Two Chicago Men Charged in Connection With Alleged Roles in Foreign Terror
Plot That Focused on Targets in Denmark
CHICAGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two Chicago men have been arrested
on federal charges for their alleged roles in conspiracies to provide material
support and/or to commit terrorist acts against overseas targets, including
facilities and employees of a Danish newspaper that published cartoons of the
Prophet Mohammed in 2005, federal law enforcement officials announced today.
There was no imminent danger in the Chicago area, officials said, adding that
the charges are unrelated to recent terror plot arrests in Boston, New York,
Colorado, Texas and central Illinois.
The defendants charged in separate criminal complaints unsealed today in U.S.
District Court in Chicago are David Coleman Headley, 49, and Tahawwur Hussain
Rana, 48, also known as Tahawar Rana, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, U.S.
Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special
Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI. The complaints remained
under seal temporarily after the defendants' arrests, with court approval, so
as not to compromise further investigative activity.
Headley, a U.S. citizen who changed his name from Daood Gilani in 2006 and
resides primarily in Chicago, was arrested on Oct. 3, 2009, by the Chicago
FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) at O'Hare International Airport before
boarding a flight to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan. He was
charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder
and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide
material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy.
Rana, a native of Pakistan and citizen of Canada who also primarily resides in
Chicago, was arrested on Oct. 18, 2009, at his home by federal agents. Rana
is the owner of several businesses, including First World Immigration
Services, which has offices on Devon Avenue in Chicago, as well as in New York
and Toronto. He was charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material
support to a foreign terrorism conspiracy that involved Headley and at least
three other specific individuals in Pakistan.
Both men have been held in federal custody since each was arrested. If
convicted, Headley faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment for
conspiracy to murder or maim persons abroad, while Headley and Rana each face
a maximum of 15 years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to
terrorism.
On Oct. 18, 2009, JTTF agents executed search warrants in connection with the
investigation at four locations: Headley's and Rana's residences on the north
side of Chicago, Rana's immigration business in Chicago, and a farm he owns in
Kinsman, Ill., approximately 80 miles southwest of Chicago, which is used to
provide halal meat for Muslim customers, as well as a grocery store in
Chicago.
According to both complaints, since at least late 2008 until Oct. 3, 2009, as
part of the conspiracy to murder and maim persons abroad, Headley allegedly
identified and conducted surveillance of potential targets of a terrorist
attack in Denmark on two separate trips to Denmark in January and July 2009,
and reported and attempted to report on his efforts to other conspirators in
Pakistan. As part of the conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism,
Rana allegedly helped arrange Headley's travels overseas and conceal their
true nature and purpose to surveil potential terror targets overseas, and
discussed potential targets for attack with Headley.
Headley allegedly reported and attempted to report on his overseas
surveillance to other conspirators, according to the affidavits, including:
-- Ilyas Kashmiri, identified as the operational chief of the Azad
Kashmir
section of Harakat-ul Jihad Islami (HUJI), a Pakistani-based terrorist
organization with links to al Qaeda. Kashmiri, who is presently
believed to be in Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Area
(FATA) region in northwestern Pakistan, issued a statement this month
that he was alive and working with al Qaeda;
-- "Individual A" (who is identified as Individual A in the Headley
affidavit and as Individual B in the Rana affidavit), who is
associated
with Kashmiri, as well as with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), another
Pakistani-based terrorist organization;
-- an individual identified as "Lashkar-e-Taiba Member A" (LeT Member A),
who has substantial influence and responsibility within the
organization
and whose identity is known to the government.
"The public should be reassured that there was no imminent danger in the
Chicago area. However, law enforcement has the duty to be vigilant to guard
against not just those who would carry out attacks here on our soil but those
who plot on our soil to help carry out violent attacks overseas. I wish to
express my deep appreciation to the FBI agents and other members of the Joint
Terrorism Task Force for their extremely hard work on this matter," said Mr.
Fitzgerald.
"The criminal complaints unsealed today have exposed a serious plot against
overseas targets by two Chicago-based men working with Pakistani-based
terrorist organizations. Information developed during this investigation was
shared with our foreign partners as we worked together to mitigate these
threats. This case is a reminder that the threat posed by international
terrorist organizations is global in nature and requires constant vigilance at
home and abroad," said David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National
Security.
"This investigation demonstrates the well-established relationships that we
have with our law enforcement partners, both foreign and domestic. We work
closely with state, local and federal law enforcement agencies in the United
States, as well as with our overseas partners, to identify and disrupt threats
here and abroad," said Mr. Grant.
According to the affidavits in both cases, Headley at times has claimed to be
a consultant with or representative of Rana's business, First World
Immigration Services, but appears to perform little if any actual work for the
business. In addition, Headley's apartment in Chicago is leased to an
individual who is deceased. Despite his apparent lack of financial resources
and substantial employment, Headley has traveled extensively since the second
half of 2008, including multiple trips to Pakistan and various countries in
Europe. Postings to an internet group for graduates of a military school in
the Pakistani town of Hasan Abdal (a group that refers to itself as
"abdalians"), reflect that both Rana and Headley have participated in the
group and referred to their attendance at that school.
The Denmark Project
Beginning in late 2008, Headley corresponded extensively with Individual A and
LeT Member A regarding what they referred to in coded communications as the
"Mickey Mouse Project," "mmp," and "the northern project," according to the
affidavit. The Mickey Mouse Project allegedly involved planning for one or
more attacks at facilities and employees of Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten, a
Danish newspaper that in 2005 published cartoons depicting the Prophet
Mohammed, to which many Muslims took great offense. In October 2008, Headley
allegedly posted a message to the "abdalians" internet discussion group
stating that "I feel disposed towards violence for the offending parties,"
referring to the Danish cartoonists and others who he identified "as making
fun of Islam."
