US:Muslim Ex-Navy man gets 10 Years for Terrorism

An American convert to Islam has been sentenced to 10 years in jail for siding with his Muslim brothers over his own Navy men. Personally I am against Muslims being allowed into our armed forces, because of reasons like this.

Ex-U.S. sailor jailed for 10 years on terrorism charges
BOSTON (Reuters) – A former U.S. Navy sailor stationed in the Middle East was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Friday for spying and providing material support to a terrorist organization.

Hassan Abujihaad, 33, was convicted last year by a federal jury in Connecticut of providing classified information to Azzam Publications in London, knowing that it would be used in a conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens.

Abujihaad, formerly known as Paul Hall, was arrested in Phoenix, Arizona, on March 7, 2007.

Prosecutors accused Azzam Publications of engaging in a conspiracy to provide material support and communications links to people involved in terrorism, including the disclosure of a U.S. Navy battle group's movements in 2001.

Prosecutors said the spying occurred months after suicide bombers attacked the U.S.S. Cole, an American warship, during a refueling stop in Yemen in October 2000, killing 17 sailors and injuring dozens.

Charges were brought in Connecticut because Azzam websites were hosted for a time on servers in the state.

Prosecutors said Abujihaad sent e-mails to members of Azzam while he was on active duty in the Middle East and stationed aboard the U.S.S. Benfold, a ship in the battle group whose movements were disclosed.

The e-mails were recovered in December 2003 when British police searched the London home of Babar Ahmad, a British citizen linked to Azzam.

Aside from details of the warships' movements, a document Abujihaad is accused of leaking went on to discuss the group's perceived vulnerability to terrorist attack, prosecutors said.

The e-mails were said to include discussions of videos Abujihaad ordered from Azzam that promoted violent holy war, or jihad, and a small donation he made to the organization.

At the trial, prosecutors submitted evidence that Abujihaad's Navy e-mail account was saved in an Azzam online address book and also produced court-authorized wiretap recordings in which Abujihaad was accused of speaking in code to refer to jihad.

Abujihaad described a force-protection briefing given aboard his ship, "voiced enmity" toward America and praised al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, prosecutors said.

One e-mail lauded the Cole attack, which Abujihaad described as a "martyrdom operation" and advised Azzam that such tactics were working and taking their toll.

Authorities said Azzam responded with an e-mail encouraging Abujihaad to "keep up ... the psychological warfare." Abujihaad was discharged from active duty from the U.S. Navy in January 2002, authorities said.

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