Maryland Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Terrorists

PHILADELPHIA—Mohammad Hassan Khalid, 20, a Pakistani citizen and U.S. lawful permanent resident who resided in Maryland, was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. Khalid participated in a scheme to support, recruit, and coordinate members of a conspiracy in their plan to wage violent jihad in and around Europe. He pleaded guilty on May 4, 2012.

Khalid conspired with Jamie Paulin-Ramirez and Colleen LaRose, aka “Jihad Jane,” who were charged separately, in a conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. LaRose also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements, and attempted identity theft and was sentenced to 10 years in prison; Paulin-Ramirez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and was sentenced to eight years in prison.

In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Petrese B. Tucker ordered three years of supervised release, with limited access to computers, and a $100 special assessment. The sentencing result was announced by United States Attorney Zane David Memeger, FBI Special Agent in Charge Edward Hanko, and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Carlin.

Khalid’s co‑defendant, Ali Charaf Damache, aka “Theblackflag,” an Algerian man who resided in Ireland, is in custody in Ireland pending extradition to the United States.

From about 2008 through July 2011, Khalid and Damache conspired with LaRose, Paulin-Ramirez, and others to provide material support and resources to terrorists, including logistical support, recruitment services, financial support, identification documents, and personnel. Khalid, Damache, and others devised and coordinated a violent jihad organization consisting of men and women from Europe and the United States divided into a planning team, a research team, an action team, a recruitment team, and a finance team, some of whom would travel to South Asia for explosives training and return to Europe to wage violent jihad.

As part of the conspiracy, Khalid, Damache, LaRose, and others recruited men online to wage violent jihad in South Asia and Europe. In addition, Khalid, Damache, LaRose, and others allegedly recruited women who had passports and the ability to travel to and around Europe in support of violent jihad. LaRose, Paulin‑Ramirez, and others traveled to and around Europe to participate in and support violent jihad. In addition, Khalid, LaRose, and others also solicited funds online for terrorists.

For example, in July 2009, Khalid posted or caused to be posted an online solicitation for funds to support terrorism on behalf of LaRose and later sent electronic communications to multiple online forums requesting the deletion of all posts by LaRose after she was questioned by the FBI. In August 2009, Khalid sent a questionnaire to LaRose in which he asked another potential female recruit about her beliefs and intentions with regard to violent jihad. In addition, Khalid received and concealed the location of a U.S. passport that LaRose had stolen from another individual.

The Khalid case was investigated by the FBI field division in Baltimore, in conjunction with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Philadelphia and the FBI field divisions in New York and Washington, D.C. Authorities in Ireland also provided assistance in this matter.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams and Trial Attorney Matthew F. Blue from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The Office of International Affairs in the Justice Departments Criminal Division also provided assistance.