Fil-Am terror suspect, two others indicted in California

Filipino-American Ralph Kenneth De Leon and two other men accused of plotting to join up with al Qaeda and Taliban militants for training in Afghanistan were indicted on Wednesday in California, a move that could allow prosecutors to move to trial more quickly.

 

However, the four-page indictment, returned by a grand jury in Riverside, offered few details beyond those contained in a criminal complaint filed earlier this month against the men, all US citizens or permanent residents.

 

The indictment charged De Leon, 23, Miguel Alejandro Vidriales Santana, 21, and Arifeen David Gojali, 21, with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, the same charge contained in the complaint.

 

The filing of the indictment allows federal prosecutors to skip a preliminary hearing in which they would lay out their case and a judge would determine if there was enough evidence to merit a trial. The men each face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

 

The three men had lived in Southern California's Inland Empire, east of Los Angeles, before their arrest on Nov. 16, two days before they had planned to fly to Turkey via Mexico before heading on to Afghanistan, the FBI said at the time.

 

The suspected ringleader, Sohiel Omar Kabir, 34, is accused of recruiting the three men, two of whom converted to Islam under his influence. Kabir was apprehended this month in Afghanistan but was not listed in Wednesday's indictment.

 

Kabir, who was charged in the previously filed criminal complaint, is still being held in Afghanistan, said Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI. She declined to comment further on the case.

 

Deleon and Santana, in conversations relayed or recorded by an unidentified paid FBI informant, spoke about traveling to Afghanistan to join Kabir and engage in "violent jihad," according to the criminal complaint. It said they described potential targets for attacks, including US military bases.

 

Together with Gojali, they also visited a Los Angeles firing range and a paint-ball facility for shooting practice to prepare for further militant training overseas, the FBI has said. In good condition Meanwhile, in a text message, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Raul Hernandez said Philippine Consulate officials in Los Angeles have already visited De Leon, who was reportedly in good condition.   “Our officials are ensuring that due judicial process is exercised by US authorities and his rights are respected,” Hernandez said, adding that they "have spoken to his lawyer and his parents as well.”   “We will be monitoring this case until it is resolved,” he stated. No effect on PHL-US relations Earlier, Malacañang Palace said the arrest of De Leon will not affect ties between the country and the United States.

 

In an interview over radio dzRB on Saturday, Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the arrest of Ralph Kenneth de Leon, 23, will not affect Philippine-US ties.

 

Lacierda explained that the Philippines and the US continue to cooperate with each other in fighting terrorism.

 

“We cooperate with each other in terms of intelligence. This has nothing to do, (and) will not have any effect on RP-US relations,” Lacierda said.