November 22, 2008
REPORTING FROM LEBANON
Man behind the terror plan
BEIRUT, Lebanon - He was told not to grow a beard, or wear Islamic clothing, or show any outward sign of religious devotion.
During his recruitment as a soldier in the global jihad, Assem Hammoud was told to act like a typical young, secular Lebanese man, according to a senior Lebanese security official. Hammoud was an ideal recruit because he did not have any apparent ties to militants - and he was warned not to attract attention.
"He had no criminal history, and no history of involvement with militant groups," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "He was living a normal life, far from any suspicion."
Hammoud, 31, became involved with militant Web sites in 2003, shortly after the United States invaded Iraq. "He was angry with what America was doing in Iraq, and he began spending time on these Islamic sites and chat rooms," said the official, who is familiar with Hammoud's interrogations. "He became more and more deeply involved. He sank into this extremist environment."
Most of the advice that Hammoud received - about how to act, what to read, how to train for jihad and how to hide his militant tendencies - came over the Internet, the official said.
But his frequent presence in militant chat rooms and Web sites was also his undoing. Tipped by the FBI that an alleged plot to bomb New York City tunnels was being hatched on the Internet, Lebanon's Internal Security branch tracked down Hammoud. The official said a special unit that monitors Internet and phone activity identified him through the Internet Protocol address he was using to access Islamist sites. Lebanese officials monitored his Web activity and phone calls for several months before arresting him April 27.
While he might not have learned how to properly hide his IP address, as many Islamic militants do, Hammoud did pick up the jihadists' penchant for symbolism.
He used the pseudonym Emir Andalusi, which in Arabic means "Prince of Andalus." It's a reference to the Muslim empire of Al-Andalus, which was centered in what now is Spain. In the Islamic world, few symbols are as resonant as the 15th-century downfall of Al-Andalus. To many militants, its fall - because of infighting among rival Muslim princes and clans - marked the end of Islam's golden age.
"He had a lot of jihadist literature and material that was sent to him by other militants," said the official.
Shortly after his arrest, Hammoud admitted to being part of al-Qaida. "He confessed that he was planning a big terrorist act in the United States," the official said. Through the Internet, Hammoud sent "detailed maps and instructions" about the U.S. targets to his associates. The official said Lebanese investigators intercepted those messages.
Hammoud confessed that, before his arrest, he was planning to travel to Pakistan to undergo four months of training at an al-Qaida-linked camp, the official said. Hammoud's relationship with al-Qaida is unclear. The security official would not comment on whether Hammoud has sworn fealty to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, usually an initial step for joining the group. It's also unclear whether the camp he sought to attend in Pakistan is run by al-Qaida or one of its Pakistani allies.
Another Lebanese official, who is part of a pro-Syrian faction of government, said Hammoud was not an al-Qaida member and did not have enough experience to carry out a sophisticated terrorist attack. "This is someone who was in over his head," the official said.
In seeking Lebanon's help, the United States worked with Internal Security, which is run by a pro-U.S. faction of government. The Americans did not work with the military's intelligence unit - which often handles these types of cases - because that apparatus is allied with President Emile Lahoud, who is pro-Syrian.
The security official said that in late 2003, Hammoud met a Syrian man who gave him basic weapons training. The man then took Hammoud for light-arms training at Ain El-Helweh, a Palestinian refugee camp in south Lebanon. Several Islamic militant groups operate in the camp, where the Lebanese government exerts little authority.
In October 2005, the official said, Hammoud met a foreign militant who asked him to raise money, buy weapons and rent apartments for jihadists who wanted to travel to Iraq. "He was being groomed for important missions," the official said.
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