This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2814

Muslim convert from Columbus Ohio accused of training with Al Qaeda to bomb European resorts and US bases

April 12, 2007

In this photo released by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Paul, 43, of Columbus, Ohio, is shown. Paul appeared Thursday, April 12, 2007, in federal court charged with providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. In this photo released by the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Christopher Paul, 43, of Columbus, Ohio, is shown. Paul appeared Thursday, April 12, 2007, in federal court charged with providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction. http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=e1d5f4d5-1790-4403-ba27-4bf9b58c7aba&k=38654

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6553421,00.html

U.S. Man Accused of Plot to Bomb Resorts


Friday April 13, 2007

By MATT LEINGANG

Associated Press Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A federal grand jury indicted an Ohio man on charges of joining al-Qaida and conspiring to bomb European tourist resorts and U.S. government facilities and military bases overseas, officials announced Thursday.

Christopher Paul, 43, a U.S. citizen and resident of Columbus, spent time learning hand-to-hand fighting and how to use grenades and assault rifles at an al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in the early 1990s, according to a federal grand jury indictment. He then joined the terrorist group in Pakistan and told al-Qaida members he was dedicated to committing violent jihad.

The investigation into Paul and his activities spanned four years, three continents and at least eight countries, FBI agent Tim Murphy said Thursday, shortly before Paul appeared before a federal judge.

"The indictment of Christopher Paul paints a disturbing picture of an American who traveled overseas to train as a violent jihadist, joined the ranks of al-Qaida and provided military instruction and support to radical cohorts both here and abroad," Assistant U.S. Attorney General Kenneth Wainstein said in a statement.

Bill Hunt, first assistant U.S. attorney, declined to say whether any of the alleged plots were carried out. People whom Paul associated with in Europe have been arrested, he said.

Paul, who was arrested Wednesday outside his apartment, is charged with providing material support to terrorists, conspiracy to provide support to terrorists and conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, which carries the most serious penalty of up to life in prison.

In court Thursday, Magistrate Judge Terence Kemp asked Paul if he understood the charges. Paul replied: "Yes, sir."

Prosecutors asked that he be held without bond, and Kemp set another hearing Friday on the issue. Paul's lawyer, Don Wolery, declined comment after the hearing.

A friend of Paul's, Hisham Jenhawi, 32, said he found the charges hard to believe.

"I don't think it's even close to his personality to act upon something like that," he said at the courthouse. "He's a very kind person. You would meet him on the street and he would want to hug you with the heart that he has."

The indictment says Paul traveled to Germany about April 1999 to train co-conspirators to use explosives to attack European and U.S. targets, including government buildings and vacation spots frequented by American tourists.

It does not name specific resorts or buildings that might have been targeted, but gives U.S. embassies, military bases and consular premises in Europe as examples.

Paul later sent a wire transfer of $1,760 from a financial institution in the U.S. to an alleged co-conspirator in Germany, prosecutors allege.

A fax machine in his home contained names, phone numbers and contact information for key al-Qaida leadership and associates, according to the indictment, issued Wednesday.

Paul also is accused of storing material at his father's house in Columbus, including a book on improvised land mines, money from countries in the Middle East and a letter to his parents explaining that he would be "on the front lines," according to the indictment.

Paul's sister, Sandra Laws, answered the door at the two-story, pale green home she shares with her father, Ernest, in suburban Columbus but declined to comment on the case.

No charges are expected against family members, authorities said.

Paul was born Paul Kenyatta Laws. He legally changed his name to Abdulmalek Kenyatta in 1989, then to Christopher Paul in 1994, according to the indictment.

After finishing his al-Qaida training in the early 1990s, he returned to Columbus to teach martial arts at a mosque, the indictment said.

Paul is married to a woman named in the indictment as F. Bashir, investigators said. Authorities seized a letter from Paul's apartment that he sent to Bashir about raising "little mujahideen," or holy warriors.

Paul and Jenhawi, who have known each other about a year, attend the same mosque and their daughters play together, Jenhawi said. Paul's daughter is about 9 years old and is homeschooled, he said.

Two other Columbus men have been charged in federal investigators' terrorism investigation. Iyman Faris was sentenced in 2003 to 20 years in prison for a plot to topple the Brooklyn Bridge. Nuradin Abdi, accused of plotting to blow up a Columbus-area shopping mall, is awaiting trial on charges including conspiring to aid terrorists.

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Posted on Thu, Apr. 12, 2007

Timeline in terrorism case against Ohio man


Associated Press

Key dates and allegations in a federal indictment charging Christopher Paul, of Columbus, Ohio, with joining al-Qaida and conspiring to bomb European tourist resorts and U.S. government facilities and military bases overseas:

_ 1989: Paul begins conspiring to provide training and equipment that he knew was intended to destroy property and murder or maim people outside the U.S.

_ March 1989: Paul, born Paul Kenyatta Laws, changes his name to Abdulmalek Kenyatta.

_ 1990: He receives military-style training at a terrorist training camp overseas.

_ Late 1990 or early 1991: Meets in Pakistan with a former personal pilot of Osama bin Laden and an al-Qaida member who was responsible for transporting people to the group's training camps in Afghanistan.

Trains at al-Qaida camp in Afghanistan in assault rifles, grenades and hand-to-hand combat.

_ Mid-1991: Joins al-Qaida. Stays at Beit ur Salam guest house in Pakistan, which is exclusive for al-Qaida members. Trains in map reading, climbing and explosives.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/news/state/17068458.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

_ April 1994: Changes his name to Christopher Paul, citing religious reasons.

_ January 1997: Receives fax from two co-conspirators in Europe who ask him to find them a "true group and place to make jihad."

_ April 1997: Conducts training at Burr Oak State Park in southeast Ohio with several co-conspirators.

_ April 1999: Trains co-conspirators in Germany in explosives and recruiting to prepare them to attack European and U.S. targets.

_ November 1999: Sends wire transfer of $1,760 from the U.S. to co-conspirator in Germany.

_ June 2004: Has items stored at his Columbus home that include a fax containing contact information for key al-Qaida leaders.

_ November 2006: Has items stored at his father's suburban Columbus home that include books on making explosives, a hat unique to a region in Afghanistan and a letter telling his parents where to find information on jihad.

_ April 2007: Arrested outside his Columbus apartment and charged in a federal grand jury indictment.

This item is available on the Militant Islam Monitor website, at http://www.militantislammonitor.org/article/id/2814