Calif. Man Charged With Al Qaeda Links

(CBS/AP)  Federal agents arrested a naturalized U.S. citizen from Afghanistan on Friday after he allegedly lied about ties to terrorist groups on citizenship and passport papers, authorities said.

FBI, immigration and local law enforcement agents from an anti-terrorism task force arrested Ahmadullah Sais Niazi, 34, at his home in Tustin, California, on Friday morning, according to the U.S. attorney's office.

He faces charges of perjury, naturalization fraud, procuring a passport by fraud and making a false statement.

According to the indictment, Niazi lied when he wrote on his naturalization papers that he had never been a member of or in any way associated with a terrorist organization.

"In fact, as defendant Niazi then well knew, he was associated in any way with one or more terrorist organizations," the indictment states.

Those organizations include al Qaeda, the Taliban and a terrorist organization called Hezb-e-Islami, which fights international and U.S. troops in Afghanistan, CBS News correspondent Bob Orr reports.

In applying for naturalization papers in 2004, Niazi denied ever using an alias and claimed to have no connections with al Qaeda, Hezb-e-Islami Gulbuddin (Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's group), or the Taliban.

The indictment alleges Niazi lied on both points, stating that Niazi has used four aliases and that he has traveled to Pakistan at least twice to meet with known terrorist operatives, Orr reports.

In one case, Niazi met face to face with the security coordinator for Osama bin Laden, a man known as Dr. Amin al-Haq or Muhammad Amin, according to the indictment.

The security coordinator is Niazi's brother-in-law, according to an affidavit released late Friday, Orr reports.

Upon his return from the trip he allegedly told authorities he had been visiting his family in the Gulf nation of Qatar.

In addition, a search of Niazi's bank accounts shows that he and his wife have sent thousands of dollars to family members in Pakistan over the years - more than $16,000 in 57 transactions between 1999 and 2006. The money was sent through Hawalas, an unlicensed and unregulated exchange system prevalent in the Middle East.

Those transactions are not part of the criminal indictment, however.

U.S. attorney's spokesman Thom Mrozek said Niazi became a U.S. citizen about five years ago. He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday afternoon, where he was expected to be assigned an attorney.

Niazi faces up to 35 years in prison if found guilty.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Virginia Kice said prosecutors would seek to have Niazi's citizenship revoked, something that can be done if it was obtained fraudulently. If that happens, he would also be subject to deportation.

[crzmeat1]

bogus they can't get bin so they dump some lackey asa good thing so we think Obama is on the job they knewabout this idiot for a long time....PLEASE

[censoredjim]

Niazi war criminal.

[mrahaman-2009]

over 98% of the people we capture or arrest are done based on flimst evidence. Many Afghans would tell the Americans what the want to hear for a price. If there is someone they are envious of (like someone living in the US or someone who is receiving assistance from overseas) they would tell americans that he/she is a terrorist to get them arrested and of course the Americans pay them a few hundred US dollars. This is a fact.

[starleo146]

Border agents state they capture approximately 12 Arabs a month trying to sneak into the U.S. through Mexico. So, we can only guess how many are making it into the country. Copies of the Koran have been discovered for several years in the mountains of trash left behind by illegal aliens traveling in large groups.

Homeland Security has openly stated there are AlQaeda members who have learned to speak perfect Spanish which makes it easy for them to blend in with Latino illegal aliens. And MSM just decides to ignore that news. They would rather dwell on what Michelle Obama is wearing or what kind of dog will be in the White House.

Keep people ignorant and they''re easily controlled. It seems to be working.

Posted by tinyt54 at 01:05 PM : Feb 21, 2009

This is so true and tell me there is a Civil War in Mexico right now with the drug cartel there, and is starting to spill over the border into Texas. Why isn't the media telling this Please. Is it not tabloid enough Our Media needs to be revamped they are doing more harm than good.

[starleo146]

I have thought for a long time there were sympathizers in the Afghan Army towards the Taliban. When our troops make advances towards the Pakistan border and find a large contingent of Taliban fighters attacking the U.S. Some one is giving information. Why don't the Generals in charge over there see this. Why can't we have just the U.S. make the advances without the Afghans who may have these sympathizers amongst them, jeopardizing our troops.They want money to get this Opium and will sell there grandmother out

[cbs3200]

you don''''''''t know squat,
you think every thing you read in CBS is true?
Moron''''''''s,
you should just watch fox news
Posted by pythoncharly at 08:59 PM : Feb 20, 2009

Oh Serpentine one .... it is generally referred to as
Faux Noise .......

[npkppprc]

How many more are already here making plans to terrorize this country????? We just keep letting them in.

[pollroller1]

you don''t know squat,

you think every thing you read in CBS is true?

Moron''s,

you should just watch fox news

Posted by pythoncharly at 08:59 PM : Feb 20, 2009

That's right, It is fair and balanced. None of this brain washing that goes on with the other news media.

[mysteriousjz]

Lol...A propaganda to keep a false notion that a losing war against "unknowns" is still raging to give some comfort to "insecureds" so that they may sleep better tonight. This sounds like an indictment against a person for who he happens to be, and not by his actions-This will only cause something more dangerous than terrorism-the polarization and marginalization of groups of people.

[ubrew12]

IndependentI said: "liberals keep repeating after me, smooth transition good, rough transition bad. See that was not so hard was it. "

Not hard at all. Whats hard is realizing that you are a committed history rewriter: you will bend history to fit whatever bvllsh*t you need to spin. I think thats sad. Its possible that, once upon a time, I would have given your posts a smidgen of respectability. But, after this, NO WAY. You're one of those lost souls who's taken too many tokes from the Limbong... and can't see his head from his *ss.

Sad... very sad...