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Mohammad Hassan Khalid given five years in jail for his part in jihadist plot Mohammad Hassan Khalid given five years in jail for his part in jihadist plot
(4 months later)
Mohammad Hassan Khalid, the youngest person ever to be prosecuted for terrorism offences in the US, has been sentenced to five years in prison for engaging in an online jihadist plot to kill a Swedish artist when he was 15.Mohammad Hassan Khalid, the youngest person ever to be prosecuted for terrorism offences in the US, has been sentenced to five years in prison for engaging in an online jihadist plot to kill a Swedish artist when he was 15.
A judge in a federal court in Philadelphia sentenced Khalid on Thursday after he pleaded guilty last May to a single count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The defendant, now 20, has already spent three years in custody.A judge in a federal court in Philadelphia sentenced Khalid on Thursday after he pleaded guilty last May to a single count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The defendant, now 20, has already spent three years in custody.
Khalid, a Pakistani migrant living in Maryland, was 15 years old when he first began chatting on the internet with Colleen LaRose, the Philadelphia housewife who called herself “Jihad Jane”. LaRose, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for her part in the conspiracy, drew him into a plan to kill the Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who had drawn the head of the prophet Muhammad on the body of a dog. Khalid, a Pakistani migrant living in Maryland, was 15 years old when he first began chatting on the internet with Colleen LaRose, the Philadelphia housewife who called herself “Jihad Jane”. LaRose, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for her part in the conspiracy, drew him into a plan to kill the Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who had drawn the head of the prophet Muhammad on the body of a dog.
Khalid’s defence team told the court that several factors, including his immaturity at the time of the offences, his alienation as a foreigner in the US, and the effects of his Asperger’s syndrome had rendered him isolated and vulnerable. Although the defendant had agreed to be tried as an adult, his sentence should reflect his vulnerability as a juvenile who was aged 15 to 17 when the criminal activity took place.Khalid’s defence team told the court that several factors, including his immaturity at the time of the offences, his alienation as a foreigner in the US, and the effects of his Asperger’s syndrome had rendered him isolated and vulnerable. Although the defendant had agreed to be tried as an adult, his sentence should reflect his vulnerability as a juvenile who was aged 15 to 17 when the criminal activity took place.
“The FBI used a kid who was extraordinarily vulnerable, and that wasn’t right. He was just a kid. They didn’t ruin his life, but they helped him do that to himself,” Jeffrey Lindy, Khalid’s lead attorney, told the Guardian.“The FBI used a kid who was extraordinarily vulnerable, and that wasn’t right. He was just a kid. They didn’t ruin his life, but they helped him do that to himself,” Jeffrey Lindy, Khalid’s lead attorney, told the Guardian.
Lindy was particularly critical of the FBI’s failure to provide Khalid with his own lawyer after they began monitoring his online activities when he was 15. Instead, Khalid continued his jihadist internet conversations and the government used all the material gathered against him in the ensuing prosecution.Lindy was particularly critical of the FBI’s failure to provide Khalid with his own lawyer after they began monitoring his online activities when he was 15. Instead, Khalid continued his jihadist internet conversations and the government used all the material gathered against him in the ensuing prosecution.
He told the Guardian: “The FBI clearly has an important job to do in fighting terrorism – I don’t begrudge that or diminish it at all. But they were dealing here with a juvenile who now faces being returned to Pakistan where nobody knows what will happen to him.”He told the Guardian: “The FBI clearly has an important job to do in fighting terrorism – I don’t begrudge that or diminish it at all. But they were dealing here with a juvenile who now faces being returned to Pakistan where nobody knows what will happen to him.”
In a sentencing memorandum to the court, federal prosecutors had called for a lengthy prison sentence of under 10 years to “send a strong message to others in his position who might be enticed by online extremists promising fame and honor”. The US government argued that though his crimes were committed mainly online, “they presented a very real danger to westerners everywhere targeted by the terrorist cell for which he recruited and fundraised.”In a sentencing memorandum to the court, federal prosecutors had called for a lengthy prison sentence of under 10 years to “send a strong message to others in his position who might be enticed by online extremists promising fame and honor”. The US government argued that though his crimes were committed mainly online, “they presented a very real danger to westerners everywhere targeted by the terrorist cell for which he recruited and fundraised.”
Prosecutors specifically accused him of forwarding stolen identification documents to other members of the cell in Ireland, and of hiding a stolen US passport for use by jihadi fighters abroad. In addition, he translated violent jihad videos from Urdu to English and posted them on jihadi sites.Prosecutors specifically accused him of forwarding stolen identification documents to other members of the cell in Ireland, and of hiding a stolen US passport for use by jihadi fighters abroad. In addition, he translated violent jihad videos from Urdu to English and posted them on jihadi sites.
In mitigation, prosecutors accepted that “Khalid was young when he committed these crimes. In addition, various evaluations indicate that Khalid may have certain psychological qualities rendering him particularly vulnerable to this type of crime.”In mitigation, prosecutors accepted that “Khalid was young when he committed these crimes. In addition, various evaluations indicate that Khalid may have certain psychological qualities rendering him particularly vulnerable to this type of crime.”
The state also credited him for having co-operated extensively with investigators after his arrest shortly before his 18th birthday in July 2011. He met detectives about 20 times, spoke with them for many hours about his online activities, and reviewed documents and electronic data.The state also credited him for having co-operated extensively with investigators after his arrest shortly before his 18th birthday in July 2011. He met detectives about 20 times, spoke with them for many hours about his online activities, and reviewed documents and electronic data.
“The government deems Khalid’s co-operation very significant,” court documents state.“The government deems Khalid’s co-operation very significant,” court documents state.
Prosecution and defence lawyers agree that during his involvement with Jihad Jane and the other terrorist plotters, Khalid was leading a double life. On the surface, he was “living the American dream”, Lindy told the Guardian – he was an honours student at high school and had been accepted to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University on a full scholarship.Prosecution and defence lawyers agree that during his involvement with Jihad Jane and the other terrorist plotters, Khalid was leading a double life. On the surface, he was “living the American dream”, Lindy told the Guardian – he was an honours student at high school and had been accepted to the prestigious Johns Hopkins University on a full scholarship.
Without the knowledge of his parents or teachers, however, he was also spending up to 40 hours a week obsessively scouring the internet and engaging with jihadist websites. Online he called himself "Abdul Ba’aree Abd Al-Rahman Al-Hassan Al-Afghani Al-Junoobi W’at-Emiratee". After FBI agents first visited him in his home, he continued his online activities, obtaining a new computer and hacking into the internet connection of a third party in a fruitless attempt to avoid detection.Without the knowledge of his parents or teachers, however, he was also spending up to 40 hours a week obsessively scouring the internet and engaging with jihadist websites. Online he called himself "Abdul Ba’aree Abd Al-Rahman Al-Hassan Al-Afghani Al-Junoobi W’at-Emiratee". After FBI agents first visited him in his home, he continued his online activities, obtaining a new computer and hacking into the internet connection of a third party in a fruitless attempt to avoid detection.