FOX CT : In A Reversal, Terror Suspects Agree To Plead Guilty

In A Reversal, Terror Suspects Agree To Plead Guilty

By EDMUND H. MAHONY | emahony@courant.com | The Hartford Courant | December 5, 2013

NEW HAVEN -— Two British nationals have agreed to plead guilty next week to terror-related charges accusing them of developing a ground-breaking Internet network to raise money, recruits and equipment for groups waging holy war in the Middle East.

The decisions to admit guilt by Babar Ahmad, 38, and Syed Talha Ahsan, 34, both of London, appear to end a decade-long legal fight by the two. They challenged extradition to the U.S., first in the British courts and later in the European Court of Human Rights, arguing that long sentences in high-security U.S. prisons would violate their human rights.

Ahmad and Ahsan are accused of operating a groundbreaking network of Internet sites known as Azzam publications that attracted sympathizers and support to the jihadist cause from around the world. Terror experts said the operators of the Azzam sites had direct access to leaders of the Chechen mujahedeen, the Taliban in Afghanistan and associated groups, and used it to support radical holy warriors.

Among other things, U.S. and British authorities found a document describing the classified movements of a U.S. Navy battle group operating in the Middle East during a search of Ahmad's home in London in 2003.

Ahmad and Ahsan are being prosecuted in the U.S. and, in particular, Connecticut, because of the role U.S. authorities played in closing the Azzam network and because the computer network's electronic communications passed through a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

They were extradited to the U.S. a year ago, with three other men suspected of terror plots in the U.S. or targeting U.S. citizens abroad,

Ahmad and Ahsan faced life sentences if convicted after a trial. In their agreements with federal prosecutors, the two agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists. The charges carry maximum sentences of 15 years.

Indictments in the case accuse the two, through their network of Azzam websites, of promoting violent jihad and distributing jihadi training manuals, interviews with al-Qaida and Chechen leaders and martyrdom videos of fallen jihadists.

Azzam also raised money through the sale of violent video recordings, filmed by jihadists, of battle scenes and the executions of Russian prisoners in Chechnya, formerly part of the Soviet Union.

Ahmad and Ahsan are accused of providing, directly or through the Azzam network, military equipment, communications equipment, lodging, training, safe houses, transportation, false identity documents and other supplies to terrorists and their recruits.

The Azzam network previously was a subject of a federal terror trial in New Haven in 2008, in a case that resulted in the conviction of Hassan Abu-jihaad, a Californian and convert to Islam. While serving as a signalman in the U.S. Navy, Abu-jihaad transmitted to Azzam the anticipated movements of U.S. warships as they moved through the 21-mile-wide Strait of Hormuz in 2001.

Abu-jihaad, drawn to Azzam through its bloody battlefield videos, was convicted of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing national defense information. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

A government terror expert who testified against Abu-jihaad said that Azzam was the premier jihadist site on the Internet while it operated.

"The reason the website was so credible was that it had real access," said Evan Kohlmann, a terror consultant who has worked with the U.S. government. "It wasn't just reprocessing material that it had gotten elsewhere. It was generating original jihadist content and it was incredibly powerful material."

Ahmad and Ahsan, computer engineers in London before their arrests, are accused of working on the Azzam network from about 1997 until authorities closed it in 2004. Before that, Ahmad fought with Islamist forces in Bosnia.

Tens of thousands of Britons joined their fight against extradition to the U.S. The men and their supporters believe that the two should be tried in the United Kingdom because that is where they are accused of committing offenses.

Copyright © 2013, The Hartford Courant

KTAR : UK terror suspect wins payout for police beating

UK terror suspect wins payout for police beating

By RAPHAEL G. SATTER | Associated Press | March 18th, 2009

LONDON (AP) - A British terror suspect fighting extradition to the United States was awarded thousands of pounds (dollars) in compensation Wednesday for being assaulted by police during his 2003 arrest.

Computer specialist Babar Ahmad, 34, will receive 60,000 pounds (more than $80,000) in damages after lawyers for Scotland Yard acknowledged that he was subject to gratuitous violence and religious abuse by officers who burst into his southwest London home in a dawn raid on Dec. 2, 2003.

The police admitted that officers repeatedly attacked Ahmad even though he offered no resistance, putting him in a neckhold, wrenching him around by his handcuffs and pulling his testicles.

At one point officers forced him into a Muslim praying position, and one screamed: "Where is your God now?" according to Phillippa Kaufmann, Ahmad's lawyer.

She said the assault continued in a police van as Ahmad was driven to a central London police station.

"You'll remember this day for the rest of your life, do you understand me, you (expletive) bastard?" one officer told him, according to Kaufmann.

Ahmad was released without charge but was re-arrested in August 2004 on a U.S. extradition warrant. He remains in custody.

American officials accused the Pakistani native of running Web sites to raise money for the Taliban, appealing for fighters and providing equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles to terrorists.

Ahmad was also a key figure in the trial of a former U.S. sailor accused of revealing classified information about the movement of Navy vessels and their vulnerability to attack.

Prosecutors had accused Hassan Abu-Jihaad of Phoenix of communicating with Ahmad while on active duty on a U.S. destroyer in 2000 and 2001.

