Patrice Lumumba Ford
Encyclopedia
Patrice Lumumba Ford has been accused of membership in a terrorist group dubbed the Portland Seven, members of which attempted to travel to Afghanistan
shortly after 9/11 in order to aid the Taliban. He refused to cooperate with the government and was sentenced to eighteen years in prison (avoiding a possible life sentence) after pleading guilty to seditious conspiracy and levying war against American and allied forces.
. Ford's father, Kent Ford, had been a local leader in the Black Panther Party
in the 1960s.
A family friend and political activist, Kathleen Sadat commented that "Lumumba was raised by people who taught that we exist in a multicultural world and the trick is learning how to get along with other people, not to destroy them."
Ford dropped out of Morehouse College shortly after enrolling 1989 and later enrolled at Portland State University
, majoring in Chinese and International Studies. He studied for three semesters in China, where he eventually converted to Islam
. Reflecting on Ford's attitude after his return to Portland, one of his instructors, professor Gerald Sussman "Ford was head and shoulders above everybody in the class... He was a very nice guy, smart and tremendously responsible."
Ford and Vera Katz
In 1998 and 1999, Ford worked as at Portland's City Hall and was widely described as a "model intern." In 2001:
According to the United States Department of Justice
, "Ford also admitted that after the September 11th attacks, he purchased a shotgun and then conducted weapons training on two occasions at a gravel pit in Washougal, Washington
, with other co-defendants."
Ford, Jeffrey Leon Battle, October Martinique Lewis
(Battle's ex-wife), Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal
, his brother Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal, Maher "Mike" Hawash
, and Habis Abdulla al Saoub
made up the original seven members wanted by the FBI.
On September 29, 2001, Battle, Ford and al Saoub were discovered while engaged in shooting practice in a gravel pit in Skamania County, Washington. Also present was Ali Khalid Steitiye, who did not become an indicted member of the Portland Seven on terrorism charges, but who was separately charged with other crimes. The group was discovered by Deputy Sheriff Mark Mercer who was acting on a tip from a neighbor who had heard gunfire in the pit. Deputy Mercer let the men go after taking their names and reported the incident to the FBI. Battle, Ford, and al Saoub went on to become the core of the "Portland Seven".
According to the indictment, on October 17, 2001, Battle and al Saoub flew out of Portland International Airport
en route to Afghanistan
. On October 20, 2001, Ford and the two Bilals also took the same route out of the United States.
In November 2001 and January 2002, Ford wired money to al Saoub in China.
Ford returned to the U.S. on or about November 19, 2001.
The six male members of the group travelled to China
in early 2002, with the intent of entering Afghanistan to aid the Taliban. Lacking visas and other documentation, they were turned back, and all but al Saoub then returned again to the United States.
On Thursday, October 3, 2002, a federal grand jury in United States District Court for the District of Oregon
, at Portland, Oregon, indicted Battle, Ford, the two Bilals, al Saoub and Lewis. On October 4, 2002 the FBI in Portland, Oregon announced the arrest of four of those original six on charges of aiding and, in some cases, trying to join Al-Qaida fighters. Battle, Ford and Lewis were all arrested that morning in Portland.
Al Saoub was killed by Pakistan
i forces in Afghanistan while part of an al Qaeda cell. Battle is also serving an eighteen-year sentence. Lewis was sentenced to three years in a federal prison camp. Muhammad Bilal got eight years while Ahmed Bilal got ten. Hawash was sentenced to seven years.
Sekou Ford claimed that his brother Patrice, and his associates, were merely scapegoats for an "overfunded, undereffective Joint Terrorism Task Force".
The Justice Department
tried to bar Stanley Cohen
from representing Ford.
The Justice Department alleged that they had evidence that Cohen had provided financial support to jihadists. They claimed they could not release this evidence without compromising the United States National Security.
