N.C. man admits to conspiring with foreign terrorists

A North Carolina man on Wednesday pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people in a foreign country.

Daniel Patrick Boyd, 40, a U.S. citizen and North Carolina resident, entered the guilty plea during a short court appearance in U.S. District Court in New Bern, N.C., said U.S. Attorney George E.B. Holding in North Carolina and David Kris, assistant attorney general for national security.

“This case proves how our world is changing,” Mr. Holding said. “Terrorists are no longer only from foreign countries but also citizens who live within our own borders. We must protect our homeland. I am committed to using any and all legal means to take on the challenge of finding and prosecuting others with similar radical views who plot violent attacks.”

Boyd faces a maximum sentence of life in prison plus 15 years on the charges. He is scheduled to be sentenced in May.

Boyd, also known as “Saifullah,” was first charged along with seven others in a federal grand jury indictment returned in July 2009. He was arrested a week later, and the indictment was unsealed. On Sept. 24, 2009, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment with additional charges against Boyd and two others.

According to the superseding indictment, during the period from 1989 through 1992, Boyd traveled to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where he received military-style training in terrorist camps for the purpose of engaging in violent jihad. After the training, it said, Boyd fought in Afghanistan.

The indictment said that from November 2006 through July 2009, Boyd conspired with others to provide material support and resources to terrorists, including cash, training, transportation and personnel. It said he also conspired with others to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people abroad during this period. The object of the conspiracy, according to the indictment, was to advance violent jihad, including supporting and participating in terrorist activities abroad and committing acts of murder, kidnapping or maiming people abroad.

Prosecutors said that as part of the conspiracy, Boyd and others prepared themselves to engage in violent jihad, offered training in weapons and financing, and helped arrange overseas travel and contacts. In addition, they said, he and the others raised money to support training efforts, disguised the destination of such monies from the donors, and obtained assault weapons to develop skills with the weapons.

Some defendants also radicalized others to believe that violent jihad was a personal religious obligation, prosecutors said.

Joseph S. Campbell, acting special agent in charge of the FBI field office in North Carolina, said Boyd’s admission of guilt “proves to the world he intended to carry out violent jihad, which our evidence against him has shown.”

“This should send a signal to any who may share Boyds extremist ideology — the FBI and our law enforcement partners wont back down in our fight to stop the next attack,” he said.

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