Three American Muslims were convicted Thursday for a conspiracy to aid the Taliban in its fight against U.S. troops, convictions that will result in the longest prison terms the government has obtained in its war on terrorism following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
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Bernie Grimm, who represented Khan, said the case was the result of "9-11 hysteria."
"If I thought Mr. Khan had any role in aligning himself with Islamic extremists, I never would have represented him," he said. "This has to do with John Ashcroft, with George Bush getting re-elected. ... Today I'm embarrassed to be an American."
Three Convicted in Va. Jihad Case
By Matthew Barakat
Associated Press
Thursday, March 4, 2004; 6:43 PM
Three American Muslims were convicted Thursday for a conspiracy to aid the Taliban in its fight against U.S. troops, convictions that will result in the longest prison terms the government has obtained in its war on terrorism following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
The government obtained convictions on all of the most serious charges it filed against the three men: Masoud Khan, 32, of Gaithersburg, Md.; Seifullah Chapman, 31, of Alexandria; and Hammad Abdur-Raheem, 35, of Falls Church. All three face a potential maximum of life in prison.
All three were acquitted on some lesser firearms charges and charges of commencing an expedition against a friendly nation.
Khan, who faced the most serious charges, was convicted of conspiracy to levy war against the United States and conspiracy to contribute services to the Taliban. All told, he faces a maximum of life plus 50 years, and related firearms convictions require mandatory minimum sentences of 90 years.
Chapman and Abdur-Raheem were convicted of providing material support to a Pakistani terrorist organization called Lashkar-e-Taiba and firearms charges. Chapman faces a manadatory minimum sentence of 35 years; Abdur-Raheem does not face a mandatory minimum.
Prosecutors said the three were part of a "Virginia jihad network" that used paintball games in 2000 and 2001 to train for holy war around the globe. After the Sept. 11 attacks, the group turned its intentions toward America, and several members, including Khan, traveled to Pakistan in the days after the attacks to train with Lashkar in the hopes of joining the Taliban and fighting against the United States.
Two defendants -- Chapman and Abdur-Raheem -- testified in their own defense and said the paintball games were innocent fun and fellowship among a group of Muslim friends. Chapman admitted attending the Lashkar camp in August 2001 but said he did so not to train for holy war but for a grueling physical challenge in the rugged Pakistani mountains.
Khan did not testify, but his lawyers denied any hostile intent.
U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who imposed the convictions, said she did not believe Chapman and Abdur-Raheem's testimony.
"I could not find the testimony of the two defendants credible," calling their assertions that they were unaware of any hostile intentions "deliberate ignorance."
All three defendants waived their right to a jury trial, leaving Brinkema to decide guilt or innocence.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said the convictions are "a stark reminder that terrorist organizations are active in the United States. ... We will not stand by as United States citizens support terrorist causes."
Abdur-Raheem's father, King Lyon, said the government's case was "cerebral," meaning prosecutors tried to read the minds of the defendants and show hostile intent.
"As far as my son is concerned, not for one minute do I believe that he had in his head any intent to do harm to this country," Lyon said. "The guilty verdict was based on this broad conspiracy. Let's hope this doesn't happen again and let's hope this serves as a warning to everyone that these are different times we live in."
Muslim activists, at a press conference outside the courthouse, echoed Lyon's sentiment that American Muslims are treated with unfair suspicion by the Justice Department since the Sept. 11 attacks.
Shaker Elsayed, secretary general of the Muslim American Council, said the verdicts were an example of "U.S. Justice Department rule by paranoia."
Bernie Grimm, who represented Khan, said the case was the result of "9-11 hysteria."
"If I thought Mr. Khan had any role in aligning himself with Islamic extremists, I never would have represented him," he said. "This has to do with John Ashcroft, with George Bush getting re-elected. ... Today I'm embarrassed to be an American."
Because of the mandatory minimum sentences, Khan and Chapman will receive significantly longer terms than "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh, who struck a plea bargain in the same courthouse in July 2002 that resulted in a 20-year sentence. The core charge against Lindh -- providing support to the Taliban -- is identical to one of the core charges against Khan.
U.S. Attorney Paul McNulty said after the verdict he was extremely pleased with the convictions, and said it is improper to compare this charge to other terror cases.
"I think the results of this case speak for themselves," McNulty said.
A fourth defendant, Caliph Basha ibn Abdur-Raheem, had been acquitted on all charges earlier in the trial after Brinkema said she saw no evidence linking him to the conspiracy in any meaningful way.
Six members of the alleged conspiracy have already pleaded guilty to various charges, receiving prison sentences ranging from 4 years to 11 1/2 years. Five of those who struck pleas testified for the prosecution.