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Appeals court upholds convictions of three members of North Carolina jihad terror ring

Feb 5, 2014 5:05 pm By Robert Spencer

YaghiHassanSherifi

Where did these North Carolina jihadis get the idea that jihad meant warfare against unbelievers? Has anyone investigated the mosque they attended, or were the Feds satisfied by the imam’s saying that he had never seen these men?

“Va.-based federal appeals court upholds convictions of 3 members of NC terror ring,” from the Associated Press, February 4 (thanks to Kenneth):

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld the convictions of three members of a North Carolina terror ring who plotted to attack the U.S. Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Va., and targets abroad.

Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, Hysen Sherifi and Ziyad Yaghi were convicted in 2011 after two FBI informants testified that they were part of a home-grown terror group that raised money, stockpiled weapons, took trips overseas and trained for jihadist attacks against perceived enemies of Islam. They were given prison terms ranging from 15 years to 45 years.

On appeal, the men argued that they never conspired to actually commit terrorist acts — they only talked about their beliefs, and such expression is protected by the First Amendment.

“Of course, their argument ignores that the jury found — as it was required to do in order to convict — that the appellants had, in fact, agreed to take action in furtherance of violent jihad,” appeals court Judge Robert King wrote in the unanimous opinion.

“Their convictions rest not only on their agreement to join one another in a common terrorist scheme, but also on a series of calculated overt acts in furtherance of that scheme,” King wrote.

Sherifi’s attorney, John Clark Fischer, said he disagreed with the court’s conclusion and expects to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“We’ll see if the Supreme Court is interested in deciding the difference between talk and action,” he said.

Fischer, who described his client as “a terrorist wannabe,” said he believes attorneys for the other men also are likely to appeal. Those lawyers did not immediately return telephone messages.

The appeals court also found no merit in a claim that evidence against the men was insufficient.

“The evidence, though largely circumstantial, was nevertheless substantial,” the court said. “That evidence readily supports the determination that a rational finder of fact could (and in fact did) deem the evidence adequate to support each conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Yaghi was convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism and conspiracy to carry out attacks overseas. Sherifi was convicted of both crimes, two counts of firearms possession, and conspiracy to kill federal officers or employees for plotting the Quantico attack. Hassan was convicted of providing material support to terrorists, but acquitted of a charge of conspiracy to carry out attacks overseas.

Sherifi was sentenced to 45 years in prison; Yaghi got nearly 32 years; and Hassan was sentenced to 15 years. They argued that the sentences were unreasonable, but the appeals court disagreed.

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Filed Under: courtroom jihad, Jihad in the U.S. Tagged With: featured


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Comments

  1. Rob says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 5:38 pm

    It has taken Kenya to actually do something about the vipers’ nests that are mosques.
    As Robert has repeatedly said: Where are the checks on the Friday sermons and the Imams that deliver them?

    • Salah says

      Feb 5, 2014 at 11:21 pm

      “Where are the checks on the Friday sermons and the Imams that deliver them?”

      In Egypt !!! J

      Egypt mosques: Weekly sermon themes set by government
      http://counterjihadreport.com/tag/mosques-in-egypt/

  2. Champ says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    I hate evil islam …

    “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.” — Romans 12:9

    • Champ says

      Feb 5, 2014 at 6:10 pm

      “Jesus Is the Good Shepherd Who Is Gathering His Flock”

      http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/John/Jesus-Good-Shepherd-Who-Flock

  3. Jay Boo says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 6:01 pm

    RALEIGH, N.C. NOV 5, 2012
    Hysen Sherifi, sought to have government witnesses in his earlier trial
    BEHEADED.

    http://www.wral.com/convicted-terrorist-goes-to-trial-in-nc-beheading-plot/11740020/

    Where did he get an idea like that?

  4. Jay Boo says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 6:03 pm

    North Carolina by the way is an
    anti-sharia law state

  5. fair_dinkum says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 6:18 pm

    i thought jihad was an internal struggle. i was obviously wrong (again)

    those jail terms are a good sign.

  6. mortimer says

    Feb 5, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    Where is the obligatory quote from the imam who ejaculates…”I’m so shocked!”

    My feeling is that ALL imams are NOT shocked, because they know better than anyone the violence in the Koran. This is the violence they have devoted their lives to.

    The imams are ALL cheerleaders and trainers of jihad.

  7. Aardvark says

    Feb 6, 2014 at 9:20 am

    Sherifi was sentenced to 45 years in prison; Yaghi got nearly 32 years; and Hassan was sentenced to 15 years. They argued that the sentences were unreasonable, but the appeals court disagreed.

