Iraqi refugee arrested in CA on terror charge
Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab — Facebook
Two Iraqi refugees, one in California, have been arrested on joint terrorism-related charges.
“From his pictures on Facebook, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab looks like any other millennial with a wardrobe of Nike sneakers, Ray-Ban sunglasses and flannel shirts. But federal officials say the 23-year-old was living a double life — one as a refugee starting a new life in America and another as a young man anxious to return to the Middle East to fight in the Syrian Civil War,” the Daily Mail reported. “The Iraqi-born Palestinian man was arrested Thursday in Sacramento, California on charges he was plotting to travel to Syria to join the al-Nusra Front terrorist organization.”
Under the radar
As the New York Times reported, Jayab’s alleged partner in the scheme, 24-year-old Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, “was arrested in Houston and charged with three counts of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, according to a statement from the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.”
“Prosecutors said that Mr. Jayab entered the United States from Syria as a refugee in October 2012, living in Arizona and Wisconsin before settling in Sacramento. Mr. Hardan, who lives in Houston, entered the United States as a refugee in 2009 and was granted legal permanent residence status in 2011, according to law enforcement.”
“Prosecutors allege Al Hardan was coordinating efforts with another Iraqi refugee living in California, Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab,” the Associated Press reported. “The two men communicated through Facebook messenger from April 2013 to October 2014 and talked about getting weapons training and eventually sneaking into Syria to fight alongside the terrorist group,” according to prosecution witness Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Herman Wittliff.
In custody
While Al Hardan’s family has been evicted from their apartment, “Al-Jayab remains jailed in Sacramento, California,” the AP added. “Authorities say Al-Jayab fought twice in Syria, including with a group later affiliated with the Islamic State between November 2013 and January 2014.”
Hardan was denied bond by U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes. Based on details relayed by Wittliff, he ruled “there would be a serious risk that the Iraqi refugee would flee if released from federal custody,” reported Fox News. According to the channel, Wittliff “said that in addition to Al Hardan wanting to set off bombs at the two Houston malls, including the popular Galleria mall, the Iraqi man was also learning how to make electronic transmitters that could be used to detonate improvised explosive devices. Al Hardan wanted used cellphones — a collection of which were found in his apartment — to detonate the devices, Wittliff said.”
Fueling national fears
The arrests have fueled election-year concern, especially among Republicans, that U.S. screening processes have not been adequately tightened amid the rise of ISIS and the recent waves of Mideast migration it has caused. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a consistent critic of President Obama’s border and security policies, took the opportunity to press home the point. “I once again urge the president to halt the resettlement of these refugees in the United States until there is an effective vetting process that will ensure refugees do not compromise the safety of Americans and Texans,” he said, according to the Daily Mail.
And Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, currently pushing a bill that would mandate additional procedures, tied Hardan and Jayab to the broader security situation in a statement. “While I commend the FBI for their hard work, these arrests heighten my concern that our refugee program is susceptible to exploitation by terrorists. The president has assured us that individuals from Iraq and Syria receive close scrutiny, but it is clearly not enough,” he concluded, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
“McCaul introduced the American Security Against Foreign Enemies Act last year, which calls for Federal Bureau of Investigation background checks in addition to initial Homeland Security screenings for all ‘covered aliens,’ or refugees with ties to Iraq or Syria. The bill passed 289 to 137 in the House in November.”
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Good news! Two of the suicide attacks around the world in 2015 were NOT by carried out by Muslims! Granted, 450 suicide attacks WERE carried out by Muslims, but correlation does not prove causation.
As the politicians keep telling us, such Islamic attacks have nothing to do with the Religion of Peace.
Good to know.
Hogwash. Stop playing the intellectual and turn off your Obamaphone. Nowhere in the article does it say these two scumbags were NOT Muslims. The assumption can be that they are Muslims considering where they are from. You work for Hillary by chance?
Was RR being immensely sarcastic or just plain ignorant? Perhaps it could be understood either way, but if the latter. Good grief.
Oh my. Truthafuss, did you read the article? CAN you read?
Did either of the accused commit a suicide attack? Did he/they blow himself up after they were arrested? Since they didn’t, how can they be two of the suicide attackers? Puzzling, isn’t it?
I’m not talking about the article’s two Muslims (I can see where the “2” confuses you when you don’t read the article). I bet you HATE it when that happens (actually you’re too dense to KNOW that you blew it — pardon the expression).
My post was just the summary of the suicide attacks around the world in 2015 (figures recently published). 452 suicide attacks — 450 were Muslims. BTW, at least one of the other two likely was Muslim, but that cannot be confirmed.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/450-of-452-suicide-attacks-in-2015-were-by-muslim-extremists-study-shows/
My post was just the summary of the suicide attacks around the world in 2015 (figures recently published). 452 suicide attacks — 450 were Muslims. BTW, at least one of the other two likely was Muslim, but that cannot be confirmed.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/450-of-452-suicide-attacks-in-2015-were-by-muslim-extremists-study-shows/
So what are you REALLY trying to say RR???
(sarcasm ^^)
Actually Rex, you raise a good point. I made an error — because so much good stuff gets posted here by excellent writers, I reached the inappropriate conclusion that all the blog’s READERS brought a degree of mental acuity to the table. I wrongly assumed all would see my post as an obvious slam of The Religion of Peace — and a slam of their apologists.
Most do, and did. Truthafuss and afrequentreader don’t, and didn’t.
My bad. I’ll try to bring my posts down the the 3rd grade reading level, so that no child is left behind.
LOL RR Poor Cuddle Poodle has no idea at all what you’re trying to say! He’s probably 9.
I’ll try to bring my posts down the the 3rd grade reading level, so that no child is left behind.
Teddy Steals thanks you for dumbing it down to a level he can comprehend and participate in 🙂
After reading your comment again, I understood the intent of your reply. Thanks for clarifying RR. As to the other comments by our comical posters et al, TS, Ted, etc. etc. Well we all can see with our own eyes and conclude the same thing before they even post.
Hello McFly—- RR was being funny, or ironic, or sarcastic or something……good lord lads lighten up
Biff Steals, at least his comment was lacked the nonsensical gibberish you post 😉
Mmmmmm lol i see i am still renting space in your tiny, lonely, empty skull!!!
LMAO!!!!! I should pay rent!!
I think the ashole should be chased around the field( with a pigskin attached to his ass) at the Super Bowl by wild pigs.
Would also make a heck of a beer commercial.
Jihad gone awry. Friends the pigs on Facebook, Then he drinks a beer, pisses on the book he holds, and sits down to watch the big game.
Whoa, that is good.