Founder Of Prison-based Terrorist Group Sentenced To 16 years

The founder of a prison-based terrorist group that targeted the U.S. government and supporters of Israel was sentenced Friday to 16 years in federal prison.

Kevin James, 32, who founded Jam’iyyat Ul-Islam Is-Saheeh, or JIS, pleaded guilty in 2007 of plotting “to levy war against the United States through terrorism.”

On Friday, U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney described James as “the mastermind and architect of a terrorist conspiracy” to attack LAX, Army recruiting centers and the Israeli Consulate. Still, Carney said he believed James felt genuine remorse and had written him “the most powerful letter I’ve ever received” as a judge.

In the letter, portions of which the judge read aloud, James described his violent upbringing in Inglewood, harsh conditions he endured at the California Youth Authority and the horrors of prison, where James has spent much of his adult life.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Gregory W. Staples, arguing for an 18-year prison term for James, said that when authorities stopped the conspirators, “they were gearing up and accelerating.” He said James’ group planned to stage attacks on political targets with the proceeds of gas station robberies, and the group’s writings contained calls to acquire remote-controlled bombs and silencer-equipped guns.

At New Folsom prison in 2004, James recruited fellow inmate Levar Washington, who was released that year and in turn recruited Gregory Patterson. When Torrance police focused on Washington and Patterson as suspects in a series of 2005 robberies, a search of their South Los Angeles apartment turned up the JIS manifesto and a list of potential targets of attack.

In James’ prison cell, authorities found a statement he had written to be distributed to the media in the aftermath of such an attack. It warned “sincere Muslims” to avoid supporters of Israel and promised more attacks intended “to defend and propagate traditional Islam in its purity.”

via Founder of prison-based terrorist group sentenced to 16 years – Los Angeles Times.

Alleged FBI Informant Claims Man Threatened To Blow Up S. California Shopping Centers

Craig Montielh, a 46-year-old father of three, said Thursday that he worked as an FBI informant uncovering suspected terrorist plots.

The Irvine man came forward saying he fears for his life because people may think he is a terrorist. He says his four-year investigation led to one arrest and seven others are pending, under sealed indictments.

“If they wanted to kill me, it’s not hard to do,” Monteilh said.

Last week, Ahmed Niazi was arrested on charges of passport and immigration fraud.

“Ahmad Niazi is a gentleman, a scholar, a devoted father. But make no mistake, he is also a terrorist,” Montielh said.

Montielh also claims Niazi threatened to blow up shopping centers like South Coast Plaza and Fashion Island, to “fight the infidel,” meaning the United States.

“If malls are attacked and bombs are exploding, people won’t go spend their money,” Monteilh said. “People will remain in fear and stay home.”

Monteilh said he alerted the FBI to Niazi, 34, after meeting him at the Islamic Center of Irvine in November 2006 and spending eight months with him, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations is outraged about the case against Niazi, saying the FBI is profiling mosques by placing undercover agents in their midst.

The FBI says it will not comment about the case involving Montiehl.

Niazi is scheduled to be arraigned March 2 on a five-count federal indictment that accuses him of lying on his naturalization application, procuring naturalization unlawfully, using a passport procured by fraud and making a false statement.

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