8 April 2005 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Marcos Daniel Jiménez, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Michael Clemens, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Jesus Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and Julie Torres, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, announced today that a Fourth Superseding Indictment was returned by a federal grand jury in Miami, Florida, charging defendant, Kifah Wael Jayyousi, with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2339A and 371; providing material support to terrorists, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339A; and conspiracy to murder, kidnap, and maim individuals in a foreign country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 956(a)(1). Two (2) other defendants, Adham Amin Hassoun, a/k/a “Abu Sayyaf,” and Mohammed Hesham Youseff, a/k/a “Abu Turab,” who were charged in one or more of these counts in prior indictments, are also named in these counts.
According to the Fourth Superseding Indictment, Jayyousi, Hassoun, and Youseff conspired to fund and support overseas violent jihad conflicts involving acts of murder and kidnaping in several foreign locations. Those locations include Bosnia, Chechnya, Kosovo, and Somalia. Jayyousi and Hassoun are in federal custody in Miami. Youssef is in custody in Egypt serving a sentence for other terrorist activities
In addition to the three (3) referenced charges, the Fourth Superseding Indictment includes eight (8) other counts previously charged against Hassoun, a Palestinian national who resided in Florida. The eight (8) other counts against Hassoun consist of one (1) count of unlawful possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(B); one (1) count of making false statements, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a); five (5) counts of perjury, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1621(1); and one (1) count of obstruction of immigration court proceedings, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1505.
If convicted, Jayyousi, Hassoun, and Youseff face a maximum statutory term of life imprisonment on the conspiracy to murder, kidnap and maim count. They also face maximum statutory terms of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years on the conspiracy to provide material support count and on the substantive material support count. Hassoun faces a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of ten (10) years on the firearm count and five (5) years on each of the false statement, perjury, and obstruction of justice count.
Mr. Jiménez commended the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Russell R. Killinger and Julia Paylor and Trial Attorney Stephanie K. Pell of the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice.
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. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
