U.K. Detains British Citizen on U.S. Terrorism Charges

On July 19, 2006, British authorities arrested and detained a U.K. citizen on terrorism-related charges after a Connecticut grand jury indictment. According to a media report the U.S. Department of Justice will "shortly" file an extradition request for the detainee Syed Talha Ahsan. The indictment against Ahsan alleges that from 1997 through at least August 2004 he conspired to provide support and resources to the Taliban and the Chechen Mujahideen in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and other places through the establishment of Internet sites and other means. In particular, Ahsan and Babar Ahmad, a co-conspirator indicted in 2004, allegedly had accounts at a number of U.S. Internet service providers and Web hosting companies. Ashan and Ahmad, along with Azzam Publications, allegedly created and used various Web sites and e-mail services to provide expert advice and assistance, communications equipment, military items, currency, monetary instruments, financial services and personnel, all designed to recruit for and assist the Taliban and Chechen Mujahiddeen. Ahsan allegedly operated Web sites in Connecticut, Nevada, the U.K., Ireland and Malaysia that encouraged people to donate money or equipment … [more]