At Ford's sentencing, "Judge Robert E. Jones said he was convinced Ford would have done anything he could to make sure he killed an American in Afghanistan. "You do not represent the Muslim
faith," said Jones. "You are an insult to the Muslim faith. You're no Nelson Mandela
or anyone close to it."
Ford and his lawyers now maintain that he intended to travel to Afghanistan to volunteer in refugee camps.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
shortly after 9/11 in order to aid the Taliban. He refused to cooperate with the government and was sentenced to eighteen years in prison (avoiding a possible life sentence) after pleading guilty to seditious conspiracy and levying war against American and allied forces.
Background
Patrice Lumumba Ford was Ford's birth name -- he is named after Patrice LumumbaPatrice Lumumba
Patrice Émery Lumumba was a Congolese independence leader and the first legally elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo after he helped win its independence from Belgium in June 1960. Only ten weeks later, Lumumba's government was deposed in a coup during the Congo Crisis...
. Ford's father, Kent Ford, had been a local leader in the Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
in the 1960s.
A family friend and political activist, Kathleen Sadat commented that "Lumumba was raised by people who taught that we exist in a multicultural world and the trick is learning how to get along with other people, not to destroy them."
Ford dropped out of Morehouse College shortly after enrolling 1989 and later enrolled at Portland State University
Portland State University
Portland State University is a public state urban university located in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1946, it has the largest overall enrollment of any university in the state of Oregon, including undergraduate and graduate students. It is also the only public university in...
, majoring in Chinese and International Studies. He studied for three semesters in China, where he eventually converted to Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Reflecting on Ford's attitude after his return to Portland, one of his instructors, professor Gerald Sussman "Ford was head and shoulders above everybody in the class... He was a very nice guy, smart and tremendously responsible."
Ford and Vera KatzVera KatzVera Katz is a Democratic politician in the state of Oregon. She was the first woman to serve as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives and was the 45th mayor of Portland, Oregon's most populous city. Growing up in New York City, she moved to Portland in 1962 and was elected to the Oregon...
In 1998 and 1999, Ford worked as at Portland's City Hall and was widely described as a "model intern." In 2001:According to 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...
, "Ford also admitted that after the September 11th attacks, he purchased a shotgun and then conducted weapons training on two occasions at a gravel pit in Washougal, Washington
Washougal, Washington
Washougal is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. On April 1, 2010, the United States Census Bureau stated the city's population was 14,095.-History:Washougal was officially incorporated on December 4, 1908...
, with other co-defendants."
Ford and the Portland Seven
Ford indicated at one point that "he wanted to marry a "real" Muslim - not a "fake" American one - who carries an AK-47 assault rifle and is "ready to run and blow something up.""Ford, Jeffrey Leon Battle, October Martinique Lewis
October Lewis
October Martinique Lewis was a member of a terrorist group dubbed the Portland Seven, some members of which attempted to travel to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 in order to aid the Taliban. Lewis was sentenced to three years in a federal prison camp after cooperating with the government and...
(Battle's ex-wife), Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal
Muhammad Bilal
Muhammad Ibrahim Bilal was a member of a terrorist group dubbed the Portland Seven, some members of which attempted to travel to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11 in order to aid the Taliban. In October 2002, Bilal was indicted and shortly thereafter arrested in Detroit...
, his brother Ahmed Ibrahim Bilal, Maher "Mike" Hawash
Mike Hawash
Maher Mofeid "Mike" Hawash is a Palestinian-born American engineer who was convicted and sentenced to a seven-year prison sentence in 2003 for conspiring to aid the Taliban in fighting against U.S. forces and their allies in Afghanistan...
, and Habis Abdulla al Saoub
Habis Abdulla al Saoub
Habis Abdulla al Saoub, aka Abu Tarek, was a Jordanian national and member of the Portland Seven, and later a member of an al Qaeda cell...
made up the original seven members wanted by the FBI.
