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2 accused of alleged terror plot in Georgia

By TIMES WIRES
Published July 20, 2006

ATLANTA - Two men already accused of discussing terror targets with Islamic extremists were indicted Wednesday on charges of undergoing paramilitary training in northwest Georgia and plotting a "violent jihad" against civilian and government targets, including an air base in suburban Atlanta.

The new indictment accuses Syed Ahmed, a 21-year-old Georgia Tech student who was arrested in March, and Ehsanul Islam Sadequee of traveling to Washington to film possible targets, including the U.S. Capitol and the headquarters of the World Bank, and sharing the recordings with another terror suspect based in Great Britain.

Both men are U.S. citizens who grew up in the Atlanta area. They previously were accused of traveling to Canada last year to meet with Islamic extremists to discuss "strategic locations in the United States suitable for a terrorist strike," including military bases and oil refineries, according to prosecutors.

U.S. Attorney David E. Nahmias called Wednesday's indictment "another important step in this significant terrorism investigation."

Ahmed was born in Pakistan; Sadequee, 19, was born in Virginia and is of Bangladeshi descent. The new indictment says their motivation for planning attacks was "defense of Muslims or retaliation for acts committed against Muslims."

Phoenix police release new details on serial killer

PHOENIX - The Baseline Killer sometimes strikes up a conversation just before he attacks, authorities said Wednesday as they released new information about one of the two serial killers stalking the city.

The Baseline Killer's victims probably had a gut feeling something wasn't right but shrugged it off, said Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill. That means in many of the killings and sexual assaults attributed to him, the victims had an opportunity to get away.

The Baseline Killer and another suspected serial killer known as the Serial Shooter have taken as many as 11 lives in recent months, sparking fear in the city. Police have created two task forces to investigate, and officials have collected $100,000 as a reward for information leading to the arrest of either suspect.

The Baseline Killer, named after the Phoenix road where the first crimes were committed, is believed to have killed six people since September and to have committed 11 separate sexual assaults and a series of robberies.

The Serial Shooter targets victims who are alone and shoots from a vehicle, Hill said.

The Serial Shooter is linked to five killings and 16 nonfatal shootings since May 2005.

Elsewhere...

TROPICAL WEATHER: Tropical Storm Beryl gained strength Wednesday as it pulled away from the North Carolina coast and headed toward New England. The National Hurricane Center in Miami issued a tropical storm watch for southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. Meteorologists said offshore areas of Massachusetts could get some wind as the storm passes by.

SEVERE STORMS: Thousands remained without power Wednesday after a night of violent storms across the Northeast that left two people dead, sparked a huge fire and shut down some rail service. Damage was reported in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. The deaths occurred in southeast Pennsylvania, both the result of falling trees.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: Firefighters were finally able to contain a nearly 100-square-mile blaze in the desert and rugged San Bernardino National Forest, but with rain in the forecast there was a new fear: mudslides. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch through the week in the Mojave Desert and portions of the San Bernardino National Forest. Cooler temperatures helped firefighters contain the blaze.

PASTOR SLAYING CASE: A Tennessee woman accused of shooting her pastor husband to death after they argued over money may have been taken in by a common scam that strained their finances. Mary Winkler, who is charged with murder, had gotten tangled up along with her husband, the Rev. Matthew Winkler, in a swindle known as the "Nigerian scam," in which victims are told that a sweepstakes prize is waiting for them if they send in money to cover the processing expenses, her lawyers say.

[Last modified July 20, 2006, 00:41:32]