PHOENIX: A Syrian man accused of making a key component in improvised explosive devices used in attacks against US soldiers during the Iraq War is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday on federal conspiracy charges.
Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah is accused of making circuit boards used to remotely detonate roadside bombs for the 1920 Revolution Brigades. Prosecutors have said the group claimed responsibility for 230 attacks against American soldiers in Iraq from 2005 to 2010.
He faces up to life in prison on each of his four convictions.
The case stemmed from a raid a decade ago at a Baghdad apartment where soldiers discovered a large cache of bomb-making materials, though no explosives were found. Prosecutors say his fingerprints were found on several items in the apartment.
Several people have tied him to the production of IED components, including one person who said Alahmedalabdaloklah found a factory in China to make the circuit boards after he fled Iraq, authorities said.
Alahmedalabdaloklah was convicted of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiring to destroy US government property with an explosive, possessing a destructive device in furtherance of a violent crime and conspiring to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
He was acquitted on charges of providing support to terrorists and conspiring to commit extraterritorial murder of a US national.
Defense attorneys have said Alahmedalabdaloklah never expressed any sentiments against Americans in 12 years of emails that were reviewed by investigators.
They have said their client, who was brought to Iraq as a refugee when he was a child, operated a legitimate electronics shop in Baghdad and moved to China when security in Iraq deteriorated. They say he set up an electronics business in China that sold products in Iraq and elsewhere but never sent any components used in a bomb.
He was arrested in May 2011 after flying to Turkey from China. He was jailed for three years in Turkey before being extradited to the United States in August 2014.
The 1920 Revolution Brigades, the group he’s accused of selling parts to, was active against US forces in Sunni-dominated parts of Iraq until it switched sides in 2007 to fight against Al-Qaeda. The group derived its name from the 1920 revolution in which Iraqis revolted against a British occupation.
The trial was held in Phoenix because authorities say Alahmedalabdaloklah got components for a wireless initiation system used in the IEDs from a company based in Arizona.
Sentencing set for Syrian man convicted of making bomb parts
Sentencing set for Syrian man convicted of making bomb parts
- Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah is accused of making circuit boards used to remotely detonate roadside bombs for the 1920 Revolution Brigades
- He was acquitted on charges of providing support to terrorists and conspiring to commit extraterritorial murder of a US national
GCC ambassadors hold discussions with Japan’s ruling party regarding Iran
- KONO Taro, head of the LDP’s international relations, participated in the high-level discussions alongside other senior officials
- Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Japan, described the meeting as a timely opportunity to exchange views on the evolving regional situation
TOKYO: Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) ambassadors met on Tuesday with leaders of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to explore deeper collaboration across multiple fields and tackle pressing issues related to Iran.
KONO Taro, head of the party’s international relations, participated in the high-level discussions alongside other senior officials.
Dr. Ghazi Faisal Binzagr, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Japan, described the meeting as a timely opportunity to exchange views on the evolving regional situation.
Ambassador Binzagr emphasized that during periods of heightened tension, open dialogue with trusted partners like Japan is essential. He noted that diplomacy and clear communication are vital for defusing conflict and maintaining regional stability.
Saudi Ambassador Binzagr further noted that the Gulf countries and Japan share a longstanding history of cooperation founded on mutual trust and common objectives of stability and prosperity. He stated, “In times such as these, it is precisely these enduring partnerships that allow constructive dialogue to prevail, and that help ensure that wisdom and restraint guide the path toward peace and stability in our region."
Kono underscored the strong bonds and active cooperation between Japan and the GCC, noting that Japan views its ties with the GCC as a strategic partnership.
