Judge: 6 N.C. Terror Suspects to Be Held

Men Accused of Plotting Jihad Overseas Deemed a Flight Risk and Danger

(AP)  Six men who federal prosecutors accuse of plotting holy war overseas from their North Carolina homes will remain jailed until trial because they are dangerous and may flee, a federal judge ruled Wednesday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Webb said the defendants have contacts in foreign countries and either have access to large amounts of money or were able to raise it. The judge also said the penalties they face if convicted make them liable to leave the country.

"A potential life sentence in and of itself constitutes a risk of flight," Webb said.

Alleged ringleader Daniel Patrick Boyd, 39, and six other men, including two of Boyd's sons, were charged last week with plotting to murder, kidnap, maim and injure persons in an unspecified foreign country. An eighth man is being sought.

On the first day of the detention hearing Tuesday, federal authorities played audio tapes of a man they identified as Boyd saying "I love jihad" and talking about the struggle of Muslims, the honor of martyrdom and his disgust at the U.S. military.

A seventh suspect in the case requested a new interpreter and attorney, so his detention hearing was delayed.

Prosecutors had argued earlier Wednesday that the men were a flight risk, noting aspirations for jihad, some past encounters with the law and plans to travel overseas.

Defense attorneys countered that the men had strong ties to their communities and that at least some were not followers of Boyd.

As U.S. marshals led the men away following Webb's ruling, the suspects said the same phrase they had uttered in court a day earlier: "May peace be upon you," they said in Arabic.

"May peace be upon you, also," many audience members murmured in response.

"I just want to say that we appreciate the support of the whole community and that we love our families very much," Daniel Boyd's wife Sabrina Boyd said outside the courtroom, her voice wavering. "We're just trying to be patient."

On Tuesday, federal investigators told the judge they seized from Boyd's home and cars more than 27,400 rounds of ammunition, 26 weapons, gas masks, a handbook on how authorities respond to acts of terrorism and the text of a fatwa urging jihad against Americans. One agent testified that a trench dug under Boyd's deck was described by a witness as a place to hide weapons.

FBI Special Agent Michael Sutton testified Tuesday that Boyd recruited followers with stories of his past. Boyd told the FBI he had trained in a secret Connecticut camp before going to Pakistan and Afghanistan two decades ago to continue training there.

Boyd's two sons — 20-year-old Zakariya and 22-year-old Dylan — have also been indicted. The other suspected group members are Anes Subasic, 33; Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 22; Ziyad Yaghi, 21; and Hysen Sherifi, 24.

Webb ordered that Subasic's hearing be held later because he requested a new attorney and interpreter. An eighth man, Jude Kenan Mohammad, is still at large and Sutton said Tuesday authorities last heard he was in Pakistan.

[debinok1]

Terrorist has become the "buzz word" for arrest and detainment of American citizens. Label someone a terrorist and you can be rid of them. Seems to me we went through this before, The Salem Witch trials come to mind. Don't like your neighbor, accuse them of witchcraft. Want to buy someones property and they will not sell, accuse them of witchcraft. Then the "buzz word" was witch, now it is terrorist.

[veteran71]

It's remeniscent of the McCarthy Commie hunts, another sad chapter in American Fascist History.

[credibility2]

People who plot murder are charged with a crime even if a murder hasn't taken place, so why shouldn't these despicable jihadists also be charged with plotting this crime?

[docpeter1953]

Because the ultra liberals say no.

[veteran71]

Because the government has no evidence of any crimes. Owning firearms, ammunition, books, etc., even professing dislike of the US Government or it's policies is no crime, unless they're using the Presidential Directives signed by Shrub which say ANYONE who the government designates as a terrorist is subject to detention without charge or representation, without any evidence at all, due to secrecy claimed under "National Security". When they come for you or your neighbors because you happen to have a Ron Paul bumper sticker or other outward sign that you disagree with your government's policies, perhaps you'll feel differently. Right now, it's all good because it's just some people who profess a different religious belief than "The Family"....

[brooke50]

Do I detect Religious Profiling towards Muslims? And are those crystal clear boot prints on our First Admendment Rights - Free Speech?

What specifically is their crime? Who or What was injured by thier actions? Did they act upon their plan or were they just engaging in an "intellectual debate" and just running a "what if" scenarios?

(Look at our own Government - just how many plots are they think-up everyday, and all the What If scenarios they play out. What about all the War Games they play - Is the military actually going to start a war?) - What about the Police and SWAT teams, constantly running supposed terroist and hostage scenarios? - are they getting ready to attack someone?)

How can the US Marshalls claim something as FACT :(how did they word it?) - "plotting to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure people overseas." - when the Marshalls can't even be specific - as to what "The Marshalls" THINK (there is the key -- THINK) those men were doing. Thinking is not a crime.

As far as guns and ammo, it is still legal in America to own guns - maybe some of the guns are collector pieces, some for personal target practice, some may have been used strictly for pursuit of knowledge about a specfic gun.

There is no-way that the Marshalls or anyone can claim as FACT, that the guns found were for any other intention. To try and state as FACT that they were using them SPECIFICALLY for terrorist actions, especially, when those 7 men have NOT BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF ANYTHING - seems to be a conspiracy PLOTTED by the Government.

Is it possible that everyone is simply over-reacting - seeing what they want to see -

[docpeter1953]

to answer your final question, it is possible. Which would you rather have: 1 they bomb your neighborhood before trial, or 2. they go to trial, are set free because there isn't enough evidence to convict.

So far the evidence says these guys were acting like idiots professing that they wanted to go and jihad.

If the evidence os fabricated then they can walk free.

[veteran71]

So now we have arrest and detention for "Future Crimes", things that have never taken place but the government "thinks" might happen......so, if they think you might be a terr'st because you have a bumper sticker or t-shirt that says "Fascist Nazis Suck", you could be stopped at gunpoint, dragged out of your car, and tazed and clubbed before transport to Gitmo........nice plan.....lucky we live in such a free and democratic society, with protections for free speech and thought.....

[docpeter1953]

Suppose they did go out and bomb a church or heck even a Mickey D's and professed jihad, would you still feel the same?

Or would you be looking for their heads after they martyred themselves and killed USA citizens like the 9-11 terrorists or Tim McVeigh?

It is easier to prevent an infection by washing your hands often. Much better than taking antibiotics after the infection occurs.

[veteran71]

Too bad your analogy has no basis in the Rule of Law, which the government is required to use when arresting people and imprisoning them. As this case moves forward, I'm sure the government will let us know what lawless activities these people were involved in, because so far, they haven't produced anything that could be called a crime.