Ex-Sailor Convicted Of Leaking Ship Data

Former Navy Signalman Faces 25 Years For Aiding Alleged Terrorist Groups

(AP)  A former Navy sailor was convicted Wednesday of leaking details about ship movements to suspected terrorism supporters, an act that could have endangered his own crewmates.

Jurors convicted Hassan Abu-Jihaad, 32, of Phoenix of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information on the second day of deliberations.

The American-born Muslim convert formerly known as Paul R. Hall faces up to 25 years in federal prison when he is sentenced May 23. His attorneys said they were disappointed, and that an appeal was likely.

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.

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 when it was to pass through the dangerous Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf on April 29, 2001.

Abu-Jihaad's attorney said a four-year investigation that spanned two continents failed to turn up proof that Abu-Jihaad leaked details of ship movements and their vulnerability to attack.

Federal prosecutors said he sympathized with the enemy and admitted disclosing military intelligence. But they acknowledged they did not have direct proof that he leaked the ship details.

Authorities said the 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.

Dan LaBelle, Abu-Jihaad's attorney, tried to show that many details of ship movements he was accused of leaking to suspected terrorism supporters 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.

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, 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, was prosecuted in New Haven because the investigation first focused on a Connecticut-based Internet service provider.

[andyli1004]

I was a lot younger then but I remember feeling sorry for them. They looked like regular folks.
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[jb3boyz]

Let''s strap some explosives to him like the suicide bombers do and send him on his way to meet Allah.

And correct, 25 years is not enough time...although I don''t believe he''ll live that long in prison. Funny how prisoners have a sense of country!!!

[infidel_us]

25 years seems too light a sentence. He should be shot.

[juwboy]

CBSblogger implied:

If only the sailor was a Jew, he could have had his trial postponed indefinitely."

Like Jonathan Pollard?

Or the Rosenbergs?

[brianbwb-2009]

The ships were sent to the straits of Hormuz on orders that were given based on lies, so treason charges should also be leveled at Bush, Cheney, and the rest of his klan.

[zootallures2]

What about reporting the USAF jets fleeing the scene seconds after each WTC tower exploded and the pentagon? Would that be treason too? LOL!!!!!!

[robertkjjj]

Wow, a Muslim in the US Navy plotting against his own country!!! What a shocker!!!!

[runningralph]

As far as I know treason is still a capital offense. The last time it was used was on rhe Rosenbergs. Julius and Ethel I believe it was. I was a lot younger then but I remember feeling sorry for them. They looked like regular folks.

[magoo2u1]

For one thing, the info is useless. The formation of the ships is easy to SEE with your EYES as they pass through the straights. Even easier on a radar screen.
Ships complement is public knowledge, check JANE''s fighting ships for that info. They only have the fact that the idiot confessed to hang him on. So hang the moron. But based on this article the information was common knowledge or easy to get from public sources.Both sides of this conflict look like the keystone cops and robbers.

[ranger1948]

Whatever happened to capital punishment for treason. He should be executed. There is no statute of limitations on treason we should also go back and get Jane Fonda for betraying her country in Vietnam and execute her. Veterans will never forgive her no matter how much she apologizes.

[cbsblogger]

If only the sailor worked for AIPAC, he could have had his trial postponed indefinitely.

[inventagod]

- - Leaking ship - -

wow, CBSnooze is funny today.

Bu$h thinks he is funny, too...

[carpriddler]

Loose lips sink ships. How come we can%u2019t find someone to sellout the terrorist and track their movements? What ever happened to that guy Bin laden - weren%u2019t we looking for him?

Mebbe he can get scooter libby to take the fall for him...

[deemsnyd]

why would anyone care about data on a leaking ship?

Posted by bobnjersey at 05:33 PM : Mar 05, 2008


C r a p!! You beat me to it.

[shawnp20]

Hassan Abu-Jihaad.....C''mon, the guy even has "jihad" in his name!!! That''s the equivalent of a German in Jerusalem changing his name to Hitler!!!

[squidly8]

Hang him from the yardarm. No sympathy for a shipmate who is convicted of plotting the demise of his own shipmates.

[bobnjersey]

why would anyone care about data on a leaking ship?

[excoachken]

Sorry if I sound cold hearted PETA, but I rate this as much more of a crime than the puppy toss.

[goosfraba2]

For:
__ easeup at 03:03 PM : Mar 05, 2008
__ kmccliment at 03:10 PM : Mar 05, 2008
__ tburzio at 03:11 PM : Mar 05, 2008

Glad to see you, all, are so Patriotic. I, too, believe that traitors should be executed, as in a public hanging.

Now if we could just hang the traitors who "outed" a covert CIA operative, I''d really be happy.

Oh and tburzio, you/we already have "the caliber of person[s]" you mentioned ... in the White House.