Abu-Jihaad allegedly discussed naval military briefings and praised those who attacked the USS Cole off Yemen in 2000. Officials said a search of Ahmad's computers showed files containing classified information about the positions of Navy ships and discussing their vulnerability to attack.

Abu-Jihaad denied the charges. He was convicted by a Connecticut jury of leaking secret information and providing material support to terrorists in March 2008, but a federal judge overturned the terror conviction this month.

Ahmad's extradition was approved by British officials in November 2005 but he is still battling the move.

Relatives released a statement on Babar Ahmad's behalf saying he was pleased with the judgment.

"I can now put this incident behind me and focus on the fight to prevent my extradition to the United States," the statement said.

(Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

WSJ : U.S. Blocks Former Sailor's Request for New Trial

U.S. Blocks Former Sailor's Request for New Trial

December 22, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Federal prosecutors said a former Navy sailor was properly convicted of leaking details about ship movements to suspected terrorist supporters and shouldn't get a new trial.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad was the only member of the military communicating with the group and had access to the classified information, prosecutors said in new court documents in New Haven. Mr. Abu-Jihaad was convicted in March of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information.

Mr. Abu-Jihaad, who was a signalman aboard the USS Benfold, was accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001. The details also included statements such as, "They have nothing to stop a small craft with RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) etc., except their SEALs' stinger missiles."

The ship wasn't attacked.

The leak came amid increased wariness on the part of U.S. Navy commanders whose ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole.

Mr. Abu-Jihaad, who is from Phoenix, sought a new trial in October, saying prosecutors lacked evidence and inflamed the jury by playing videos he had purchased that promoted violent jihad, or holy war. The case is before the U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn. because the internet service provider where the investigation started was based in Connecticut.

Prosecutors argued in court papers Friday that limited portions of the videos were properly introduced to show Mr. Abu-Jihaad's intent. They said the glorification of martyrs on the videos helped resolve a likely question by the jury over why Mr. Abu-Jihaad would provide information that could be used to launch a deadly attack on his own ship.

Authorities say there was sufficient evidence for a conviction.

They cited one e-mail he wrote to the suspected terrorism supporters in which he called the attack on the USS Cole a "martyrdom operation" and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."

Prosecutors said Mr. Abu-Jihaad also made coded references to providing support for attacking U.S. military bases.

Authorities said the information had to have been leaked by an insider because it was not publicly known and contained military jargon. The leaked documents closely matched what Mr. Abu-Jihaad would have had access to as a signalman, authorities said.

Authorities also noted that the leaked information ended with a bold plea, "Please destroy message," that was further proof it came from an insider.

Mr. Abu-Jihaad's attorneys acknowledged he held what many would consider radical beliefs, but said his emails do not prove he leaked the details of the ship movements. They said the leaked details were full of errors that Mr. Abu-Jihaad would not have made.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from a suspected terrorist supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities.

Mr. Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Mr. Ahmad, who lived with his parents where the computer file was allegedly found, is to be extradited to the U.S.

Mr. Abu-Jihaad, who was honorably discharged in 2002, faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in February.

Copyright © 2008 Associated Press

Newsday : Convicted former sailor seeks new trial

Convicted former sailor seeks new trial

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | Associated Press Writer | October 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - A former Navy sailor convicted of leaking details about ship movements to suspected terrorist supporters sought a new trial Friday, saying prosecutors lacked evidence and inflamed the jury.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad filed the motion in U.S. District Court in New Haven, where he was convicted in March of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information.

Abu-Jihaad, who was a signalman aboard the USS Benfold, was accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001. The details also included statements such as, "They have nothing to stop a small craft with RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) etc., except their SEALS' stinger missiles."

The ship was not attacked.

Abu-Jihaad says there was no proof he leaked the information and that prosecutors inflamed the jury by playing videos he had purchased that promoted a violent jihad, or holy war.

"Playing the video tapes that he purchased added nothing to the government's proof and merely inflamed the prejudices of the jury," Abu-Jihaad's attorneys wrote. "Moreover, since the defendant was not on trial for committing terrorist acts, the admission into evidence of violent acts of terror (and torture) created a significant and unnecessary risk of undue prejudice."

His attorneys cited a federal appeals court decision Thursday that overturned the convictions of a Yemeni cleric and his deputy, finding they were prejudiced by inflammatory testimony about unrelated links to terrorism.

Prosecutors said they would respond in court.

The leak came amid increased wariness on the part of U.S. Navy commanders whose ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole.

Prosecutors said Abu-Jihaad sympathized with the enemy and acknowledged disclosing military intelligence. But they acknowledged they did not have direct proof that he leaked the details about the ship movements.

Authorities said those had to have been leaked by an insider because they were not publicly known and contained military jargon. The leaked documents closely matched what Abu-Jihaad would have had access to as a signalman, authorities said.

Prosecutors also said Abu-Jihaad was the only member of the military who was communicating with the alleged terrorist supporters. They cited one e-mail in which he called the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 a "martyrdom operation" and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."

Abu-Jihaad's attorneys acknowledged he held what many would consider radical beliefs, but said his e-mails do not prove he leaked the details of the ship movements. They said the leaked details were full of errors that Abu-Jihaad would not have made.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from a suspected terrorist supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad, who lived with his parents where the computer file was allegedly found, is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad, who was honorably discharged in 2002, faces up to 25 years in prison when he is sentenced in December.