On September 29, 2001, Battle, Ford and al Saoub were discovered while engaged in shooting practice in a gravel pit in Skamania County, Washington. Also present was Ali Khalid Steitiye, who did not become an indicted member of the Portland Seven on terrorism charges, but who was separately charged with other crimes. The group was discovered by Deputy Sheriff Mark Mercer who was acting on a tip from a neighbor who had heard gunfire in the pit. Deputy Mercer let the men go after taking their names and reported the incident to the FBI. Battle, Ford, and al Saoub went on to become the core of the "Portland Seven".
According to the indictment, on October 17, 2001, Battle and al Saoub flew out of Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah...
en route to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. On October 20, 2001, Ford and the two Bilals also took the same route out of the United States.
In November 2001 and January 2002, Ford wired money to al Saoub in China.
Ford returned to the U.S. on or about November 19, 2001.
The six male members of the group travelled to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in early 2002, with the intent of entering Afghanistan to aid the Taliban. Lacking visas and other documentation, they were turned back, and all but al Saoub then returned again to the United States.
On Thursday, October 3, 2002, a federal grand jury in United States District Court for the District of Oregon
United States District Court for the District of Oregon
The United States District Court for the District of Oregon is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the state of Oregon. It was created in 1859 when the state was admitted to the Union...
, at Portland, Oregon, indicted Battle, Ford, the two Bilals, al Saoub and Lewis. On October 4, 2002 the FBI in Portland, Oregon announced the arrest of four of those original six on charges of aiding and, in some cases, trying to join Al-Qaida fighters. Battle, Ford and Lewis were all arrested that morning in Portland.
Al Saoub was killed by Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i forces in Afghanistan while part of an al Qaeda cell. Battle is also serving an eighteen-year sentence. Lewis was sentenced to three years in a federal prison camp. Muhammad Bilal got eight years while Ahmed Bilal got ten. Hawash was sentenced to seven years.
Trial
Ford's brother Sekou Ford wrote a letter to the editor on behalf of his brother.Sekou Ford claimed that his brother Patrice, and his associates, were merely scapegoats for an "overfunded, undereffective Joint Terrorism Task Force".
The Justice Department
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...
tried to bar Stanley Cohen
Stanley Cohen
Stan Cohen may refer to:* Stanley Cohen , American Nobel Prize Laureate in Physiology and Medicine* Stan Cohen , British Labour politician...
from representing Ford.
The Justice Department alleged that they had evidence that Cohen had provided financial support to jihadists. They claimed they could not release this evidence without compromising the United States National Security.
Plea agreement
Cohen said of the plea deal he made on Ford's behalf that it was "one of the worst pleas I've ever taken," adding "It was part of a desperate need by the government to find bogeymen to justify their failures in Afghanistan and Iraq... It's a terrible case that served its purpose for the Bush administration." This analysis was rejected by the U.S attorney who prosecuted the case, Charles Gorder, who said: "These guys are terrorists and traitors, not political pawns."http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/news/ledger/stories/patriotact/partthree.htmlSentencing
According to Ford, "The attack on Afghanistan killed and maimed thousands of people without achieving its objective... I refuse to stand passive in the face of such policies.At Ford's sentencing, "Judge Robert E. Jones said he was convinced Ford would have done anything he could to make sure he killed an American in Afghanistan. "You do not represent the Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
faith," said Jones. "You are an insult to the Muslim faith. You're no Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
or anyone close to it."
Ford and his lawyers now maintain that he intended to travel to Afghanistan to volunteer in refugee camps.
External links
- The Oregonian's news archive
- United States v. Patrice Lumumba Ford (.pdf), FindlawFindLawFindLaw is a business of Thomson Reuters that provides online legal information and online marketing services for law firms. FindLaw was created by Stacy Stern, Martin Roscheisen and Tim Stanley in 1995, and was acquired by Thomson West in 2001....
- Link to picture of Stanley Cohen and James Britt