Texas man indicted for being in contact with al Qaeda leader Awlaki since 2008

Washington, Jun 4 (ANI): Barry Walter Bujol from Texas has been indicted on two counts for allegedly attempting to support al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and communicating with one of its top leaders Anwar Al Awlaki.

Awlaki, a Yemeni-American cleric, has been by US officials at the center of several recent terrorist plots targetting Americans, including last year's deadly Ft. Hood shooting, which left 13 dead.

Bujol, 29, allegedly was in contact with Awlaki going back to 2008, when he gained the attention of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Houston, ABC News reports.

Officials said that Bujol, who used aliases like Abdul Bari, Abyu Najya, Pat Lex and Abdul-Bari Al Ameriki Al Aswad, was in e-mail communication with Awlaki.

The cleric allegedly provided Bujol with a document entitled, "42 ays of Supporting Jihad", ABC News reports

Bujol also allegedly asked Awlaki for guidance on how to provide materials and funds to foreign fighters overseas.

The two-count indictment charging him with providing material support to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and aggravated identity theft was unsealed late on Thursday.

The identity theft charge involves Bujol being in possession of a controlled identification card for transportation workers called a TWIC card (Transportation Workers Identification Card), which can be used to gain access to sensitive locations at ports and at other areas of critical infrastructure, ABC News reports.

According to federal law enforcement officials, Bujol allegedly tried to leave the United States on several occasions.

In February 2009, as he was attempting to fly to Yemen, according to law enforcement officials, Bujol was arrested on an outstanding traffic warrant, ABC News reports. (ANI)