A former Iraqi resident has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges in a Kentucky court, admitting to sending weapons to Iraq to be used against American soldiers.
Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 24, pleaded guilty to all 12 counts of a superseding indictment in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, announced Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
The indictment charged Hammadi with five counts of attempting to provide material support to terrorists and four counts of attempting to provide material support to al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), a designated foreign terrorist organization. He was also charged with one count of conspiracy to transfer, possess and export Stinger missiles and with two counts of making false statements in immigration matters.
Hammadi faces a maximum sentence of life in prison under the sentencing guidelines and a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2012, in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green before Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell.
Hammadi was first indicted on May 26, 2011, and was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment returned on February 15, 2012, by a federal grand jury meeting in Bowling Green, Ky. His co-defendant, Waad Ramadan Alwan, pleaded guilty to all counts of the 23-count indictment on December 16, 2011.
Both Hammadi and Alwan were arrested on May 25, 2011, in Bowling Green on criminal complaints. They were closely monitored by federal law enforcement authorities in the months leading up to their arrests, and neither was charged with plotting attacks within the United States.
“Today’s guilty plea is another testament to the effectiveness of the intelligence and law enforcement communities in bringing terrorists to justice and preventing them from harming the American people,” said Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security.
U.S. Attorney David J. Hale praised the law enforcement effort, saying, “In open court today, Mohanad Hammadi admitted to engaging in terrorist activities here in the United States. He admitted that he tried to send numerous weapons from Kentucky to Iraq to be used against American soldiers.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner added, “Protecting the United States from terrorist attacks remains the FBI’s top priority. Using our growing suite of investigative and intelligence capabilities, FBI Agents and Analysts assigned to our Bowling Green office were able to neutralize a potential threat to our national security.”
The guilty plea sends a strong message to anyone who would attempt similar crimes that they will face determined law enforcement and prosecution efforts, U.S. Attorney Hale said.
Hammadi’s sentencing is a significant step in the fight against terrorism, and the guilty plea serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation in preventing terrorist attacks.
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