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Homegrown terrorist Jeffrey Leon Battle considered America the “land of the kaffirs,” or unbelievers, and the American people “pigs.” He once lamented to an acquaintance—who happened to be a government informant—that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks did not sufficiently damage the U.S. economy. “This is the land of the enemy,” he said of his own country in a May 8, 2002, conversation secretly recorded by the government. He explained to a friend how his “burning desire” to become an Islamic martyr had inspired his aborted quest to join forces with al Qaeda in Afghanistan, where he could kill American...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The final three members of a group of Muslim men from the Portland area who tried to enter Afghanistan to join the Taliban were each sentenced to prison time Monday.They were among six men and one woman accused of conspiring to wage war on the United States.Palestinian-born Maher Hawash, 39, was sentenced Monday to seven years in prison. Ahmed Bilal, 25, was sentenced to 10 years and his brother, Muhammad, 23, was sent to prison for eight years.All were given reduced terms because they cooperated with authorities.``I do not blame anybody else except myself,'' Hawash said...

Woman Sentenced in to Three Years for Helping Men Going to Aid TalibanBy Julia Silverman Associated Press WriterPublished: Dec 1, 2003 PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The lone woman among a group of American Muslims who tried to ally themselves with the Taliban was sentenced Monday to three years in prison. October Martinique Lewis, 26, was convicted of wiring money to her husband and a group of men who tried to cross into Afghanistan in 2001 to aid the Taliban in their fight against U.S. soldiers. "My heart never internalized a hurt so bad that tears are insufficient to explain how...

Judge orders release of Portland terror suspect 05/27/2003 By WILLIAM McCALL, Associated Press Writer The only woman among seven Portland-area terror suspects facing conspiracy charges for allegedly aiding al-Qaida and the Taliban was released Tuesday after a federal judge delayed their trial by three months. But October Martinique Lewis agreed to a number of restrictions, including electronic monitoring and drug tests, along with finding a job or returning to school. October Martinique Lewis (left) is one of seven Portland-area terror suspects under arrest. She will be freed until her trial. (kgw.com graphic/FBI photos) "Yes, your honor. Thank you," Lewis...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A federal grand jury has indicted seven people from the Portland area accused of conspiring to join the al-Qaida and Taliban terrorist organizations to wage war on the United States in Afghanistan. Six people were charged last fall and the seventh, Maher "Mike" Hawash, was taken into custody as a material witness last month before he was charged. The indictment lists Hawash along with Jeffrey Battle, Patrice Lumumba Ford, brothers Ahmed and Muhammad Bilal, Habis al Saoub and October Martinique Lewis. All but al Saoub are in federal custody. The indictment issued Friday supersedes previous indictments...