Ali Saleh Kahlah Al-Marri, Material Support to Al-Qaeda, Illinois 2009

Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri, 43, a dual national of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to al-Qaeda in Illinois.

Al-Marri entered his guilty plea at a hearing this afternoon before Judge Michael M. Mihm in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois. In so doing, al-Marri admitted that he agreed with others to provide material support or resources to al-Qaeda in the form of personnel, including himself, to work under al-Qaeda’s direction and control with the intent to further the terrorist activity or terrorism objectives of al-Qaeda.

According to the plea agreement, al-Marri attended various terrorist training camps between 1998 to 2001, where he learned the use of weapons and operational security tradecraft. This training was provided by al-Qaeda, and al-Marri was dispatched by the highest levels of al-Qaeda to carry out its terrorist objectives in America.

“Without a doubt, this case is a grim reminder of the seriousness of the threat we as a nation still face,” said Attorney General Holder. “But it also reflects what we can achieve when we have faith in our criminal justice system and are unwavering in our commitment to the values upon which the nation was founded and the rule of law.”

Al-Marri faces up to 15 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a life term of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment. Judge Mihm scheduled sentencing for July 30, 2009.

“The facts admitted by al-Marri today demonstrate that he was an al-Qaeda ‘sleeper’ operative working on U.S. soil and directed by the chief planner of the 9-11 attacks. Al-Marri researched the use of chemical weapons, potential targets and maximum casualties,” said Arthur M. Cummings, II, Executive Assistant Director of the FBI’s National Security Branch.

“Ali al-Marri was an al-Qaeda operative who traveled to central Illinois as an al-Qaeda operative the day before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to plan and prepare for future acts of terrorism within the United States,” said Jeffrey B. Lang, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/ali-al-marri-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-provide-material-support-al-qaeda