US charges two over ‘terror plot’
Two men in the US city of Chicago have been charged with planning attacks on foreign targets, the US justice department has said.
David Coleman Headley, 49, and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, were both arrested earlier this month.
Among their alleged targets was a Danish newspaper that printed a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005, sparking angry protests from Muslims.
Prosecutors say Mr Headley travelled to Denmark twice to plan an attack.
The justice department said it had uncovered “a serious plot against overseas targets”.
Mr Headley, who changed his name from Daood Gilani in 2006, was arrested on 3 October as he was about to travel to Pakistan.
He has been charged with “conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming” outside the US and also with conspiracy to provide material support for the attack.
Prosecutors allege he visited the Copenhagen and Arhus offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which printed the cartoons, for surveillance purposes.
The charge sheet alleges he also travelled to Pakistan to meet members of the Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Mr Rana, who officials say is a native of Pakistan and citizen of Canada, was arrested at his home on 18 October. He is alleged to have helped Mr Headley plan and finance the attacks.
The men both live in the Chicago area.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8328388.stm
Published: 2009/10/27 15:51:22 GMT
thank you Mark, some additional info from:
Department of Justice - Office of Public Affairs
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/October/09-nsd-1157.html
