Officials indict fugitive on terror rap

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Federal officials arrested a California man on terror-related charges and indicted his Malaysian brother, who is one of the State Department's most-wanted criminals, the U.S. Attorney for Northern California said on Friday.

A 16-count indictment, issued on Thursday, prompted the arrest of Rahmat Abdhir, 43, a U.S. citizen living in San Jose, California, on charges he aided terrorists.

Also named in the indictment was his brother, Zulkifli Abdhir, 41, whom U.S. officials believe is a leading figure in Jemaah Islamiyah, the group blamed for the 2002 bombing of a Bali, Indonesia, nightclub that killed 202 people. Officials said they believe Zulkifli Abdhir is in the Philippines.

"With yesterday's arrest and indictment, we have closed off a channel by which an American citizen was allegedly funding and supplying a fugitive designated terrorist with two-way radios and other materials for his operations overseas," said Kenneth Wainstein, assistant U.S. attorney general for national security.

Zulkifli Abdhir, a Malaysian citizen believed to be involved in deadly bomb attacks in the Philippines, is one of the U.S. State Department's most-wanted criminals. In March, the State Department approved a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.

The indictment said the two men communicated by e-mail using code words so that Rahmat could send guns, money, two-way radios and other goods to his brother in the Philippines.