Category Archives: FBI News

02.17.15
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January 29, 2015: New FBI Most Wanted Terrorist

  • Liban Haji Mohamed, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Somalia, has been named to the FBI’s list of Most Wanted Terrorists, and a reward of up to $50,000 is being offered for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Mohamed is charged with providing material support and resources to al Qaeda and al Shabaab, a Somali-based terrorist organization.

The story is also available on the FBI This Week podcast and, for good measure, a detailed profile of Liban. The profile highlights, among other things, why the FBI wants him so badly:

“It is important for us to locate Mohamed because he has knowledge of the Washington, D.C. area’s infrastructure such as shopping areas, Metro, airports, and government buildings,” Ghattas explained. “This makes him an asset to his terrorist associates who might plot attacks on U.S. soil.”

Link:

FBI Notice

FBI This Week Audio Story

FBI Profile of Liban Haji Mohamed

 

07.05.13
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Summer Reading from the FBI

A short little article from the guys (and ladies) in the cool windbreakers – it's all about the Terrorist Financing Operations Section (TFOS) and the work it does to track down terrorists based on their financial transactions, both income and spending. It's beach reading, but it's always good to know how the government spends your tax dollars – in this case, well.

Link:

Terror Financing: Tracking the Money Trails

 

06.10.13
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Not just another disgruntled Cubs fan…

Another example of why we do what we do…

Sami Samir Hassoun, a 25 year old male who lived in Illinois after immigrating from Lebanon, was sentenced to 23 years for planting a fake backpack bomb (supplied by the FBI) into a trash can near Wrigley Field during a 2010 concert.

In addition to the very short press release from the FBI, I've added a link to a story from the Huffington Post, which tells you much more about the man, the incident and the sentencing hearing

Link:

FBI news release

Sami Samir Hassoun Sentenced: Would-Be Wrigleyville Backback Bomber Gets 23 Years

 

03.28.13
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Darn good day to be in law enforcement… [Updated]

Wow – yesterday was a head-spinningly good day for the guys in the white hats.

First, Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed, an Al Shabaab operative, was sentenced to 111 months for providing support to and receiving military training from a Foreign Terror Organization (FTO). Tip of the hat to the FBI.

Secondly, one of the FBI’s newest Most Wanted, Edwin Ernesto Rivera Gracias, was captured by Salvador and FBI officials and returned to Denver to face charges.

Not to be outdone, the US Marshals got one of their latest Most Wanted, Keana Barnes, near a Skid Row area in California. Actually, the credit goes to the LAPD (Los Angeles) – two of their finest found her.

Update: Oh, and the Marshals’ “Fugitive of the Week”, Vodie Bishop, was caught by local police in Worcester, MA.

Links:

Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed sentencing news release
Edwin Ernesto Rivera Gracias arrest news release
Keana Barnes arrest news release
Vodie Bishop arrest news release

03.26.13
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Why We Do This: Domestic Terrorist Wannabe Sentenced

A Staten Island, NY man was sentenced to 21 years in prison, according to yesterday’s FBI news. Why?

According to court filings and the evidence introduced at trial, in early 2008 Shehadeh devised a plan to travel to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan in order join al Qaeda or the Taliban. In furtherance of his plan, on June 13, 2008, Shehadeh flew on a one-way airline ticket from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Islamabad, Pakistan. After Pakistani officials denied him entry, Shehadeh told investigators from the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) that he had traveled to Pakistan to visit a university. However, the true purpose of Shehadeh’s trip was to wage violent jihad against United States military forces.

Several weeks after Shehadeh was denied entry to Pakistan, he attempted to enlist in the United States Army at the Times Square recruiting station in Manhattan. Shehadeh’s application was denied when it was discovered that he had concealed his trip to Pakistan on his application. Though Shehadeh claimed that he had tried to enlist for career opportunities and benefits, his true motive was to deploy overseas, where he would commit treason by defecting and fighting alongside insurgent forces. Over the next several months, in subsequent interviews with members of the JTTF, Shehadah continued to lie about the true purpose of his travel. However, in 2010 Shehadah confessed to FBI agents that he had sought to join a jihadist fighting group. Shehadah was arrested in Honolulu, Hawaii, in October 2010.

Link:

FBI news story