HOUSTON, Nov 29: An American man and a Pakistani living illegally in the US have been arrested on charges of conspiring to train and prepare to join the Taliban and fight against US forces, federal prosecutors announced on Tuesday.

US Attorney Donald J. DeGabrielle Jr. said a four-count indictment charges Kobie Diallo Williams, also known as Abdul Kabir, and Adnan Babar Mirza with conspiracy. Mirza, a 29-year-old Pakistani who overstayed his student visa, also is charged with three counts of violating federal firearms laws.

Williams, 33, a US citizen living in Houston, surrendered on Tuesday to members of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. Mirza was already in custody on immigration violations.

“While these subjects did not operate at a high level of sophistication..., the expressed goal was to aid the Taliban by training to carry out jihad... ,” said FBI official Roderick Beverly.—AP