Accused homegrown extremist indicted (AP)

WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a man in a terrorism case for allegedly using the Internet to promote violence against Americans.

A moderator of a popular, internationally known Islamic extremist web forum, 22-year-old Emerson Winfield Begolly was accused of posting notes encouraging attacks in the U.S. targeting public buildings and military facilities, transportation systems, cell phone towers and water plants.

The case underscores the threat posed by homegrown extremists seeking to incite violence using the Internet, said Lisa Monaco, the Justice Department's assistant attorney general for national security.

Begolly was under investigation early this year when he allegedly bit two FBI agents who approached him and Begolly allegedly tried to grab a loaded 9 mm pistol in his jacket. He was indicted for allegedly assaulting federal agents and firearms-related charges and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted of those charges.

In January, an FBI agent in Pittsburgh testified in court that Begolly had contact with a man who has pleaded guilty to threatening the creators of the animated "South Park" TV show for perceived insults to the prophet Muhammad.

According to the latest indictment, Begolly posted a comment online that praised the shootings at the Pentagon and the Marine Corps Museum in October 2010.

The indictment also alleged that Begolly posted links to a 101-page document on how to set up a laboratory and manufacture explosives.

Begolly, who is from New Bethlehem, Pa., was indicted in Alexandria, Va. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted of solicitation to commit a crime of violence and 20 years in prison if convicted of distributing information about explosives and weapons of mass destruction.

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Man indicted in latest US 'homegrown terror' case (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A US grand jury has indicted a 22-year-old man for allegedly recruiting Islamic extremists to kill Americans and commit attacks on targets within the United States, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Emerson Winfield Begolly, of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia for allegedly soliciting Islamic extremists via the Internet, according to the Justice Department.

According to the two-count indictment, Begolly also was charged with posting bomb-making instructions online, in the latest of several troubling "home-grown terror" cases in which a US-born defendant pledges to wage "jihad" against the United States.

US law enforcement officials said Begolly was an active moderator of an Islamic extremist web forum, the Ansar al-Mujahideen English Forum (AMEF) known to promote and distribute jihadist propaganda.

The indictment charged that since July 2010, Begolly has placed a number of online postings encouraging attacks within the United States, including against such targets as police stations, post offices, synagogues and military facilities.

Among the allegations against him is that Begolly late last year posted links to a 101-page document that contains information on how to set up a laboratory and manufacture explosives.

"Emerson Begolly is accused of repeatedly using the Internet to promote violent jihad against Americans," US Attorney Neil MacBride said in a statement.

"These allegations demonstrate how young people in the United States can become influenced by -- and eventually participate in -- jihadist propaganda that is a serious threat to the safety of us all."

Begolly faces 30 years in prison if convicted of the charges. In February he was indicted for allegedly assaulting federal agents and for firearms-related charges in Pennsylvania, and faces life in prison if convicted on those charges.

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Suspect indicted in NYC synagogue plot terror case (AP)

NEW YORK – A man charged with participating in a plot to blow up synagogues is a proud American and the case against him is questionable, his lawyer said Tuesday as prosecutors announced the indictment of a second suspect accused of playing a more prominent role in the alleged scheme.

Ahmed Ferhani, a 26-year-old Algerian, and Mohamed Mamdouh, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen of Moroccan descent, were arraigned last week on initial charges including conspiracy as a crime of terrorism, a rarely-used state law. Both deny the allegations.

Ferhani was arrested buying guns, ammunition and an inert grenade in a sting on a Manhattan street last Wednesday, and Mamdouh was picked up soon afterward, the Manhattan district attorney's office said. An undercover detective had secretly recorded both men ranting about their hatred of Jews and discussing a synagogue attack, according to prosecutors.

Ferhani has been indicted, prosecutors said Tuesday, though they didn't immediately disclose what charges the grand jury found appropriate. The indictment will likely be released at a June 16 court date.

Mamdouh appeared separately as his lawyer agreed Tuesday to give prosecutors until June 2 to take the case against the Casablanca-born taxi dispatcher to a grand jury. Meanwhile, attorney Aaron Mysliwiec underscored that Mamdouh is "proud to be an American citizen" and noted news reports saying that some in the FBI, which didn't participate in the case, had questions about how much proof there was in the case.

"We look forward to raising those same questions. And we look forward to fighting these charges in the courtroom," Mysliwiec said outside court.

Police said the FBI was made aware of the investigation but decided not to get involved. The FBI, the Department of Justice and federal prosecutors in Manhattan declined to comment. But a law enforcement official briefed on the case, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press last week that the FBI had reservations about how the probe was conducted and concluded it "wasn't a legitimate terrorism case."

Ferhani and Mamdouh, who lived blocks away from each other in Queens, are being held without bail. Each could face life in prison if convicted.

Ferhani is in good spirits under the circumstances, said his lawyer, Stephen Pokart.

Ferhani, who is unemployed, moved to the U.S. in 1995 from war-torn Algeria with his parents and claimed asylum, authorities said. He had been granted permanent resident status but is facing deportation.

Mamdouh and his family came to the U.S. in 1999, officials said. His parents are now local business owners, a prior attorney said.

Angry about how he felt Muslims have been treated around the world, Ferhani made ever more ambitious terror plans during the seven-month investigation, prosecutors said. He eventually suggested disguising himself as an observant Jew so he could infiltrate a synagogue and leave a bomb inside, according to a court complaint.

After meeting the undercover officer, Ferhani brought Mamdouh into their discussions, authorities said. On May 5, the undercover detective introduced the men to another officer pretending to be an illegal gun dealer, the court complaint said.

There was no indication the alleged plot ever put New Yorkers in danger and no evidence the men were affiliated with any terrorist organization.

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Associated Press writer Tom Hays contributed to this report.

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