dictionary

Four accused of being in terrorist cell in Detroit

DETROIT, Michigan (CNN) -- Four men were awaiting arraignment Thursday after being charged with being part of a "sleeper" terrorist cell planning attacks in the United States, Jordan and Turkey and supporting a "global jihad."

Authorities said a videotape that appears to depict surveillance of such U.S. landmarks as Disneyland in Anaheim, California, and the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, was found.

The planning also allegedly involved attacks against an American air base in Incirlik, Turkey, and a hospital in Amman, Jordan.

A federal grand jury in Detroit handed down an indictment Wednesday naming Karim Koubriti, Ahmed Hannan, Farouk Ali-Haimoud and a fourth man, identified only as Abdella. The men were charged with providing material support or resources to terrorists and conspiracy to engage in fraud and misuse of visas and identification documents.

RESOURCES Read the indictment: U.S. v. Koubriti, et al. (FindLaw document; PDF format)   MORE STORIES Seattle man indicted on terror charges     CNN.COM SPECIAL REPORT  CNN NewsPass Video  Agencies reportedly got hijack tips in 1998  MORE STORIES Intelligence intercept led to Buffalo suspects Report cites warnings before 9/11  EXTRA INFORMATION Timeline: Who Knew What and When? Interactive: Terror Investigation Terror Warnings System Most wanted terrorists What looks suspicious? In-Depth: America Remembers In-Depth: Terror on Tape In-Depth: How prepared is your city?  RESOURCES On the Scene: Barbara Starr: Al Qaeda hunt expands? On the Scene: Peter Bergen: Getting al Qaeda to talk   LEGAL RESOURCES Latest Legal News Law Library FindLaw Consumer Center Select a topic Bankruptcy Discrimination Divorce Estate Planning Landlord-Tenant Personal Injury Taxes

The men are allegedly linked to an Algerian terrorist group, the Salafi Group for Call and Combat, that sources said has loose ties to al Qaeda.

The Salafi Group for Call and Combat received financial support from Osama bin Laden, according to the indictment. In 1998, according to the indictment, the Salafi group was part of a religious edict bin Laden issued that stated every Muslim in any country was obligated to kill Americans and their allies -- civilian and military-- to purge unbelievers from the lands of Islam.

The indictment lists Youssef Hmimssa on its cover sheet, but he was not charged under the criminal counts spelled out.

Koubriti, Hannan, Ali-Haimoud and Hmimssa are in custody, but Abdella isn't.

The Detroit case is part of a worldwide crackdown on terror nearly a year after the September 11 attacks.

Germany's federal prosecutor said Thursday he charged a Moroccan man linked to an al Qaeda terror cell in Hamburg with assisting in the killing of more than 3,000 people September 11 and having membership in a terror organization.

On Wednesday, a well-known activist in the Seattle, Washington, area was indicted on charges of conspiring to set up an al Qaeda terrorist training camp in rural Oregon in an attempt to promote "violent jihad" against the United States. (Full story)

According to the indictment in Detroit, the four operated as a "covert underground support unit for terrorist attacks within and outside the United States, as well as a 'sleeper' operational cell." They also are accused of giving "covert support for the purpose of engaging in violent attacks against persons and buildings within the territory of Jordan and Turkey."

The cell was involved in obtaining weapons, recruiting members, gathering intelligence and operating a support network for terrorist activity, according to the indictment.

Koubriti, Hannan, Al-Haimoud and Hmimssa originally were detained last fall after the September 11 attacks.

In the indictment Wednesday, Hannan, Ali-Haimoud and Koubriti also were charged with conspiracy to engage in and commit fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents; fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents; and fraud and related activity with identification documents and information.

Gina Balaya, a U.S. attorney's office spokeswoman, said Thursday that Hmimssa has not been charged with providing material support or resources to terrorists but faces other counts from a proceeding last year.

Abdella also was charged Wednesday with conspiracy to engage in fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents.

-- CNN Correspondent Kelli Arena contributed to this report.