Pakistani, four Americans charged with terror plot
By Anwar Iqbal
WASHINGTON, Oct 18: A Pakistani and four Americans have been charged with plotting terror attacks on military facilities and synagogues in the United States, prosecutors said.
Their trial will start on Oct 24 in a California court.
Levar Haley Washington, 25, Gregory Vernon Patterson, 21, Hammad Riaz Samana, 21, and Kevin James, 29, have been accused of conspiring to wage war against the US government through terrorism, kill armed service members and murder foreign officials.
All but Samana, a Pakistani national, are American-born and Muslim converts.
Prosecutors contend the plot was orchestrated by Washington, Patterson and Samana at the behest of James -— an inmate at the California State Prison, Sacramento — who allegedly founded the radical group Jamiyyat ul-Islam-us-Saheeh.
Washington converted to Islam while imprisoned at the same facility for a robbery conviction.
Police uncovered the alleged plot in July while investigating a string of gas station robberies. They found what they believe was a target listing that included three California National Guard facilities, the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles and several synagogues.
James’ public defender, Robert Carlin, has previously said his client was “surprised and shocked” to learn that the government believes he orchestrated a terror plot.
Patterson’s attorney, Winston McKesson, had said his client “has been a productive citizen his entire life.”
