Former US sailor arrested on terror charges

PHOENIX, Mar 8 (Reuters) Police in Arizona arrested a former member of the US Navy on charges of spying and providing material support to terrorists, authorities said.

The US Attorney's office in Connecticut said Hassan Abujihaad, formerly known as Paul Hall, 31, was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in Phoenix.

He is alleged to have provided classified information to a London-based organization called Azzam Publications knowing that it was to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a conspiracy to kill US citizens.

The charges related to disclosure of the movement of a US Navy battle group as it traveled from the United States to the Persian Gulf, prosecutors yesterday said in a news release.

If convicted on both charges, Abujihaad faces a maximum term of 25 years in jail.

The charges were brought in Connecticut because the Azzam Publications Web sites were hosted on servers in the state.

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