    But these sentences ARE unreasonable! Why should the American taxpayer fork out for these scrotum-faced morons to live a life of luxury for the next thirty or forty years?

    They (and their families) should have been deported immediately.

    • dumbledoresarmy says

      Feb 7, 2014 at 12:52 am

      Agreed re the expense of putting and keeping them in jail where, given half a chance, they will engage in prison da’wa, and create even *more* dangerous plotters.

      Ten years in jail (just to make the point) and during that time, make them go *cold turkey* from Islam (no imam visits, no Quran, they can “pray” in their cells if they wish but no qibla marking or prayer mat provided, no halal food) and keep them away from *all* contact with non-Muslim prisoners, to prevent prison da’wa.

      After that: a public ceremony formally stripping them of US citizenship (assuming that they had it before they were caught); and pack them onto a plane with one-way tickets to Pakistan, or wherever. With all their family.

      Incidentally, right now I hope that whatever mosque or mosques they are known or suspected to have attended, and that their *families* (if they have family in the US) have attended or attend, are getting very thoroughly investigated. In fact, surprise raids and searches involving dogs trained to detect drugs and explosives etc would be a very good idea.

  8. Larry A. Singleton says

    Feb 7, 2014 at 2:23 am

    I’m all for going after terrorists. But I try to remember one important thing: The FBI’s long track record of incompetence. Starting with 9/11, (Read “The Looming Tower”), The Boston bombing. And the fact that Proscecutors in this country are generally corrupt and will say and do anything to get a conviction. Read Edward Humes book: “Mean Justice”. Also “Snitch” by Ethan Brown and “One Nation Under Arrest by Resenzweig and Walsh. Not to mention “Until Proven Innocent” by Taylor and Johnson. Regarding the Duke Lacrosse Rape case. I’ve got a little brother doing twenty-five to life under the three strikes law. His was a case that should have been all about the mental health issue that it was and not the opportunity for our local corrupt prosecutor to put another notch on his “conviction” belt. Three Strikes, the “war on drugs”. All this puts us closer and closer to being a police state. Those of you who have never been to city or county meetings and seen the way local law enforcement have been used as personal goons by corrupt politicians to crush those who try to speak at “public comment” won’t have any idea what I’m talking about. Those who had have seen what’s happening to our country happening at “the local level”. The “Us vs. Them” of big government vs. the “Us vs. Them” of Public Employees who care about nothing but themselves and their pay and bennies that are bankrupting their communities and communities across the country; it’s no longer about “the job”. It’s about the money and taking care of their own. It’s no longer “To Protect and to Serve”. It’s now “I Got Mine”. This countrys motto is no longer “Don’t Tread On Me”. It’s now “Are You In Compliance?” and the Better Homes and Gardens Gestapo, (Code Enforcement) TELLING you and DICTATING to you what “private property” now means. Or rather DOESN’T mean.

    I can’t believe what’s happened under Obummer and how the country has just stood by while he’s “bypassed Congress” and pissed on our Constitution and will of the people. He has taken corruption and increased it to the tenth power compared to all other presidents before him. It’s just mind-boggling. You know; “Phony scandals don’t come home in body bags “.

    And his corrupt cronies who have appeared before congress and lied, denied and plead the fifth one right after another. When have we ever seen anything like this?

  9. Siraj Davis says

    Feb 8, 2014 at 12:32 am

    I have read the court transcripts three times! I even interviewed the bride of Ziyad Yaghi and visited the ‘supposed’ mosque where Yaghi was supposed to meet terrorists. I have done extensive research on this case. The inherent and glaring, also terrifying, precedents of this case – thoughts and associations are now enough for the US government to condemn an innocent citizen for ‘terrorism’. That’s unconstitutional and against international human rights!! This decorum is expected in a country with an Alien and Sedition Acts, ‘under a declaration of war’, but neither is admitted by our government. The fog over the case entails applying evidence on one person (most of it against Daniel Boyd), against all defendants when in fact the prosecution can not substantially prove the relationship between all exited persistently up until the time of the arrest. On the contrary, the prosecution even admits Yaghi and Hasan had no communication with the other defendants, and Anes Subaisac admitted never meeting Yaghi in his life! This case is a disgusting sham, and it is heralded around by enemies of our foreign policy who rightfully criticize our country and government as insincerely desiring peace, domestically and abroad in regards to Muslims. The WOT has implanted a seed within Western minds, a psychosomatic plague, and it is eating at the very foundations of our principles. Indeed, every Muslim American should be terrified of America, we are tip toeing on crackers while the bigots in our government are listening with a stethoscope! I advise every Muslim to stay at home and don’t move at all! Injustice lurks around the corner. We’ll see you all in the supreme court! Have a good day 🙂

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