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Thursday, June 19, 2003

Ashcroft said that truck driver Iyman Faris pleaded guilty to plotting against the United States, including taking part in a plot to blow up the Brooklyn Bridge. An indictment said Faris worked closely with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad, a top officer in the Muslim terrorist group who was captured earlier this year.

Ashcroft said Faris, also known as Mohammed Rauf, tried to obtain "gas cutters" and other tools that could be used to damage train tracks to cause derailments. He studied ultralight aircraft for use in a possible attack and suggested driving a truck loaded with explosives onto an airport tarmac to blow up planes.

Under an agreement unsealed today, Faris pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists and conspiracy to provide support. He agreed to cooperate with investigators. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $500,000 on both counts at a sentencing hearing Aug. 1.

"This case highlights the very real threats that still exist here at home in the United States of America in the war against terrorism. This case has many of the hallmarks we have come to recognize in al-Qaeda operations," Ashcroft said.

"We have taken another American-based al-Qaeda operative off the streets, who appeared to be a hard-working American trucker, but secretly scouted terrorist strikes that could have killed many of his fellow citizens."

Farris, a longtime resident of Columbus, Ohio, obtained U.S. citizenship in 1999.

Copyright 2003 by United Press International.

All rights reserved.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Al-Qaeda

Bush Administration

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