Chicago businessman convicted for participating in terrorism plot against Danish newspaper

[News_Editor]

Chicago businessman convicted for participating in terrorism plot against Danish newspaper

2011-06-11 03:03:09 GMT+7 (ICT)

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS (BNO NEWS) -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday announced that a Chicago businessman was convicted for participating in a terrorism plot against a Danish newspaper.

Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani native, was also found guilty on Thursday of providing material support to a terrorist organization based in Pakistan. He was acquitted of conspiracy to provide material support to the November 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that killed more than 160 people, including six Americans.

"The message should be clear to all those who help terrorists - we will bring to justice all those who seek to facilitate violence," said Patrick Fitzgerald, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

Rana, 50, a Canadian citizen, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorism plot in Denmark and one count of providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, Lashkar e Tayyiba (Lashkar).

The defendant operated an immigration business based in Chicago. He is the second of eight defendants who were indicted in this case since late 2009.Six of them are believed to be at large in Pakistan.

In March 2010, co-defendant David Coleman Headley, 50, pleaded guilty to all 12 counts against him, including aiding and abetting the murders of the six American victims.

Headley testified as a government witness at Rana's trial. He has been cooperating with authorities since his October 2009 arrest. Between 2002 and 2005, Headley attended training camps in Pakistan operated by Lashkar in five separate occasions.

In late 2005, Headley received instructions from members of Lashkar to travel to India to conduct surveillance for a future terrorist attack in Mumbai which was perpetrated three years later against the targets scouted by him.

In the summer of 2006, the co-defendant and two Lashkar members discussed opening an immigration office in Mumbai as a cover for his surveillance activities. Headley then traveled to Chicago to visit Rana, his long-time friend since the time they attended high school together in Pakistan.

The two defendants discussed Headley's assignment and Rana agreed to open a First World office in Mumbai as cover for his activities as part of his First World Immigration Services in Chicago.

Afterwards, Rana advised Headley how to obtain a visa for travel to India, as well as emails and other documents. He also directed an individual associated with First World to prepare documents supporting Headley's cover story.

In early November 2008, Headley met with a Lashkar member in Karachi, Pakistan, and was instructed to conduct surveillance of the Copenhagen and Aarhus offices of a Danish newspaper.

The terror plot targeted the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in retaliation fro the publishing of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed which angered the Muslim community. Headley obtained Rana's approval and assistance to identify himself as a representative of First World and gain access to the newspaper's offices under false advertisement interests.

Before departing Chicago, Headley and Rana ordered business cards to be made that identified Headley as a representative of the Immigration Law Center, the business name of First World, according to the evidence shown at trial.

Evidence also included recorded conversations between Headley and Rana discussing the terror plots and setbacks, including the killing of co-defendant Ilyas Kashmiri, an alleged Pakistani terrorist leader, during a U.S. drone strike.

Rana faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the two counts combined and remains in federal custody without bond. Headley is also facing a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. No sentencing date was set on both cases.

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