The Conservative Voice : Terrorist Espionage at Sea

Terrorist Espionage at Sea

by Jim Kouri, CPP | March 11, 2008

As a task force of US battleships steamed towards the Middle East in the spring of 2001 on a mission to patrol the Persian Gulf, a sailor aboard one of those vessels was pursuing an entirely different mission.

His name was Hassan Abu-Jihaad, and he was serving as a signalman aboard the USS Benfold. Little did anyone know at the time, he was also a homegrown radical who was secretly in touch with al Qaeda financiers, sharing classified details about the vulnerabilities and movements of the battleships just six months after al Qaeda operatives had killed 17 Americans aboard the USS Cole in the port of Yemen.

Abu-Jihaad’s traitorous actions were recently recounted in a Connecticut court, leading to his conviction last Wednesday on twin national security crimes: espionage and material terrorism support.

We learned about Abu-Jihaad in December 2003, when British authorities raided the apartment of Babar Ahmad, a Briton later charged with raising money for al Qaeda through a London-based organization called Azzam Publications. Its former website, www.azzam.com, was hosted on servers in Connecticut.

In Ahmad’s flat was a floppy disk with a password-protected document detailing what was then classified information about the travels and security weaknesses of the USS Benfold and the sister ships in its convoy. That document, it was proved at trial, was sent by Abu-Jihaad while aboard the Benfold, endangering the lives of his own shipmates and countless others.

The investigation—worked jointly by the New Haven Joint Terrorist Task Force and the Connecticut Department of Homeland Security in close cooperation with FBI offices in Phoenix and Chicago and a host of partners in the US and overseas—also uncovered a trail of e-mail messages sent by Abu-Jihaad expressing support for Osama bin Laden, praising the Cole attack, recounting a security briefing on his vessel, and ordering various jihadist videos and other materials from Azzam.

Using court-authorized wiretaps, we monitored Abu-Jihaad’s conversations following his honorable discharge from the Navy. Among what we learned:

In one conversation, Abu-Jihaad said that he hadn’t “been in the field of making meals” for more than four years; “meals” was his code word for his ability to provide inside information on US military targets. He also warned associates not to talk about jihad over the telephone or Internet because they were “tapped.”

In Chicago, Abu-Jihaad roomed with Derrick Shareef, who later pled guilty to plotting to attack a suburban mall using hand grenades during the 2006 holiday season. Our wiretaps revealed that Abu-Jihaad discussed attacking military targets in Phoenix and San Diego with Shareef. It was fortunate that the information Abu-Jihaad provided to terrorist supporters didn’t lead to the loss of any American lives. But it well could have…and Abu-Jihaad will now face up to 25 years in prison for his radically inspired actions.

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.

He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com and PHXnews.com. He's also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri's own website is located at jimkouri.us

Examiner : Jury Gets Instructions in Terror Case

Jury Gets Instructions in Terror Case

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The attorney for a former Navy sailor tried to show Monday that many details of ship movements he is accused of leaking to suspected terrorism supporters were publicly available through news reports, press releases and Web sites.

The former sailor, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have endangered his own ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, and other ships. He was a Navy signalman and was honorably discharged in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

The defense rested Monday and the jury was getting instructions.

The only witness the defense called was a researcher, Molly Knight Raskin.

She testified Monday about an article in a San Diego newspaper that detailed the departure of Abu-Jihaad's battle group and listed ships that would be deploying. The paper also had a column that allowed readers to follow a battle group's movements.

On cross-examination, Knight Raskin said the column included only a ship's present location, not its future movements, and was at one point discontinued due to security concerns.

She testified that she found several other Web sites and articles indicating that the battle group would deploy March 15, 2001. A press release from the Canadian military indicated that one of its ships would participate in the deployment and would leave that day.

Prosecutors acknowledge they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but they cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Navy officials have testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from a suspected terrorism supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities. The file ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Jury in Phoenix ex-sailor's terror trial ends day with no verdict

Jury in Phoenix ex-sailor's terror trial ends day with no verdict

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 4, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Jurors deciding the fate of a former Navy sailor charged with leaking details of ship movements to suspected terrorists ended their first day of deliberations Tuesday without reaching a verdict.

They got the case Tuesday morning after six days of testimony about Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix.

He has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

Abu-Jihaad, who did not take the stand, was a Navy signalman honorably discharged in 2002. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

On Tuesday, jurors asked to again hear tapes of secretly recorded phone calls in which Abu-Jihaad spoke of "fresh meals" and "cold meals" that an FBI informant said were references to intelligence related to military bases. A "fresh meal" referred to useful information, while "cold meal" was code for outdated intelligence, prosecutors said.

"I ain't been working in the field of making meals in a long time," Abu-Jihaad said in a 2006 call played in court. "I've been out of that quatro years."

Authorities said the call was an admission that Abu-Jihaad provided such intelligence while in the Navy four years earlier.

But during the trial, his attorney rejected the claim that Abu-Jihaad admitted to leaking Navy secrets, saying the conversation cited by prosecutors occurred many years later and it was not clear what Abu-Jihaad was referring to.

