"Wesam El-Hanafi and Sabirhan Hasanoff conspired to modernize al Qaeda by providing computer-systems expertise and other goods and services. These two New Yorkers, who allegedly pledged allegiance to al Qaeda, will now be held to account." NYP
AN AUSTRALIAN man had been indicted on charges of providing computer assistance and other aid to al-Qa'ida, federal prosecutors in New York said.
New York-based Sabirhan "Tareq" Hasanoff, who has Australian and US citizenship, was one of two men charged on Friday with conspiring to provide material support to al-Qa'ida in the US.
He is accused of lending the extremist network his computer expertise and handling big sums of money for the group in New York. Mr Hasanoff's co-accused, Wesam El-Hanafi, 33, allegedly travelled to Yemen to receive orders, later buying seven digital watches online.
Such watches are often used as timers to set off terrorist bombs.
The men were arrested overseas and flown to the US ahead of their court appearance in Virginia yesterday. They each faced one count of conspiring with al-Qa'ida between November 2007 and March this year, and face up to 15 years in jail.
Mr Hasanoff, 34, allegedly received $54,000 from an al-Qa'ida associate in 2007 and later discussed joining the radical terror cell.
The tenant, who occupies his townhouse in Queens, described Mr Hasanoff as a polite family man who was heavily into fundamentalist Islam.
"He was very nice, very quiet person," the tenant said.
NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly played down fears of a looming terror attack, saying there was no evidence of a specific plot.
"This was part of an on-going investigation into material support for al-Qaeda," NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly said.
"The suspects undertook certain tasks and chores for al-Qaeda while in New York."
Hasanoff appears to have deep roots in the US - he speaks with an American accent, purchased the Queens home in 2001 and his siblings and father live in Brooklyn.
The case is shaping as one with strong connections to impoverished Arab nation Yemen, which is harbouring the radical US cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
Al-Awlaki, who has not been named in the case, has preached to a long list of terrorists and last February delivered a sermon by phone link to Sydney's Lakemba mosque.
CNN last night reported that Hasanoff and El-Hanafi were arrested in a country that "did not want to be identified as being helpful in any way to the US".
The US has been leaning on Yemen for more help fighting terrorism abroad.
US court documents do not explain the extent of Mr Hasanoff's links with Australia and government officials in the US were unaware of his arrest last night.
His family did not return calls.
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