Boston-Area Pharmacy Grad Convicted of Supporting Al-Qaeda

Image via Wikipedia

By Janelle Lawrence and Don Jeffrey -

Tarek Mehanna, a pharmacy-school graduate, was convicted by a federal jury in Boston of aiding al-Qaeda and of lying to U.S. authorities about his involvement with the group.

Mehanna, 29, who earned a doctorate from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Science, was found guilty on all counts against him, including making false statements, conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization and conspiracy to kill in a foreign country.

Mehanna became an operative for al-Qaeda after traveling to Yemen in 2004 for terrorist training, prosecutors told the jury at the beginning of the trial before U.S. District Judge George O’Toole in October.

The defendant translated materials for terrorists from Arabic to English, including an Al-Qaeda manual called “39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad,” or holy war, according to prosecutors. They also said he lied to government agents about his reasons for going to Yemen. He wasn’t charged with planning or trying to carry out any terrorist attacks.

Defense lawyers told the jury that the prosecution by U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz violated their client’s right to free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Mehanna was arrested at his home in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in October 2009 and pleaded not guilty in November 2009.

Mall Plot Abandoned

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Mehanna and a friend, Ahmed Abousamra, who met at a local mosque when they were boys, discussed a plot to shoot shoppers at a mall, abandoning the plan when they couldn’t get weapons. Mehanna isn’t charged in connection with that alleged plot. Abousamra is a fugitive.

Jury finds man guilty of aiding al Qaeda

BOSTON (Reuters) – A jury on Tuesday found a Massachusetts man guilty of supporting al Qaeda by translating Arabic messages and supporting militants through traveling to Yemenfor terrorism training.Tarek Mehanna, 29, was found guilty on all seven counts against him and faces the possibility of life in prison.

Mehanna was arrested in 2009 and charged with “providing and conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.” He was also charged with conspiracy to kill in a foreign country and lying to law enforcement officers.

Prosecutors said the defendant answered a call to action from Osama bin Laden to battle U.S. soldiers.

They said he traveled to Yemen in 2004 to seek terrorism training, but never received it, and had planned to travel to Iraq to fight U.S. troops.

They also said he translated videos and texts from Arabic to English and distributed them online to further al Qaeda’s cause.

Defense attorneys said Mehanna, a U.S. citizen, was merely trying to learn more about his Muslim heritage by studying Islamic law and translating classical texts. He traveled to Yemen to visit schools where he hoped to study, they said.

Video Released Of Riot Cops Being Run Over

Detectives investigating the attempted murder of the policemen said the footage has been released to encourage people to come forward and identify those responsible.The officers were hit as they responded to reports of a group looting a clothing store at around 1am on August 8.One of the policemen suffered knee and leg injuries and the other sustained shoulder injuries……….

Video Released Of Riot Cops Being Run Over , posted with vodpod