Earlier in the day, jurors sent word that they needed answers to two questions. One was when Azzam Publications, a Web site allegedly run by terrorism supporters, shut down. The answer was in approximately 2002. Abu-Jihaad is accused of ordering violent videos from the site.

They also wanted to know whether a signalman like Abu-Jihaad would be able to send and receive messages from his personal e-mail account while at sea. Testimony indicated that a computer terminal where signalmen were stationed had Internet access.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Jury hears closing arguments in ex-sailor's terrorism trial

Jury hears closing arguments in ex-sailor's terrorism trial

The Associated Press | March 4, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Final arguments were presented today in federal court in Connecticut in the terrorism trial of a former Navy signalman accused of leaking ship movements to suspected terrorists.

Federal prosecutors urged the jury to convict 32-year-ol Hassan Abu-Jihaad of Phoenix, saying he sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence during taped phone calls with associates.

But Abu-Jihaad's attorney says the four-year investigation failed to turn up proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements and their vulnerability to attack. The defense also rejected the claim that Abu-Jihaad admitted to leaking Navy secrets, saying the conversation cited by prosecutors happened years after he left the service and that it was not clear what Abu-Jihaad was referring to.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in Connecticut because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Arguments Wrap Up in Ex-Sailor's Trial

Arguments Wrap Up in Ex-Sailor's Trial

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Federal prosecutors urged a jury Monday to convict a former Navy sailor of leaking ship movements to suspected terrorists, saying he sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence.

But an attorney for defendant Hassan Abu-Jihaad said an investigation that spanned two continents over four years failed to turn up proof that he leaked details of ship movements and their vulnerability to attack.

A jury will begin deliberating Abu-Jihaad's fate Tuesday after hearing six days of testimony.

Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

Abu-Jihaad, who did not take the stand, was a Navy signalman honorably discharged in 2002.

Prosecutors said Abu-Jihaad was the only member of the military communicating with the suspected terrorists.

They cited one e-mail in which he called the attack on the USS Cole in 2000 a "martyrdom operation" and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."

Said prosecutor Stephen Reynolds: "The evidence in this case points to one conclusion: That Abu-Jihaad was the leaker."

Prosecutors also cited secretly recorded phone calls played during the trial in which they claimed Abu-Jihaad spoke in code about useful information and outdated intelligence.

Prosecutors acknowledged they did not have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked the ship details.

Authorities said details of ship movements had to have been leaked by an insider, saying they were not publicly known and contained military jargon. The leaked documents closely matched what Abu-Jihaad would have had access to as a signalman, authorities said.

"In 2001, Abu-Jihaad had just enough information to be dangerous," Reynolds said.

But Dan LaBelle, Abu-Jihaad's attorney, tried to show Monday that many details of ship movements he is accused of leaking were publicly available through news reports, press releases and Web sites.

He also noted that Navy officials testified that the details were full of errors.

"There are so many errors in that document that it could not possibly have come from an insider," LaBelle said. "If that document is riddled with errors, the government's case is riddled with reasonable doubt."

LaBelle rejected the claim that Abu-Jihaad admitted to leaking Navy secrets, saying that the phone conversation cited by prosecutors occurred many years after he left the Navy and that it was not clear what Abu-Jihaad was referring to.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, served aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold. Prosecutors say the details he is accused of leaking could have endangered his own ship and others.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Defense rests in case of sailor accused of aiding terrorists

Defense rests in case of sailor accused of aiding terrorists

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The attorney for a former Navy sailor tried to show Monday that many details of ship movements he is accused of leaking to suspected terrorism supporters were publicly available through news reports, press releases and Web sites.

The former sailor, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have endangered his own ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, and other ships. He was a Navy signalman and was honorably discharged in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

The defense rested Monday and the jury was getting instructions.

Abu-Jihaad did not take the stand and the only witness the defense called was a researcher, Molly Knight Raskin.

She testified Monday about an article in a San Diego newspaper that detailed the departure of Abu-Jihaad's battle group and listed ships that would be deploying. The paper also had a column that allowed readers to follow a battle group's movements.

On cross-examination, Knight Raskin said the column included only a ship's present location, not its future movements, and was at one point discontinued due to security concerns.

She testified that she found several other Web sites and articles indicating that the battle group would deploy March 15, 2001. A press release from the Canadian military indicated that one of its ships would participate in the deployment and would leave that day.

Knight Raskin acknowledged under cross-examination that she did not find articles predicting where the battle group would be on certain dates, including the planned April 29 trip through the Strait of Hormuz.

Prosecutors acknowledge they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but they cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Navy officials have testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from a suspected terrorism supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities. The file ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Former reporter testifies in Phoenix sailor's terrorism trial

Former reporter testifies in Phoenix sailor's terrorism trial

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The attorney for a former Navy sailor tried to show Monday that many details of ship movements he is accused of leaking to suspected terrorism supporters were publicly available through news reports, press releases and Web sites.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Abu-Jihaad does not plan to take the stand.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have endangered his own ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, and other ships. He was a Navy signalman and was honorably discharged in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

The only witness his attorney plans to call is Molly Knight Raskin, a former reporter hired to do research.

