7 October 2004 LAWFUEL – Law news, legal, attorney, criminal law, terrorist, law firm newsMarcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael S. Clemens, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Julie Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, announced today that a Third Superseding Indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Miami, Florida. In addition to counts previously charged, the Third Superseding Indictment charges defendants, Adham Amin Hassoun, a/k/a “Abu Sayyaf,” and Mohammed Hesham Youssef, a/k/a “Abu Turab,” with conspiring to murder, kidnap, and maim individuals in a foreign country in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 956(a)(1).
The Third Superseding Indictment alleges that Hassoun, a Palestinian national living in Florida, and Youssef conspired to fund and support overseas violent jihad conflicts involving acts of murder and kidnapping in several foreign locations. Those locations included Bosnia, Chechnya, and Somalia. The Third Superseding Indictment asserts other counts previously charged, including charges against Hassoun and Youssef on charges of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and providing material support to terrorists, and against Hassoun for unlawful possession of a firearm, making false statements, perjury, and obstruction of immigration court proceedings. Hassoun is currently in federal custody. Youssef is in custody in Egypt serving a sentence for other terrorist activities.
If convicted, Hassoun and Youssef face a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment on the conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim charge. They also face a maximum statutory penalty of fifteen (15) years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to provide material support charge and fifteen (15) years’ imprisonment on the material support charge, if convicted on these charges. Hassoun also faces a statutory maximum sentence of ten (10) years’ imprisonment on the firearm charge and five (5) years’ imprisonment on each of the false statement, perjury, and obstruction of justice charges, if convicted on these charges.
Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Russell R. Killinger and Trial Attorney Stephanie K. Pell of the Department of Justice Counterterrorism Section.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls
