Pak-American sentenced to 15 yrs jail for aiding LeT

Washington, Aug 26: A Pakistani-American has been sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for conspiring to and providing material support to the terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Toiba, US Attorney Chuck Rosenberg of the Eastern District of Virginia said.

Ali Asad Chandia was also sentenced to three years of supervised release at the completion of his incarceration, Mr Ronsenberg informed yesterday.

On June 6, 2006, a jury unanimously found Chandia, 29, of College Park, Maryland guilty of providing material support and resources to the notorious millitant outfit.

The evidence at trial established that during a three-month trip to Pakistan in 2001-2002, Chandia met and allied himself with Mohammed Ajmal Khan, a British citizen of Pakistani origin. Khan, who is currently serving a nine-year sentence in the United Kingdom for directing a terrorist organisation, served as a military procurement official for Lashkar-e-Toiba.

Chandia assisted Khan in procuring military equipment for the organisation for use in its violent jihad against India. He gave safe harbour to the latter during his visits to the United States in 2002 and 2003 and allowed Khan to use his home computer to pursue the acquisition of equipment such as unmanned aerial vehicles, night-vision equipment, wireless video cameras and Kevlar anti-ballistic material.

In a search conducted at Chandia's home on May 8, 2003, the FBI found audiotapes and other materials manifesting his commitment to jihad.

On the front seat of Chandia's car, the FBI also found a CD-ROM containing videos glorifying the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. They also found a CD-ROM containing still photographs of persons jumping to their deaths from the World Trade Center towers.

''Terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Toiba rely on a network of individuals to carry out their deadly operations,'' US Attorney Rosenberg said. ''Ali Asad Chandia was a member of that network for Lashkar-e-Toiba, and he will now spend a very long period of time in prison for providing material support in furtherance of its violent agenda,'' he added.

The Washington, DC and Baltimore field offices of the FBI investigated the case, led by Special Agent Christopher Mamula. The Anti-Terrorist branch of New Scotland Yard also provided substantial assistance in the investigation.

UNI