She testified Monday about an article in a San Diego newspaper that detailed the departure of Abu-Jihaad's battle group and listed ships that would be deploying. The paper also had a column called "Standing the Watch" that allowed readers to follow a battle group's movements.

On cross-examination, Knight Raskin said the column included only a ship's present location, not its future movements, and was at one point discontinued due to security concerns.

She testified that she found several other Web sites and articles indicating that the battle group would deploy March 15, 2001. A press release from the Canadian military indicated that one of its ships would participate in the deployment and would leave that day.

Prosecutors acknowledge they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but they cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Navy officials have testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from a suspected terrorism supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities. The file ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Defense to present witness in sailor's terrorism trial

Defense to present witness in sailor's terrorism trial

The Associated Press | March 3, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Defense attorneys for a former Navy signalman accused of helping terrorists are expected to call one witness Monday before closing arguments in his trial.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad does not plan to take the stand in the federal trial against him. The 32-year-old Phoenix man has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutors allege he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified information about the movement and vulnerabilities of U.S. ships. The government rested its case Friday.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Sailor's Trial Reveals Top Navy Fears

Sailor's Trial Reveals Top Navy Fears

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | March 2, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - U.S. Navy commanders were wary as their ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole.

Passing the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow, busy shipping lane that often invited challenges from Iran, was never easy. Ship commanders decided to travel quickly at night after conducting a drill. Sailors took up machine gun positions and shut valves and hatches to limit damage in case of attack.

"We really weren't sure what to expect," said Lt. Commander Jay Wylie, who was on board the USS Benfold.

No one expected to find a threat from within.

But federal authorities say there was. A Benfold signalman, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, had provided suspected terrorist supporters in London with sensitive details of when U.S. ships would pass through the strait and their vulnerability to attack, prosecutors say.

Testimony last week in Abu-Jihaad's trial has provided a window into the fears of top Navy officials after an explosives-laden boat rammed the Cole as it refueled in a Yemen harbor. It also revealed how heightened vigilance after Sept. 11 triggered an investigation that began in Connecticut and expanded to London before Abu-Jihaad and others were arrested.

Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Abu-Jihaad does not plan to take the stand Monday when his attorneys call one witness before closing arguments.

Abu-Jihaad, an American born Muslim convert, changed his name from Paul Hall in 1997. A year later, he was granted security clearance that gave him access to secrets, according to Navy officials.

Abu-Jihaad was one of the first sailors Petty Officer Josh Kelly met when he boarded the Benfold. Abu-Jihaad was chatty about where the ship was headed, Kelly says.

"We always wonder where we were going," Kelly testified, noting the stress of life at sea.

But advance movements were a closely guarded secret. Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor, told his wife where he was in code.

"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.

Those details were kept locked in a safe with a red sticker marked secret. But when the charts and travel plans were laid out, Abu-Jihaad could see them in his job as a signalman, Navy officials say.

The Benfold and other ships left San Diego in March 2001. Their first stop was Hawaii, where the sailors were treated to a luau feast.

As the ship headed toward the Middle East, Abu-Jihaad began to send e-mails to Azzam Publications, a Web site that authorities say provided money and equipment to terrorists.

While the Cole was the worst nightmare for commanders, Abu-Jihaad called it a martyrdom operation in one of his e-mails to Azzam and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."

Abu-Jihaad signed the e-mail: "A brother serving a kuffar nation," meaning nonbeliever or infidel, according to testimony. He also ordered graphic videos from Azzam that depicted Muslim fighters in Chechnya and Bosnia.

"He seemed to be fascinated with the Chechen conflict and seemed to be supportive of the Chechen rebels," Amador said, not thinking much of it at the time.

Abu-Jihaad kept communicating with Azzam until a little over a week before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Shortly after the attacks, a company that hosted Web sites raised concerns with federal authorities about one of Azzam's Web sites in Connecticut. That complaint led investigators to those they say ran Azzam in London, where they say they found the leaked ship details in an apartment.

Authorities also say they found Abu-Jihaad's e-mail account with Azzam. They were able to recover e-mails he exchanged with the group, but say accounts were regularly purged by e-mail service providers.

Authorities acknowledge they do not have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked the classified details. His attorneys call the case weak, urging a judge Friday to dismiss the charges while prosecutors objected.

Navy officials acknowledged that the allegedly leaked details were filled with errors. Still, they say the leak was alarming and they would have immediately changed plans had they known about the compromise at the time.

The ships were never attacked.

The Navy did plenty of soul searching after the Cole attack, said Rear Adm. David Hart Jr., commander of the battle group.

"It was a very vulnerable period of time for us," Hart testified.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Sailor's trial provides window into Navy fears after Cole attack

Sailor's trial provides window into Navy fears after Cole attack

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | February 29, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - U.S. Navy commanders were wary as their ships headed to the Persian Gulf in the months after a terrorist ambush in 2000 killed 17 sailors aboard the USS Cole.

Passing the Straits of Hormuz, a narrow, busy shipping lane that often invited challenges from Iran, was never easy. Ship commanders decided to travel quickly at night after conducting a drill. Sailors took up machine gun positions and shut valves and hatches to limit damage in case of attack.

"We really weren't sure what to expect," said Lt. Commander Jay Wylie, who was on board the USS Benfold.

