The U.S. Justice Department released the below
information:
A federal grand jury returned an indictment
today charging an Alexandria man with conspiring and attempting to provide
material support to al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization operating in Somalia.
According to court documents,
Liban Haji Mohamed, 34, a Somali-born naturalized United States citizen,
allegedly left the United States in July 2012 with the intent to join
al-Shabaab in East Africa. Al-Shabaab is a Somali-based insurgent and terrorist
group that has claimed responsibility for many bombings in Somalia and Uganda
and is known to have recruited Westerners. According to court documents,
Mohamed allegedly attempted to recruit an undercover agent to travel to Somalia
to provide combat training to al-Shabaab fighters. Mohamed also allegedly
planned to use his own media skills to improve al-Shabaab’s propaganda machine,
which it has used to recruit Westerners. Mohamed was a close associate of
convicted terrorist Zachary Chesser, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison
for attempting to provide material support to al-Shabaab.
In July 2012, Interpol, the
world’s largest international police organization, issued a red notice seeking
Mohamed as a wanted fugitive. In January 2015, the FBI announced the
addition of Mohamed to the “Most Wanted Terrorists” list, and is offering a
reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of
Mohamed.
Mohamed is charged with
conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign
terrorist organization. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 30
years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less
than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine
any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other
statutory factors.
Individuals with information
concerning Mohamed are asked to contact the FBI or the nearest American Embassy
or Consulate. Tips can be submitted anonymously at https://tips.fbi.gov.
Additional information regarding Mohamed, including a poster with his picture,
and the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorists” list can be found at: http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/terrorists/fugitives.htm.
Assistant Attorney General for
National Security John C. Demers, G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the
Eastern District of Virginia, and Larissa L. Knapp, Special Agent in Charge of
the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys James P. Gillis and John T. Gibbs, and Trial
Attorney Rebecca A. Magnone for the National Security Division’s
Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an
accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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