Detroit Sleeper Cell
Encyclopedia
The Detroit Sleeper Cell is a group of men of Middle-Eastern
descent who the United States Department of Justice
believed were plotting an attack on Disneyland. The members of the alleged cell
were Farouk Ali-Haimoud, Ahmed Hannan, Karim Koubriti, and Abdel Ilah Elmardoudi.
for a future terror attack. This video, combined with the testimony of self-described con-artist Youssef Hmimssa
, and what the defense called doodles in a day planner, but the prosecution called terror plans, led to the conviction of Koubriti and Elmardoudi.
The prosecution claimed the five were "Takfiris" — followers of a radical Islam
ic sect that allowed mujahideen
to drink alcohol, use narcotics, and refrain from praying, in order to blend in to Western societies, so they could mount clandestine attack on them.
Youssef Hmimssa
, who plead guilty to multiple charges of credit card fraud and identity theft, agreed to testify against the four men, in a deal that would allow him to consolidate his other charges, and avoid further charges, reducing his sentence to between 37 and 46 months in prison.
A federal grand jury is investigating whether the prosecution withheld information from the defense and deceived the jury. Richard Convertino
, the lead prosecutor in the case, sued Attorney General
John D. Ashcroft, accusing Ashcroft and others of mismanagement and retaliation, but the lawsuit was thrown out by a judge.
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
descent who the United States Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
believed were plotting an attack on Disneyland. The members of the alleged cell
Clandestine cell system
A clandestine cell structure is a method for organizing a group of people in such a way that it can more effectively resist penetration by an opposing organization. Depending on the group's philosophy, its operational area, the communications technologies available, and the nature of the mission,...
were Farouk Ali-Haimoud, Ahmed Hannan, Karim Koubriti, and Abdel Ilah Elmardoudi.
Trial
While on a trip to Disneyland, the four men recorded a home video. The Justice Department believed that this recording was reconnaissanceReconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
for a future terror attack. This video, combined with the testimony of self-described con-artist Youssef Hmimssa
Youssef Hmimssa
Youssef Hmimssa is a citizen of Morocco, who was convicted in a Detroit, Michigan court of fraud and who was a key witness in the case against the Detroit Sleeper Cell....
, and what the defense called doodles in a day planner, but the prosecution called terror plans, led to the conviction of Koubriti and Elmardoudi.
The prosecution claimed the five were "Takfiris" — followers of a radical Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic sect that allowed mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
to drink alcohol, use narcotics, and refrain from praying, in order to blend in to Western societies, so they could mount clandestine attack on them.
Youssef Hmimssa
Youssef Hmimssa
Youssef Hmimssa is a citizen of Morocco, who was convicted in a Detroit, Michigan court of fraud and who was a key witness in the case against the Detroit Sleeper Cell....
, who plead guilty to multiple charges of credit card fraud and identity theft, agreed to testify against the four men, in a deal that would allow him to consolidate his other charges, and avoid further charges, reducing his sentence to between 37 and 46 months in prison.
Post-trial
Later, the conviction of the two men was overturned by information indicating that the prosecution had withheld important information from the defense. In the Justice Department's filing they claimed there was "no reasonable prospect of winning," and "In its best light, the record would show that the prosecution committed a pattern of mistakes and oversights that deprived the defendants of discoverable evidence (including impeachment material) and created a record filled with misleading inferences that such material did not exist".A federal grand jury is investigating whether the prosecution withheld information from the defense and deceived the jury. Richard Convertino
Richard Convertino
Richard Convertino is a former federal prosecutor in Detroit, Michigan. Convertino was the lead Assistant U.S. Attorney in the "Detroit Sleeper Cell" prosecutions of Karim Koubriti and Abdel-Ilah Elmardoudi. However, the U.S...
, the lead prosecutor in the case, sued Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
John D. Ashcroft, accusing Ashcroft and others of mismanagement and retaliation, but the lawsuit was thrown out by a judge.
See also
- Buffalo SixBuffalo SixThe Buffalo Six is a group of six Yemeni-American childhood friends who were convicted of providing material support to al-Qaeda, based on the fact they had attended an Al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan together in the Spring of 2001.They are:*Mukhtar Al-Bakri,*Sahim Alwan,*Faysal...
- A terror cell captured in Buffalo, New YorkBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... - Richard ConvertinoRichard ConvertinoRichard Convertino is a former federal prosecutor in Detroit, Michigan. Convertino was the lead Assistant U.S. Attorney in the "Detroit Sleeper Cell" prosecutions of Karim Koubriti and Abdel-Ilah Elmardoudi. However, the U.S...
- Lead prosecutorProsecutorThe prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
in the case - Youssef HmimssaYoussef HmimssaYoussef Hmimssa is a citizen of Morocco, who was convicted in a Detroit, Michigan court of fraud and who was a key witness in the case against the Detroit Sleeper Cell....
- Star witnessWitnessA witness is someone who has firsthand knowledge about an event, or in the criminal justice systems usually a crime, through his or her senses and can help certify important considerations about the crime or event. A witness who has seen the event first hand is known as an eyewitness...
for the prosecution - Saad Madai Saad al-Azmi - Guantanamo detainee also accused of being a TakfiriTakfiriA Takfiri is a Muslim who practices Takfir, which is to accuse other Muslims of apostasy. The term Takfir derives from the word kafir and is described as when "...one who is, or claims to be, a Muslim is declared impure." Those to whom Takfir is applied are considered excommunicated in the eyes...
- Naser Jason AbdoNaser Jason AbdoNaser Jason Abdo is a Muslim US Army Private First Class who is currently being held without bond for possession of an unregistered firearm and allegedly planning to attack a restaurant frequented by soldiers from Fort Hood.-Early life:Abdo grew up in Garland, Texas and attended Richardson Terrace...
External links
- Prosecutor: Detroit Terror Cell Used Secret Code, Fox News, May 19, 2003
- Split verdict in Detroit terror trial exposes government frame-up, World Socialist Web SiteWorld Socialist Web SiteThe World Socialist Web Site is the online news and information center of the International Committee of the Fourth International . The site publishes articles and analysis covering a wide range of topics and events all around the world. The daily 'Perspective' article presents the position of the...
, June 7, 2003 - Federal Officials Reveal Arrest Of Alleged Leader Of Terror Cell. The Boston GlobeThe Boston GlobeThe Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
, November 15, 2002 - Petra Bartosiewicz, "The Prosecutor," This American Life, episode 356, May 30, 2008.