No one expected to find a threat from within.

But federal authorities say there was. A Benfold signalman, Hassan Abu-Jihaad of Phoenix, had provided suspected terrorist supporters in London with sensitive details of when U.S. ships would pass through the strait and their vulnerability to attack, prosecutors say.

Testimony last week in Abu-Jihaad's trial has provided a window into the fears of top Navy officials after an explosives-laden boat rammed the Cole as it refueled in a Yemen harbor. It also revealed how heightened vigilance after Sept. 11 triggered an investigation that began in Connecticut and expanded to London before Abu-Jihaad and others were arrested.

Abu-Jihaad, 32, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Abu-Jihaad does not plan to take the stand Monday when his attorneys call one witness before closing arguments.

Abu-Jihaad, an American born Muslim convert, changed his name from Paul Hall in 1997. A year later, he was granted security clearance that gave him access to secrets, according to Navy officials.

Abu-Jihaad was one of the first sailors Petty Officer Josh Kelly met when he boarded the Benfold. Abu-Jihaad was chatty about where the ship was headed, Kelly says.

"We always wonder where we were going," Kelly testified, noting the stress of life at sea.

But advance movements were a closely guarded secret. Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor, told his wife where he was in code.

"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.

Those details were kept locked in a safe with a red sticker marked secret. But when the charts and travel plans were laid out, Abu-Jihaad could see them in his job as a signalman, Navy officials say.

The Benfold and other ships left San Diego in March 2001. Their first stop was Hawaii, where the sailors were treated to a luau feast.

As the ship headed toward the Middle East, Abu-Jihaad began to send e-mails to Azzam Publications, a Web site that authorities say provided money and equipment to terrorists.

While the Cole was the worst nightmare for commanders, Abu-Jihaad called it a martyrdom operation in one of his e-mails to Azzam and praised "the men who have brong (sic) honor ... in the lands of jihad Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya, etc."

Abu-Jihaad signed the e-mail: "A brother serving a kuffar nation," meaning nonbeliever or infidel, according to testimony. He also ordered graphic videos from Azzam that depicted Muslim fighters in Chechnya and Bosnia.

"He seemed to be fascinated with the Chechen conflict and seemed to be supportive of the Chechen rebels," Amador said, not thinking much of it at the time.

Abu-Jihaad kept communicating with Azzam until a little over a week before the Sept. 11 attacks.

Shortly after the attacks, a company that hosted Web sites raised concerns with federal authorities about one of Azzam's Web sites in Connecticut. That complaint led investigators to those they say ran Azzam in London, where they say they found the leaked ship details in an apartment.

Authorities also say they found Abu-Jihaad's e-mail account with Azzam. They were able to recover e-mails he exchanged with the group, but say accounts were regularly purged by e-mail service providers.

Authorities acknowledge they do not have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked the classified details. His attorneys call the case weak, urging a judge Friday to dismiss the charges while prosecutors objected.

Navy officials acknowledged that the allegedly leaked details were filled with errors. Still, they say the leak was alarming and they would have immediately changed plans had they known about the compromise at the time.

The ships were never attacked.

The Navy did plenty of soul searching after the Cole attack, said Rear Adm. David Hart Jr., commander of the battle group.

"It was a very vulnerable period of time for us," Hart testified.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Prosecutors rest case against sailor after playing taped calls

Prosecutors rest case against sailor after playing taped calls

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | February 29, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Federal prosecutors played for jurors secretly taped phone conversations Friday in an effort to show that a former Navy sailor charged with leaking ship movements to suspected terrorism supporters used coded speech to discuss intelligence related to military bases.

In the calls, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, speaks of "fresh meals" and "cold meals" in conversations with associates. A "fresh meal" referred to useful information, while "cold meal" was code for outdated intelligence, prosecutors said.

Abu-Jihaad has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Defense attorneys do not plan to call Abu-Jihaad to the stand and say they will rest their case after calling one witness Monday.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have endangered his own ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, and other ships. He was a Navy signalman and received an honorable discharge in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

William Chrisman, an FBI informant, testified that the calls were references to intelligence related to military bases.

"I ain't been working in the field of making meals in a long time," Abu-Jihaad said in a 2006 call played in court Friday. "I've been out of that quatro years."

Authorities said the call was an admission that Abu-Jihaad provided information to terrorists while in the Navy four years earlier.

Chrisman also said Abu-Jihaad referred to jihad as "j" or "7," referring to the highest level of heaven for those killed on the battlefield; and "MO" for martyrdom operation.

U.S. District Court Judge Mark Kravitz cautioned the jury that Abu-Jihaad was not charged with anything connected to the conversations. Prosecutors hoped to boost their case by showing what they say are Abu-Jihaad's secretive ways.

Under cross-examination, Chrisman testified that Abu-Jihaad never admitted sending classified ship details through the Straits of Hormuz, a busy narrow Persian Gulf waterway where U.S. ships were frequently challenged by Iranian officials.

Prosecutors say investigators discovered files on a computer disk recovered from an alleged terror supporter's home in London that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities. The file ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Navy officials have testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Prosecutors acknowledge that they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Prosecutors ended their case after calling an investigator who plotted out the rough location of Abu-Jihaad's ship as he exchanged the e-mails with the suspects.

