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US charges two over 'terror plot' US charges two for 'Denmark plot'
(about 5 hours later)
Two men in the US city of Chicago have been charged with planning attacks on foreign targets, the US justice department has said. Two men from Chicago have been charged with plotting overseas attacks, including on the Danish newspaper which published cartoons about Islam.
David Coleman Headley, 49, and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, were both arrested earlier this month. David Coleman Headley, 49, and Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, were arrested earlier this month.
Among their alleged targets was a Danish newspaper that printed a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005, sparking angry protests from Muslims. US prosecutors say Mr Headley travelled to Denmark twice to plan an attack on the Jyllands-Posten newspaper offices.
Prosecutors say Mr Headley travelled to Denmark twice to plan an attack. They say he was infuriated by the paper's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2006.
The justice department said it had uncovered "a serious plot against overseas targets". The cartoons sparked angry, sometimes violent protests from Muslims in several countries.
Mr Headley, who changed his name from Daood Gilani in 2006, was arrested on 3 October as he was about to travel to Pakistan. In a statement, the US justice department said it had uncovered "a serious plot against overseas targets by two Chicago-based men working with Pakistani-based terrorist organisations".
He has been charged with "conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming" outside the US and also with conspiracy to provide material support for the attack. Mr Headley, who changed his name from Daood Gilani in 2006, was arrested on 3 October as he was about to travel to Pakistan following a joint investigation by the FBI and the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (Pet).
Prosecutors allege he visited the Copenhagen and Arhus offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper, which printed the cartoons, for surveillance purposes. He has been charged with "conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming" outside the US and also with conspiracy to provide material support for the attack. If found guilty he faces up to life in jail.
The charge sheet alleges he also travelled to Pakistan to meet members of the Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba. 'Mickey Mouse project'
Mr Rana, who officials say is a native of Pakistan and citizen of Canada, was arrested at his home on 18 October. He is alleged to have helped Mr Headley plan and finance the attacks. Prosecutors allege he visited the Copenhagen and Arhus offices of the Jyllands-Posten newspaper for surveillance purposes.
The men both live in the Chicago area. They say he dubbed the planned attacks on the newspaper "the Mickey Mouse project".
The charge sheet alleges he also travelled to Pakistan to meet members of the Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, and also made contact with Harakat-ul Jihad Islami, a Pakistani-based group with links to al-Qaeda.
Mr Rana, who officials say is a native of Pakistan and citizen of Canada, was arrested at his home on 18 October.
He is alleged to have helped Mr Headley plan and finance the attacks, and faces up to 15 years in jail.
Mr Rana's attorney, Patrick Blegen, said his client was "a well respected businessman in the Chicagoland community".
"He adamantly denies the charges and eagerly awaits his opportunity to contest them in court and to clear his and his family's name," Mr Blegen said, in comments quoted by AP news agency.
"We would ask that the community respect the fact that these are merely allegations and not proof."
AP quoted Mr Headley's lawyer as saying his client would make no comment.