US man held for planning to join terror group

A US citizen, allegedly travelling to Somalia to join terrorist groups like Al Qaeda to participate in "jihad" and suicide attacks targeting "infidels", was arrested hours before his departure.

Masri (26) who lived in Streeterville area of Chicago, was arrested yesterday in Illinois, without incident, by members of Chicago FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force following an 18-month investigation, US Justice Department said in a statement.

He was charged in a criminal complaint filed yesterday in US District Court in Chicago with one count each of attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organisation and trying to provide material support through use of a weapon of mass destruction, both of which are felony offences.

Masri, a US citizen, began espousing his increasingly violent views to an individual he befriended in early 2009. During the ensuing months, Masri began to openly express a desire to participate in a "jihad" and to fight against what he characterised as "infidels".

In the past month, Masri allegedly began to actively plan a trip to Somalia where he hoped to join the specially designated terrorist groups Al Qaeda and al Shabaab and commit a suicide attack targeting "infidels".

Investigation by JTTF included the use of undercover operatives and court authorised electronic surveillance of a telephone used by Masri and resulted in filing of charges announced today, the release said.

Masri appeared before US Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown in Chicago, today when he was formally charged.
He was ordered held without bond pending his next court appearance, which is scheduled for August 9, 2010.

Until then, Masri will be housed at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago. If convicted of the charges filed against him, Masri faces a possible sentence of up to 15 years incarceration on each count.

This case was investigated by JTTF comprised FBI special agents, officers from the Chicago Police Department and representatives from 20 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.