Photos on wanted poster at link.

Quote:

www.fbi.gov/wanted/wanted_terrorists/ahmad-abousamra/view

FBI.gov - Most Wanted Terrorists

Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorists; Providing and Attempting to Provide Material Support to Terrorists; Conspiracy to Kill in a Foreign Country; Conspiracy; False Statements

AHMAD ABOUSAMRA

Subject Image Subject Image Subject Image
Photograph taken in 2004 Photograph taken in 2002 Photograph taken in 2002
Multimedia: Images

Aliases:
Ahmad Abou-Samra, Abu Fadl, Ahmad Abou, Ahmad Abou Samira, Ahmad Samra, Ahmad Abu Samra, Ahmad Abou Samra

DESCRIPTION
Date(s) of Birth Used:
September 19, 1981
Place of Birth: France
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 170 pounds
Build: Slim
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Brown
Sex: Male
Citizenship: Syrian, United States
Languages:
English;
Arabic

Remarks: Abousamra grew up near Boston, Massachusetts, and also has ties to the Detroit, Michigan, area. Abousamra is thought to have left the United States in 2006, and may now be living in Aleppo, Syria. He may be with his wife and at least one child, a young daughter.

CAUTION

Ahmad Abousamra was indicted after taking multiple trips to Pakistan and Yemen where he allegedly attempted to obtain military training for the purpose of killing American soldiers overseas. On November 5, 2009, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Abousamra in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, after he was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists; providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists; conspiracy to kill in a foreign country; conspiracy; and false statements.

REWARD

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading directly to the capture and return of Ahmad Abousamra to the United States.

SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS

If you have any information concerning this person, please contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.

Field Office: Boston

Poster Classification: Most Wanted Terrorists

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