Mass. man arrested on terrorism charges

UPDATED:

BOSTON (AP) — A 27-year-old Massachusetts man has been charged with conspiring with others to support and plan terror attacks in and outside the United States, including plots to attack U.S. shopping malls and U.S. military in Iraq.

Authorities in Boston say Tarek Mehanna of Sudbury worked with others from 2001 to May of 2008 to provide support and resources in a conspiracy to “kill, kidnap, main or injure” people in foreign countries and to kill prominent U.S. politicians.

Federal prosecutors say Mehanna and his conspirators planned the logistics of a mall attack — including the possibility of attacking emergency responders. However, authorities say the plot was not carried out because they could not get automatic weapons.

Mehanna’s attorney J.W. Carney Jr. did not immediately return calls for comment.

Mehanna was arrested in November 2008 for allegedly lying to authorities about the whereabouts of a man who trained with al-Qaeda members with the goal of overthrowing the Somali government.