Abu-Jihaad's attorneys made a standard request to dismiss the charges, saying the details that were allegedly leaked were so inaccurate they could not involve classified information. Prosecutors disagreed, while Kravitz did not make a ruling.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Prosecutors say taped calls support terrorism charge

Prosecutors say taped calls support terrorism charge

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | February 29, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Federal prosecutors played for jurors secretly taped phone conversations Friday in an effort to show that a former Navy sailor charged with terrorism used coded speech while discussing military secrets.

In the calls, Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, speaks of "hot meals" and "cold meals" in conversations with associates. A "hot meal" referred to useful information, while "cold meal" was code for outdated intelligence, prosecutors said.

Abu-Jihaad has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Prosecutors rested their case Friday. Defense attorneys do not plan to call Abu-Jihaad to the stand and say they will rest their case after calling one witness on Monday.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have doomed his own ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold. He was a Navy signalman and received an honorable discharge in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

William Chrisman, an FBI informant, testified that the calls were references to intelligence that would be useful to strike American military targets.

"I ain't been working in the field of making meals for a long time," Abu-Jihaad said in a 2006 call played in court Friday. "I've been out of that quatro years."

Authorities said the call was an admission that Abu-Jihaad provided information to terrorists while in the Navy.

Under cross-examination, Chrisman testified that Abu-Jihaad never admitted sending classified information, including the details of his ship's movements through the Straits of Hormuz, a busy narrow Persian Gulf waterway where U.S. ships were frequently challenged by Iranian officials.

Prosecutors say they discovered files on a computer disk recovered from an alleged terror supporter's home that included the ship movements, as well as the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities. The file ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Navy officials have testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Prosecutors acknowledge that they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Prosecutors: Documents Matched Ship Path

Prosecutors: Documents Matched Ship Path

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | February 28, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Prosecutors at the federal trial of a former sailor accused of supplying information that could have doomed his ship tried to show Thursday that a stop by his vessel in Hawaii matched details in leaked documents.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, an American-born Muslim convert, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor on the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, testified Thursday that keeping ship movements confidential is so important that he uses code even to tell his wife where he is.

"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.

Abu-Jihaad is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

Files found on a computer disk recovered by authorities from the home of an alleged terrorism supporter, Babar Ahmad, also included the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities and ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Prosecutors acknowledge they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but cite e-mails he exchanged with suspected terrorism supporters, including Ahmad.

Adam Conaway, a Navy quartermaster, testified that Abu-Jihaad's ship stopped in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for ammunition on March 20, 2001. One of the leaked documents recovered by authorities indicated that some ships would load Tomahawk missiles on that date.

On cross-examination, Abu-Jihaad's attorneys pointed out that the leaked document referred only to some ships and did not specifically mention the Benfold. Prosecutors rebutted that by asking Conaway to confirm that the Benfold was the only ship from the battle group that stopped in Hawaii that day.

In testimony Thursday, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jay Wylie, who served on the Benfold with Abu-Jihaad, agreed with a question by a defense attorney that the battle group document was "riddled" with inaccuracies. He said his initial impression was that details about the ship listed in the document came from a publication available to the public, but also said that publication would not predict ship movements.

Abu-Jihaad, of Phoenix, was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider. Formerly known as Paul R. Hall, the Navy signalman received an honorable discharge in 2002.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Examiner : Prosecutors try to show leaked documents matched ship movements

Prosecutors try to show leaked documents matched ship movements

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, The Associated Press | February 28, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Prosecutors at the federal trial of a former sailor on terrorism charges tried to show Thursday that a stop by his ship in Hawaii matched details of ship movements that he allegedly leaked to terrorism supporters.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have doomed his own ship. He was a Navy signalman and received an honorable discharge in 2002.

He is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

Files found on a computer disk recovered by authorities from an alleged terror supporter's home also included the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities and ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Navy officials testified that, as a signalman, Abu-Jihaad would have had access to details of ship movements.

Adam Conaway, a Navy quartermaster, testified Thursday that Abu-Jihaad's ship, the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, stopped in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for ammunition on March 20, 2001.

The leaked documents recovered by authorities indicated that some ships would load Tomahawk missiles on that date.

On cross-examination, Abu-Jihaad's attorneys pointed out that the leaked document referred only to some ships and did not specifically mention the USS Benfold. Prosecutors rebutted that by having Conaway confirm that the Benfold was the only ship from the battle group that stopped in Hawaii that day.

Conaway also highlighted the dangers the battle group faced going through the Strait of Hormuz, a busy narrow Persian Gulf waterway where U.S. ships were frequently challenged by Iranian officials.

He said sailors were in a heightened state of readiness, manning machine guns and closing hatches in case the ship was damaged. Before the ships entered the strait, a team prepared to defend the ship conducted a drill, he said.

Passing through the strait posed a "significant" risk to the ships, Scott Graham, a Navy commander, testified. He said leaking details of the ship movements would "cause great concern" and might have led to an even higher alert.

Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor on the Benfold, testified that keeping ship movements confidential is so important that he uses code even to tell his wife where he is.

"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.