Using coded language, Rana, Headley, Individual A and LeT Member A allegedly
have referred to this plot, as well as discussions of other targets, as
"investments," "projects," "business," and "action," and have described their
hopes for success both in terms of receiving religious awards, as well as
getting "rich," "richer," and making "profit." Between August 2008 and Dec.
7, 2008, Headley sent multiple email messages from internet addresses located
in Karachi and Lahore in Pakistan, the charges allege. On Dec. 7, 2008, just
before traveling from Pakistan to the United States that same day, Headley
allegedly used one of multiple email accounts to store a detailed list of
items for himself, which he titled "Mickey Mouse." Included on the list
(contained in the affidavits) were the following items:
-- Route Design (train, bus, air)
-- Cross (Cover Authenticator)
-- Trade? Immigration?
-- Ad? (Lost Luggage) (Business) (Entry?)
-- Kings Square (French Embassy)
-- Counter surveillance (magic eye)
-- Security (armed)?
In January 2009, Headley traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, and Rana allegedly
arranged portions of his travel. During the trip, Headley allegedly visited
two different offices of the Jyllands-Posten -- in Copenhagen and Arhus,
Denmark. The Copenhagen office is located in Kings Square near the French
Embassy. Headley falsely told Jyllands-Posten employees that he was visiting
on behalf of First World Immigration Services, which he said was considering
opening offices in Denmark and might be interested in advertising the business
in the newspaper. While in Denmark, Headley instructed Rana to be alert for
an email from a Jyllands-Posten sales representative, and to ask First World's
Toronto and New York offices to "remember me," in case a newspaper
representative called. According to the complaints, Rana corresponded from
Chicago with a representative of the Jyllands-Posten by email in which he
pretended to be Headley.
After visiting Denmark, Headley traveled to Pakistan to meet with Individual
A. During this visit, Headley traveled with Individual A to Pakistan's FATA
region and met with Kashmiri. Before returning to Chicago in June 2009,
Headley sent his will to Rana and Rana responded by sending a coded message
establishing a new email account, the complaint alleges.
In July and August 2009, Headley exchanged a series of emails with LeT Member
A, including an exchange in which Headley asked if the Denmark project was on
hold, and whether a visit to India that LeT Member A had asked him to
undertake was for the purpose of surveilling targets for a new terrorist
attack. These emails reflect that LeT Member A was placing a higher priority
on using Headley to assist in planning a new attack in India than on
completing the planned attack in Denmark. After this time, Headley and
Individual A allegedly continued focusing on the plan with Kashmiri to attack
the newspaper, rather than working with LeT, the complaint alleges.
In late July 2009, Headley traveled again to Copenhagen and to other locations
in Europe, and Rana again arranged portions of his travel. When Headley
returned to the United States, he falsely told border inspectors that he was
traveling on business as a representative of First World Immigration, although
his luggage contained no papers or other documents relating to First World.
After returning to Chicago in August 2009, Headley allegedly used coded
language to repeatedly inquire if Individual A had been in touch with Kashmiri
regarding planning for the attack, and expressing concern that Individual A's
communications with Kashmiri had been cut off. In early September 2009,
Headley and Rana took a lengthy car ride during which they discussed the
activities of the other individuals, including past terrorist acts, and
Headley discussed with Rana five actions involving targets that expressly
included "Denmark." In conversations with Rana and Individual A in August and
September 2009, Headley indicated that if the "doctor" (alleged to be a
reference to Kashmiri) and his people were unable to assist, then Headley
would perform the planned operation himself.
In September 2009, after initial press reports indicated that Kashmiri had
been killed in a drone attack in Pakistan, Headley and Individual A allegedly
had a series of coded conversations in which they discussed the reports of
Kashmiri's death and what it meant for the projects they were planning.
Individual A sought to reassure and encourage Headley, telling him, among
other things, that "[t]his is business sir; these types of things happen." On
Sept. 20, 2009, Headley allegedly told a family member words to the effect
that he had spoken to Rana and they agreed that "business must go on."
In a Sept. 21, 2009, telephone conversation, Individual A indicated to Headley
that Kashmiri was alive and "doing well." In a subsequent conversation on
Sept. 30, 2009, Individual A again assured Headley that Kashmiri, whom he
referred to as "Pir Sahib," was "absolutely all right" and had not gotten
"married," which was code for being killed. Headley asked Individual A if it
was possible to now have a meeting with Kashmiri and Individual A responded
that Kashmiri "just today, was asking about you" (Headley).
According to the affidavit, Headley stated in conversations last month that he
intended to travel to Pakistan in early October to meet with Individual A and
Kashmiri, and he was arrested on Oct. 3 as he prepared to board a flight from
Chicago to Philadelphia, intending to travel on to Pakistan. During a search
of Headley's luggage, a memory stick was recovered that contained
approximately 10 short videos of Copenhagen, including video focused on the
Jyllands-Posten building in King's Square taken both during the day and night,
as well as a nearby Danish military barracks and the exterior and interior of
Copenhagen's central train station, consistent with the checklist he stored
which mentioned "route design." In addition, Headley had an airline
reservation, allegedly made by Rana, to fly from Atlanta to Copenhagen on Oct.
29, 2009.
The investigation is continuing and is being conducted by the Chicago FBI
Joint Terrorism Task Force, with particular assistance from the Chicago Police
Department, the Illinois State Police and the Department of Homeland Security.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Collins
and Vicki Peters from the Northern District of Illinois, with assistance from
the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department's National Security
Division.
The public is reminded that a criminal complaint contains mere allegations
that are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are
entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving
guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
WWW.JUSTICE.GOV
SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice, +1-202-514-2007, TDD: +1-202-514-1888
