Ohio Men Arrested For Terrorist Activity

"Toledo-Area Men Arrested for Terrorist Activity"

Feb 21, 2006
WTOL

"TOLEDO -- A federal grand jury has indicted three Toledo-area
men for terrorist activities. Prosecutors say the three conspired to wage a
"holy war" against the United States and coalition forces in the middle
east. The indictment was unsealed Monday.

The U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is expected to
release more details at a news conference this afternoon in Washington D.C.

According to the indictment from the US Attorney's office, the
suspects are Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim
Mazloum. The indictment says all three were living in the Toledo area.
Amawi is a citizen of the US and also a citizen of Jordan. El-Hindi is a
naturalized American citizen who was born in Jordan. Mazloum is a legal
permanent resident of the US, who came here from Lebanon.

The indictment also names an unindicted co-conspirator called
"The Trainer," who has U.S. military background in security, and bodyguard
training.

In count 1 of the indictment, prosecutors say the three met
together many times, going back as far as November 2005. The three
reportedly conspired to recruit and train others for a violent jihad against
United States forces and US allies in Iraq. They also reportedly put
together the funding needed for the operation, and collected the equipment
needed.

Prosecutors also say the three communicated by computer with an
individual in the Middle East, passing information about potential attacks
and terrorist training materials back and forth, as well as communication
about potential weapons and targets. ******

In count 2, the grand jury found that the three had similar
plans to kill US citizens abroad in addition to service members.

The last two counts in the indictment dealt specifically with
Mohammad Zaki Amawi. One count said Amawi distributed information on
bomb-making, which in itself is a federal crime. Prosecutors also said he
verbally threatened President George W. Bush. Those crimes are separate
from the conspiracy.

The indictment was filed with Judge James Carr in Federal Court
in Toledo. The Justice Department says Amawi is being held at a jail in
Cleveland, and will be arraigned in Cleveland some time this afternoon.
El-Hindi and Mazloum are being held in a jail in Toledo. They are expected
in Toledo's Federal Court this afternoon."
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DSH

D. Spencer Hines