He testified that during his time on the Benfold, Abu-jihaad showed him a brutal, graphic video of Chechen rebels attacking Russians. Earlier in the trial, prosecutors showed videos depicting violent jihad that they say Abu-Jihaad ordered from Web sites run by terrorism supporters. His attorneys say that pictures and videos don't prove he passed along classified information.

"He seemed to be fascinated with the Chechen conflict and seemed to be supportive of the Chechen rebels," Amador said.

The defense, meanwhile, continued to press a point raised Wednesday, saying some ships from the battle group passed through the Strait of Hormuz on May 2, 2001, and others on May 3. The leaked documents indicated they would pass through the strait on April 29.

A retired admiral testified Wednesday that the plan did call for passing into another area on April 29 that is sometimes confused with the Strait of Hormuz.

In testimony Thursday, Navy Lt. Commander Jay Wylie, who served on the USS Benfold with Abu-Jihaad, agreed with a question by a defense attorney that the battle group document was "riddled" with inaccuracies. He said his initial impression was that details about the ship listed in the document came from a publication available to the public, but also said that publication would not predict ship movements.

Prosecutors acknowledge that they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but cite e-mails he exchanged with the suspected terrorism supporters.

Abu-Jihaad was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

AP : Prosecutors: Documents Matched Ship Path

Prosecutors: Documents Matched Ship Path

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | February 28, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — Prosecutors at the federal trial of a former sailor accused of supplying information that could have doomed his ship tried to show Thursday that a stop by his vessel in Hawaii matched details in leaked documents.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, an American-born Muslim convert, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Dennis Amador, a quartermaster and Abu-Jihaad's supervisor on the guided-missile destroyer USS Benfold, testified Thursday that keeping ship movements confidential is so important that he uses code even to tell his wife where he is.

"We in the Navy are taught from the minute we come in that loose lips sink ships," he said.

Abu-Jihaad is accused of passing along details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

Files found on a computer disk recovered by authorities from the home of an alleged terrorism supporter, Babar Ahmad, also included the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities and ended with instructions to destroy the message, according to testimony.

Prosecutors acknowledge they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements, but cite e-mails he exchanged with suspected terrorism supporters, including Ahmad.

Adam Conaway, a Navy quartermaster, testified that Abu-Jihaad's ship stopped in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for ammunition on March 20, 2001. One of the leaked documents recovered by authorities indicated that some ships would load Tomahawk missiles on that date.

On cross-examination, Abu-Jihaad's attorneys pointed out that the leaked document referred only to some ships and did not specifically mention the Benfold. Prosecutors rebutted that by asking Conaway to confirm that the Benfold was the only ship from the battle group that stopped in Hawaii that day.

In testimony Thursday, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jay Wylie, who served on the Benfold with Abu-Jihaad, agreed with a question by a defense attorney that the battle group document was "riddled" with inaccuracies. He said his initial impression was that details about the ship listed in the document came from a publication available to the public, but also said that publication would not predict ship movements.

Abu-Jihaad, of Phoenix, was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider. Formerly known as Paul R. Hall, the Navy signalman received an honorable discharge in 2002.

AP : Top Official Testifies in Navy Case

Top Official Testifies in Navy Case

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN | February 27, 2008

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — The Navy would have immediately changed plans had it known that details of ship movements had been leaked to suspected terrorism supporters, a top Navy official testified Wednesday at the trial of a former sailor on terrorism charges.

Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges alleging he provided material support to terrorists and disclosed classified national defense information.

If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in prison.

Abu-Jihaad, an American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall, is accused of leaking information that could have doomed his own ship. He was a Navy signalman and received an honorable discharge in 2002.

He is accused of leaking details that included the makeup of his Navy battle group, its planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation when it was to pass through the Straits of Hormuz on April 29, 2001.

Files found on a computer disk recovered by prosecutors from an alleged terror supporter's home also included the number and type of personnel on each ship and the ships' capabilities and ended with instructions to destroy the message.

Retired Rear Adm. David Hart Jr., who was involved in planning the deployment of the battle group, testified Wednesday that he would have immediately alerted his supervisor in 2001 if he knew that a battle group document was in the hands of suspected terrorism supporters. He said he would have sought an opportunity to change the time and nature of the operation.

"It was a very vulnerable period of time for us," said Hart, who noted earlier that naval officials had taken steps to protect sailors after the attack on the USS Cole in 2000.

Hart also said that sailors were typically in a heightened state of readiness through Strait of Hormuz, a busy narrow Persian Gulf waterway where they are frequently challenged by Iranian officials.

Hart confirmed that the information Abu-Jihaad is accused of leaking was sensitive and classified.

But on cross-examination, Abu-Jihaad's attorney, Dan Labelle, said the Navy wasn't shy about letting the world know when it was deploying ships to the Persian Gulf because it wanted to project strength and deter a crisis.

"I think that's fair to say," Hart responded.

Prosecutors acknowledge that they don't have direct proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements.

He was charged in the same case that led to the 2004 arrest of Babar Ahmad, a British computer specialist accused of running Web sites to raise money, appeal for fighters and provide equipment such as gas masks and night vision goggles for terrorists. Ahmad is to be extradited to the U.S.

Abu-Jihaad is being prosecuted in New Haven because the federal investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.