AP’s headline is “Cousins plead guilty in plot to kill US soldiers.” But of course they didn’t get involved in this plot because they were cousins. The Department of Homeland Security doesn’t need to begin a Global War On Cousins. They did this because they wanted to wage jihad. They met the jihad recruiter at a Muslim convention. They were clearly inspired by Islamic teachings regarding the necessity to wage war against unbelievers. But since none of that is suitable for an AP headline, we get…cousins.
An update on this story. “Cousins plead guilty in plot to kill US soldiers,” from AP, January 15 (thanks to James):
TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) “” Two cousins from the Chicago area accused of training to kill U.S. soldiers in Iraq pleaded guilty to terrorism charges Thursday, federal prosecutors said.
The two were part of a plot organized by three men living in Toledo who were convicted last year of recruiting terrorists and raising money to fund their plans to wage a holy war against U.S. troops, prosecutors said.
The two cousins received training in firearms and counter-surveillance so they could join the insurgency, prosecutors said.
Khaleel Ahmed, 28, of Chicago and Zubair Ahmed, 28, of suburban North Chicago both pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.
Each faces a maximum of 15 years in prison….
Prosecutors said Marwan El-Hindi of Toledo recruited the cousins in 2004 to join his cell in Toledo. They all met at a Muslim convention in Cleveland with a former U.S. military man who worked undercover and helped foil the plot, prosecutors said.
Over the next year, the men talked more about training in explosives, guns and sniper tactics, U.S. Justice Department attorneys said….
According to recordings heard in court, El-Hindi said the two cousins were eager to receive “jihad training.”…
At one point during a conversation, the informant asked El-Hindi if he was recruiting for jihad.
“Oh no, I just want to take these two,” El-Hindi answered, adding that he wanted to take care of them for their families….