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“He wanted me to train them for Islamic extremist jihad or holy war”: Informant in Ohio jihad trial

Apr 3, 2008 12:12 am By Marisol Seibold

An update on this story. “Toledo terror trial begins with debate about tapes,” by Erica Blake for the Toledo Blade:

The key witness in the U.S. government’s case against three men accused of terrorist activity took the stand Wednesday morning and is being questioned about his background.

Darren Griffin, 42, a former member of the U.S. Army”s Special Forces, was born in Lima, Ohio but has lived in Toledo for most of his life where he attended Woodward High School for a period.

An informant in the terrorist case, Mr. Griffin said he became involved with the Federal Bureau of Investigation after spending a year working undercover for the Drug Enforcement Agency. He then said with deep emotion that it was the events of Sept. 11, 2001, that led him to want to take a more active role in the solution.

Mr. Griffin admitted on the witness stand that he’s had some problems with money and drug use in his past.

He testified that he created a new identity for himself, one of a former Green Beret who was disenchanted with the U.S. and the country”s policies overseas. He grew a beard, dressed in traditional Arabic clothing, and began taking classes at a mosque on Monroe Street, he testified.

During questioning from Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Sofer, Mr. Griffin outlined his initial contacts with the three defendants. He said that they were not the original “people of interest” that he was assigned to gather information on but that questions from the men heightened his curiosity.

Mohammad Zaki Amawi, 28; Marwan Othman El- Hindi, 45, and Wassim I. Mazloum, 26, are each charged with planning to wage a “holy war” using skills they learned on the Internet. Specifically, the government alleged that the three conspired to kill or injure people in the Middle East “” including U.S. troops serving in Iraq “” by providing “support and resources.” They also are charged with “distributing information regarding explosives.”

Mr. Griffin said Mr. El-Hindi asked him about how easy it would be to kidnap an Israeli soldier or a politician. He also spoke of a phone call from Mr. El-Hindi in which he asked Mr. Griffin to train two young men.

“He wanted me to train them for Islamic extremist jihad or holy war,” Mr. Griffin testified.

He also testified about meeting Mr. Amawi, specifically about the change in his attitude and appearance after returning from a trip overseas. He said that Mr. Amawi spoke of attempting to cross the border from Jordan to Iraq during his trip overseas and that he later spoke of wanting to perform “jihad against U.S. troops overseas.”

Mr. Griffin’s testimony, which is expected to last several days, will continue after lunch.

Although there are more than 300 hours’ worth of recorded conversations focused on concepts such as holy wars and suicide vests and roadside bombs, the evidence will show that “nothing happened,” defense attorneys countered.

Instead, the tapes will reveal a government informant who constantly criticizes U.S. policy in the Middle East and finally gets the three men to tepidly agree, defense attorney Stephen Hartman said. […]

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Getz outlined the government’s case against the men in a 40-minute opening statement. He referred to 2003, when he said Mr. Amawi returned from an extended stay in Jordan a different man, one who was more extreme in his beliefs, in his appearance, and in his disdain for Westerners.

“At this time he was accessing jihadist Web sites that showed the beheading of Americans and the killing of American soldiers,” Mr. Getz said. “He would sing along to jihadist songs and hum along with the soundtrack of these violent videos.”

Mr. El-Hindi, Mr. Getz added, was “extremely familiar with these sites.” But Mr. El-Hindi’s role was as the “moneyman of the operation,” Mr. Getz said.

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