vorlos
Junior News Editor
http://www.click2houston.com/news/13386727/detail.html
HOUSTON -- A Pakistani student was convicted Thursday of federal firearms charges connected to paramilitary training exercises that prosecutors said were held to train Muslim men to fight U.S. troops overseas.
Syed Maaz Shah was arrested for firing weapons during two camping trips last year. Authorities said the trips were actually training camps organized by several men who wanted to engage in holy war against U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.
Shah was indicted on two counts of possession of a firearm by an alien and two counts of alien in possession of a firearm affecting interstate commerce. Prosecutors said he fired an Armalite assault rifle.
But before closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors dropped the two coun
ts of possession of a firearm by an alien because of jurisdictional issues. Under federal law, a non-immigrant with a student visa such as Shah can't have firearms or ammunition.
Shah, a 20-year-old former engineering student at the University of Texas at Dallas, faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the two counts when he is sentenced Sept. 14.
Shah's attorney, Frank Jackson, told jurors during closing arguments his client was the victim of entrapment. An undercover officer infiltrated the group.
After the verdict, Jackson said he felt his client was hurt by anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"It was a difficult case because of the times we are in. This so-called war on terror is as phony as can be," said Jackson, who added he expects his client will be deported after serving his sentence.
But prosecutor Shelley Hicks said Shah knew exactly what was going on at the campsite and was "preparing to go o
verseas because somehow our troops were waging war corruptly against Muslims."
The undercover officer, Malik Mohamed, testified during the three-day trial that Shah expressed an interest in taking part in a jihad.
Officials said the FBI found extremist literature on Shah's computer.
Jackson said Shah went on two camping trips in 2006 only to fish and didn't know they would be firing weapons until he got to the site, located in a rural area near Willis, north of Houston.
Last week, Shiraz Syed Qazi, 26, one of three other men arrested in connection with this case, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for firing weapons during these camping trips.
Two other men, Adnan Babar Mirza and Kobie Diallo Williams, were charged with conspiracy to join the Taliban and fight U.S. forces.
Mirza, a 29-year-old Pakistani who overstayed a student visa, also is charged with three counts of violating federal
firearms laws. Mirza, who is Qazi's cousin, is set for trial in October.
Williams, 33, a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and is set to be sentenced in October.
HOUSTON -- A Pakistani student was convicted Thursday of federal firearms charges connected to paramilitary training exercises that prosecutors said were held to train Muslim men to fight U.S. troops overseas.
Syed Maaz Shah was arrested for firing weapons during two camping trips last year. Authorities said the trips were actually training camps organized by several men who wanted to engage in holy war against U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries.
Shah was indicted on two counts of possession of a firearm by an alien and two counts of alien in possession of a firearm affecting interstate commerce. Prosecutors said he fired an Armalite assault rifle.
But before closing arguments Thursday, prosecutors dropped the two coun
ts of possession of a firearm by an alien because of jurisdictional issues. Under federal law, a non-immigrant with a student visa such as Shah can't have firearms or ammunition.
Shah, a 20-year-old former engineering student at the University of Texas at Dallas, faces up to 10 years in prison for each of the two counts when he is sentenced Sept. 14.
Shah's attorney, Frank Jackson, told jurors during closing arguments his client was the victim of entrapment. An undercover officer infiltrated the group.
After the verdict, Jackson said he felt his client was hurt by anti-Muslim sentiment in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"It was a difficult case because of the times we are in. This so-called war on terror is as phony as can be," said Jackson, who added he expects his client will be deported after serving his sentence.
But prosecutor Shelley Hicks said Shah knew exactly what was going on at the campsite and was "preparing to go o
verseas because somehow our troops were waging war corruptly against Muslims."
The undercover officer, Malik Mohamed, testified during the three-day trial that Shah expressed an interest in taking part in a jihad.
Officials said the FBI found extremist literature on Shah's computer.
Jackson said Shah went on two camping trips in 2006 only to fish and didn't know they would be firing weapons until he got to the site, located in a rural area near Willis, north of Houston.
Last week, Shiraz Syed Qazi, 26, one of three other men arrested in connection with this case, was sentenced to 10 months in prison for firing weapons during these camping trips.
Two other men, Adnan Babar Mirza and Kobie Diallo Williams, were charged with conspiracy to join the Taliban and fight U.S. forces.
Mirza, a 29-year-old Pakistani who overstayed a student visa, also is charged with three counts of violating federal
firearms laws. Mirza, who is Qazi's cousin, is set for trial in October.
Williams, 33, a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and is set to be sentenced in October.