Residents of New Mexico accused of planning terrorist attacks: NPR

A federal grand jury in Albuquerque has indicted five residents of a rural New Mexico complex for new terrorism-related charges related to an alleged plot to attack the FBI and military personnel.

The five defendants were arrested last year after the authorities found 11 malnourished children living in squalid conditions in the small community of Amalia, near the border between New Mexico and Colorado. They also discovered a large cache of weapons, resulting in charges of conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms.

The bill of indictment voided on Thursday indicts Jany Leveille, 36; Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, 40 years old; Hujrah Wahhaj, 38 years old; Subhanah Wahhaj, 36 years old; and Lucas Morton, 41; with a plot to provide material support for terrorist attacks against federal agents and employees.

"The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to provide material support in anticipation of violent attacks against federal law enforcement officials and members of the government. army, "said Deputy Attorney General John C. Demers in a statement. "Promoting beliefs through terror and violence has no place in America, and the National Security Division continues to make protection against terrorism a top priority."

Four of the residents of the compound are also accused of kidnapping a child who died later. The remains of a small child were discovered three days after the first raid. Abdul-Ghani Wahhaj, three years old, was the son of the accused Siraj Ib Wahaj. He had been missing from his home in Georgia since December 2017. The child's search had prompted the FBI to start monitoring the group and possibly raiding it.

The charges of child abuse in the state of New Mexico were dropped last year when prosecutors mismanaged the case.

"Federal prosecutors say that between December 2017 and August 2018, the group, whether they are brothers or sisters or bound by a marriage, had" a common plan to prepare for violent attacks against government institutions. , military, educational and financial "," NPR's Vanessa Romo, of NPR reported in September 2018.

The statement from the Department of Justice set out allegations relating to the preparation of attacks against federal public servants and employees:

"According to the previous indictment, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Hujrah Wahhaj collected guns and ammunition and all the accused carried people, firearms and ammunition across the borders of the country. the state and builds a training center where they stored their firearms and ammunition.The subsequent indictment that Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Morton have built and maintained a range in the Where they engaged in firearms and tactical training for the other occupants of the compound, and that Leveille and Morton tried to recruit other people to their cause.

"This indictment also charges Leveille, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj and Morton with conspiring to attack and kill officers and employees of the United States, in violation of 18 USC §. 1117. The accused were going to kill officers and employees of the United States, particularly employees of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, government officials and military personnel. "