Accused terrorist told comrade suicide bombings against civilians were a 'forgivable sin' like masturbation: feds
Ali Yasin Ahmed faces trial in Brooklyn Federal Court, where he is charged with co-defendants Madhi Hashi and Mohammed Yusuf with providing material support to the Somalia-based militant group al-Shabaab, which has merged with al Qaeda.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, December 29, 2014, 2:32 AM
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MADHIHASHI.COMTerror suspects Madhi Hashi (pictured), Ali Yasin Ahmed and Mohammed Yusuf are charged with providing support to militant group al-Shabaab.
A reputed terrorist facing trial in Brooklyn likened killing innocent civilians in suicide bomb attacks to a "forgivable sin comparable to masturbation," authorities disclosed.
Federal prosecutors opened a window into the twisted mind of al-Shabaab goon Ali Yasin Ahmed in papers filed in Brooklyn Federal Court, where he is charged with co-defendants Madhi Hashi and Mohammed Yusuf with providing material support to the Somalia-based militant group, which has merged with al Qaeda to wreak havoc throughout the world.
Conversations between Ahmed and Yusuf, who are Swedish citizens, were intercepted in November 2008. Yusuf is heard voicing doubts about traveling to Somalia to join al-Shabaab in light of a series of suicide bombing attacks in Africa targeting buildings operated by the United Nations and the Somali government that killed 26 people, according to court documents.
AFP/AFP/GETTY IMAGESYusuf allegedly threatened to behead Danish cartoonist Lars Vilks (pictured) for mocking the Prophet Mohammad.
But Ahmed puts his comrade's jitters to rest, according to the court papers. "Ahmed minimized the significance of suicide bombings against civilian targets and suggested that if such attacks were in fact a sin, they were an immaterial, forgivable sin comparable to masturbation," Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shreve Ariail, Seth DuCharme and Richard Tucker wrote.
The three defendants joined al-Shabaab and served under the command of Arabi-American Jehad Mostafa, a San Diego native who made the FBI's list of most wanted terrorists. Hashi, 25, was allegedly a member of a suicide bombing unit. Ahmed 29, and Yusuf, 31, allegedly received military training.
BRYAN PACE FOR NEW YORK DAILY NEWSThe three accused terrorists face trial in Brooklyn Federal Court.
If Yusuf once had second thoughts about becoming a foreign fighter, they were gone by 2010 when he starred in an al-Shabaab propaganda video called "Inspire the Believers" that sought to recruit jihadists, and also allegedly threatened to behead Danish cartoonist Lars Vilks for mocking the Prophet Mohammad, the feds stated.
Defense lawyers are seeking to dismiss the indictment, contending there is no basis to prosecute the trio in the U.S.
Jehad Mostafa allegedly commanded the three defendants.
"The goals of the charged conspiracy, to recruit Americans and other westerners to join al-Shabaab, and then to use violence to impact U.S. foreign policy — and the United States, clearly supports prosecution," the government argued in court papers.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin in February. They face life in prison if convicted.
Al-Shabaab was responsible for the horrific attack last year at Westgate shopping mall in Kenya that left 67 dead.
