Seven North Carolinians Charged with Terrorism

by FBI

07/27/09 FBI agents this morning arrested a group of homegrown terrorists in North Carolina who were heavily armed, organized, and making plans to wage jihad overseas. The seven men arrested-including a father and his two sons' were charged with providing material support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim, and injure people overseas.

The father, Daniel Patrick Boyd, once fought in Afghanistan and trained in terrorist camps in Pakistan and Afghanistan. All of the defendants are North Carolina residents, and all but one are U.S. citizens.

"The threat that terrorists and extremists pose to America and our allies has not dulled or gone away," said Owen D. Harris, special agent in charge of the FBI's Charlotte Division. "These arrests today show there are people living among us, in our communities in North Carolina and around the U.S., that are honing their skills to carry out acts of murder and mayhem."

About the Takedown

The "Triangle Terror Takedown" was the result of more than two years of investigation and strategic planning. In addition to FBI SWAT and Hostage Rescue Teams from Charlotte, Washington, D.C., Norfolk, and Atlanta, the following law enforcement partners played key roles: "That everyone was taken into custody without incident is a testament to the training, hard work, and dedication of all the agents and task force officers involved," said Owen D. Harris, special agent in charge of the FBI Charlotte Division.

The seven-count indictment details a conspiracy that began in earnest in 2006 and continued until shortly before today's arrests. The defendants trained in the U.S. for battle and were willing to die as martyrs. They raised money to support their training and in some cases recruited and radicalized others to further their cause overseas.

In one case, Daniel Patrick Boyd traveled in March 2006 with one of his sons to Gaza to introduce him to individuals who believed violent jihad was a religious obligation. A year later, Boyd and several of the defendants went to Israel to wage jihad but returned without success.

The defendants, as well as some of the additional charges they face, are:

Daniel Patrick Boyd: The 39-year-old Boyd faces charges of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime, receiving a firearm through interstate commerce, and also selling a firearm to a felon.

Dylan Boyd: One of Daniel Boyd's sons, Dylan, 22, is also charged with selling a firearm-a 9mm Beretta handgun-to a felon.

Zakariya Boyd: Also a son of Daniel Boyd, Zakariya, 20, is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime.

Hysen Sherifi: The 24-year-old Kosovo native is a legal U.S. resident. As part of the conspiracy, the indictment alleges he traveled to Kosovo in July 2008 to engage in violent jihad, then returned in April to raise support for the mujahedeen. Sherifi allegedly supplied $500 to help fund Daniel Boyd's overseas efforts.

Anes Subasic: The 33-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen discussed preparations with Daniel Boyd to send two people overseas.

Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan: A 22-year-old U.S. citizen.

Ziyad Yaghi: The 21-year-old U.S. citizen traveled to Jordan in October 2006 to engage in violent jihad.

The indictment details the arsenal the defendants built up over several years, including handguns, assault rifles, and a Bushmaster M4A3 that Daniel Boyd allegedly received illegally in 2006. Over the past two months, the defendants practiced with the weapons and developed their military tactics on private property in rural Caswell County.

The Raleigh Joint Terrorism Task Force of the FBI Charlotte Division led the multi-year, multi-agency investigation, dubbed "Triangle Terror Takedown," along with the North Carolina Information Sharing and Analysis Center. "We will remain vigilant, so must the public," Special Agent in Charge Harris said. "If you see or hear something, act. Call your local police department or the FBI."

Original URL http://www.fbi.gov/page2/july09/terrorism_072709.html

Biography and Article List For James H. Lilley