Saturday, May 18, 2013

More Islamist terror


Credit: Idaho State Police
Fazliddin Kurbanov
KTVB.COM
Posted on May 17, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Updated yesterday at 5:39 PM

Terrorist arrested in Boise
BOISE -- An Uzbekistan national arrested in Boise has pleaded not guilty in federal court to charges he conspired with a terrorist group on a scheme to use a weapon of mass destruction.
Fazliddin Kurbanov, 30, appeared before a federal judge at 8:30 a.m. He used an interpreter over the phone to communicate his not-guilty plea.
Kurbanov's trial is now set for July 2, 2013 at 9:30 a.m.
The 30-year-old Uzbekistani also faces a detention hearing on Tuesday to determine whether he'll stay in custody until his trial.  KTVB has obtained documents that show prosecutors believe Kurbanov is a serious flight risk if he is not in jail.
KTVB's Jamie Grey was in federal court during Friday's proceedings. She said Kurbanov sat quietly and didn't appear to have any family in court.
On Friday, we also learned that Kurbanov is employed locally as some sort of truck driver.
U.S. ATTORNEY SPEAKS 
U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson cautioned the public not to stereotype Boise's Muslim community because of the arrest.
"Some of the online commenting was starting to make critical comments about Islam and Muslims," Olson told KTVB. "I would like to say that the fact that this individual was arrested and the terrorist organization identified reflects not at all on the broader Muslim community here in Idaho."
Olson went on to say her office and the Department of Justice are focused on the conduct of one individual, not an ethnic or religious group.
"We have outstanding partnerships with the Muslim community with them in a number of different areas, and this shouldn't be seen in any way as a reflection on that community," Olson continued. "This is about the specific conduct of an individual."
FBI AGENTS RAID APARTMENT
FBI agents and police raided Kurbanov's apartment on Cassia Street in Boise on Thursday after a grand jury issued a three-count indictment accusing him of federal terrorism charges.
Court documents show those charges are based on evidence Kurbanov conspired with a foreign terrorist organization in Uzbekistan, possessed an unregistered explosive device, made shopping trips for bomb-making materials, conspired with others on how to make bombs, and showed instructional videos on the topic.
Kurbanov's neighbors at the Glenbrook apartment complex told KTVB they noticed about six black SUVs arrive around 10:30 a.m.
Authorities say Kurbanov was arrested in connection with the raid, but have not detailed how he was arrested.
A KTVB photojournalist on scene captured video and images of FBI agents searching his apartment and car. 
FEDERAL CHARGES IN IDAHO
According to U.S. district court documents, Kurbanov both conspired with individual terrorists to carry out illegal activities and conspired with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, a known terrorist organization. The charges state the Kurbanov also provided material support and resources to the organization, including computer software and money.
The indictment out of Idaho also states that Kurbanov possessed a hollow hand grenade stuffed with a hobby fuse, aluminum powder, potassium nitrate and sulfur on or about the time of Nov. 15, 2012.
FEDERAL CHARGES IN UTAH
A separate federal grand jury in Utah also returned an indictment charging Kurbanov with distributing information about explosives, bombs and weapons of mass destruction.
David Barlow, the U.S. attorney in Utah, said the grand jury alleges that Kurbanov provided written recipes for how to make improvised explosive devices and went on instructional shopping trips in Utah showing what items are necessary to buy to make the devices. He said Kurbanov also showed Internet videos on the topic.
The prosecutor declined to say whom Kurbanov took on the shopping trips in Utah but said that information will come out as the case moves through the courts.
Federal authorities tell KTVB Kurbanov will likely face the Idaho charges and any resulting trial period here in Boise before he faces the charges out of Utah.

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