2 Iraqis indicted on terrorism charges in Kentucky

Labels: WRLTHD Breaking News

An Iraqi citizen who allegedly carried out numerous improvised explosive device attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq and another alleged to have participated in the Iraqi insurgency have been arrested and indicted in Kentucky on federal terrorism charges, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Alwan and Hammadi were arrested on May 25, 2011, on criminal complaints and made their initial appearances today in federal court in Louisville, Ky.   Each faces a potential sentence of life in prison if convicted of all the charges in the indictment.   Both defendants were closely monitored by federal law enforcement authorities in the months leading up to their arrests.   Neither is charged with plotting attacks within the United States.

Waad Ramadan Alwan, 30, and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, 23, both former residents of Iraq who currently live in Bowling Green, were charged May 26 in a 23-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Bowling Green.

Alwan is charged with conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals abroad; conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) against U.S. nationals abroad; distributing information on the manufacture and use of IEDs; attempting to provide material support to terrorists and to al-Qaeda in Iraq; and conspiracy to transfer, possess and export Stinger missiles.

Hammadi is charged with attempting to provide material support to terrorists and to al-Qaeda in Iraq, as well as conspiracy to transfer, possess and export Stinger missiles.

“Over the course of roughly eight years, Waad Ramadan Alwan allegedly supported efforts to kill U.S. troops in Iraq, first by participating in the construction and placement of improvised explosive devices in Iraq and, more recently, by attempting to ship money and weapons from the United States to insurgents in Iraq.   His co-defendant Mohanad Shareef Hammadi is accused of many of the same activities.   With these arrests, which are the culmination of extraordinary investigative work by law enforcement and intelligence officials, the support provided by these individuals comes to an end and they will face justice,” said Todd Hinnen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security.

The indictments were unsealed Tuesday and announced by the Justice Department’s acting assistant attorney general for national security, along with the U.S. attorney’s office and FBI in Louisville and the Louisville Joint Terrorism Task Force.

The unsealed indictments can be read in full at:  http://www.justice.gov/