USA v. Mehanna, Tarek
Boston, MA

Laskar-e-Taiba, Al Qaeda

[DMA] Tarek Mehanna was arrested for lying to the FBI in a terrorism investigation involving the whereabouts and activities of Daniel Maldonado, a former resident of Metheun, Massachusetts, who was suspected of training in an Al Qaeda terrrorist camp to overthrow the Somali government. A subsequent complaint affidavit alleged that Mehanna and coconspirators discussed their desire to participate in violent jihad against American interests. It was further alleged that Mehanna and two of his associates traveled to the Middle East in February 2004, seeking military-type training at a terrorist training camp that would prepare them for armed jihad against U.S. interests, including U.S. and allied forces in Iraq. One of Mehanna's coconspirators also made two similar trips to Pakistan in 2002. According to the affidavit, Mehanna and the coconspirators had multiple conversations about obtaining automatic weapons and randomly shooting people in a shopping mall. In December 2011, Mehanna was found guilty on all counts, including four terrorism-related charges and three charges related to providing false information to the government.

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