Feds arrest two Middle East refugees on terror-related charges

When he was interviewed by citizenship officials, he lied about his travels and ties, the complaint alleges. The two men were arrested Thursday.

The statements from the two Texas Republicans concerned the arrest of Omar Faraj Saeed al-Hardan, 24, an Iraqi refugee who is accused of providing material support to Islamic State overseas.

Authorities say Omar Al Hardan and Al-Jayab used social media to discuss their support of the terrorist group.

In the Texas case, the indictment of Hardan states that beginning in May 2014, Hardan “did unlawfully and knowingly attempt to provide material support and resources… training, expert advice and assistance, to a foreign terrorist organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq”.

“I need to learn from your weapon expertise”, the individual wrote to Jayab, according to the complaint.

“Our concern now is only to arrive there”, Jayab went on.

He promised to train Al Hardan on how to use weapons and advised him on how he would be assigned to fight once he arrived in Syria. Al-Jayab and Al Hardan communicated in April 2013, and Al Hardan expressed interest in fighting in Syria, authorities said.

The brother of a Sacramento man being held on terrorism-related charges is being sent back to Wisconsin to face unrelated allegations that he conspired to transport stolen cellphones and computers across state lines. They are both scheduled to appear in court later today.

Al-Jayab is not charged with a crime for participating in the Syrian civil war.

Samer Mohammed Al-Jayab was arrested in California and is undergoing a removal process, CNN affiliate WTMJ reported. They weren’t asked to enter pleas and were ordered released without cash bond.

“He was prepared to take whatever action on his own behalf to assist the organization”, Kenneth Magidson, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said after the hearing.

Speaking in Iowa, he called for a retroactive review of all refugees who have come to the United States from what he calls “high-risk countries”. The House passed a bill in November. ISIS claimed responsibility for those coordinated attacks on a concert hall, bars, restaurants and a sports stadium that killed 130 people.

But he noted the political controversy about whether the United States should accept refugees with Syrian ties.

According to Federal Bureau of Investigation reports, there was a darker side to Al-Jayab – one that ultimately led to his being charged on terror related crimes.

“Mindful that most of the people who’ve done harm to our country have been Americans, and American-grown”.

But he faces new pressures from Republicans in the House as well as those running for president. Sen.

“We can not forget that legacy that we have for immigration”.

Jayab and Hardan’s relatively brief time in the United States and Jayab’s longstanding involvement with Ansar al-Islam distinguish them from scores of other defendants who were allegedly radicalized by militant groups in Syria, such as Islamic State, after living for years in the United States.

Al Hardan told the judge that he understands the indictment and the charges.

Hardan, who appeared in court on Friday, entered the United States in November 2009 and lived in Houston, according to a court document.

“It is disturbing, though not surprising, that terrorists have succeeded in exploiting our refugee system to come to the US and aid ISIS”, Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, said Friday.

According to a criminal complaint filed in federal court, Jayab exchanged messages on social media in 2012 and 2013, saying he planned to go to Syria to fight. Danial is also an Iraqi refugee who has been in the USA since 2010.

In California, Al-Jayab was arrested on Thursday on a federal charge of making a false statement involving global terrorism, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

There is no indication that he planned an act of terrorism in the United States and there was no threat to public safety, officials say.

Al-Jayab faces up to eight years in prison on charges of traveling to Syria to fight and lying to investigators about it. He was due to make his initial court appearance Friday afternoon.