- Syed Haris Ahmed
Born in
Pakistan , Syed Haris Ahmed is a resident ofAtlanta, Georgia who was arrested by theFBI onMarch 23 ,2006 . [cite news|url=http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/georgia/news-article.aspx?storyid=86516|title=Separate Trials Sought In Terrorism Case|publisher=firstcoastnews.com|date=2007-07-11 |accessdate=2007-10-24]A
mechanical engineering student at Georgia Tech, Ahmed emigrated to the United States with his family in 1997 at the age of 12 and subsequently became a U.S. citizen in 2003. His father, Syed Riaz Ahmed, is a faculty-member ofNorth Georgia College andGeorgia State University . [cite web | title = The Pakistan-Jihadist Connection | publisher = Strategic Forecasting, Inc | date = April 20, 2006 | url = http://www.stratfor.com/products/premium/read_article.php?id=265048 | accessdate = 2006-07-04 ]He was arrested after videotaping "significant commercial buildings." [cite web | title = Prosecutors Allege Terror Suspects Shot 'Casing Video' | publisher = Foxnews.com | date = April 29, 2006 | url = http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193690,00.html | accessdate = 2006-07-04 ] He was charged with providing material support to a terrorist group, [cite web | title = Atlanta Man Indicted For Material Support Of Terrorism | publisher = United States Department of Justice | date = April 20, 2006 | url = http://atlanta.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel06/terrorism042006.htm | accessdate = 2006-07-04 ] and pled not guilty. All documents in the case were initially sealed at the joint request of the court and Ahmed. Subsequent developments led to the indictment being unsealed at the government's request in late April 2006. After the 2006 Toronto terror arrests in June, Ahmed was publicly named as a suspected colleague.
In a bail hearing for the other U.S. resident charged in the matter,
Ehsanul Islam Sadequee , prosecutors alleged that Ahmed and Sadequee traveled toWashington, D.C. to make "casing videos" of theUnited States Capitol building, the World Bank, aMasonic temple and a fuel depot.References
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