Reaz Qadir Khan, Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorists, Oregon 2010

PORTLAND, Ore. - Reaz Qadir Khan, 48, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Portland, has been arrested on charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.

Khan is accused of providing assistance to an individual who participated in a May 27, 2009, suicide bomb attack at the headquarters of Pakistan's intelligence service in Lahore, Pakistan, that killed approximately 30 individuals and injured 300 more.

The arrest was announced by Amanda Marshall, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon; Lisa Monaco, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Gregory Fowler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Division.

FBI agents arrested Khan this morning without incident at his residence in Portland. He made his initial appearance today before Magistrate Paul Papak in federal court in Portland, where the charges against him were unsealed and defendant was detained, pending a detention hearing tomorrow, March 6, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. Khan is charged by a federal indictment with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison.

“The indictment unsealed today set forth how Mr. Khan allegedly supported a terrorist who killed dozens of innocent people in Lahore Pakistan,” said U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall. “The events of May 27, 2009 remind us that terrorism is not defined by Muslims targeting non-Muslims, but is defined by violent extremists targeting anyone they perceive as a threat to their oppressive agenda without regard for the religion, race, or nationality of their victims. We will find and prosecute those who use this country as a base to fund and support terrorists. Dismantling terrorist networks continues to be a top priority for this office and the Department of Justice.”

“Those who provide material support to terrorists are just as responsible for the deaths and destruction that follow as those who commit the violent acts,” said Greg Fowler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “The FBI will continue to focus on cutting off the flow of funds that help terrorists train, travel and launch their attacks.”

According to the indictment, from Dec. 14, 2005, through June 2, 2009, Khan conspired with an individual named Ali Jaleel and others to provide material support and resources, and to conceal the nature of such support and resources, knowing they would be used in a conspiracy to kill, maim or kidnap persons abroad. Jaleel was a Maldivian national who resided outside the United States. Jaleel died while participating in the suicide attack on the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters in Lahore on May 27, 2009, according to the indictment.

As part of the conspiracy, Khan allegedly used email and intermediaries to provide advice and financial assistance to Jaleel and his family. Khan allegedly provided Jaleel with advice to help him in his efforts to travel undetected from the Maldives to commit violent jihad and used coded language when communicating with Jaleel to avoid detection. Further, Khan allegedly provided financial assistance so Jaleel could attend a training camp to prepare for an attack such as that carried out in Lahore on May 27, 2009. Khan also allegedly provided financial support and advice to Jaleel’s family while Jaleel traveled to Pakistan and after he died.

In April 2006, Jaleel and a small group from the Maldives attempted to travel to Pakistan to train for violent jihad in Iraq or Afghanistan, but they were detained and returned to the Maldives, where Jaleel was placed under house arrest, according to the indictment.

In 2008, Jaleel allegedly emailed Khan about his plans to travel to Pakistan again, and in response, Khan provided advice to Jaleel on how to avoid detection and offered to arrange for money to be sent to Jaleel.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-or/pr/oregon-resident-charged-conspiring-provide-material-support-terrorists-connection-suicide