Page 23 - min.soc 9 jan,2016

U.S. NEWS A5
Saturday 9 January 2016

Terror-related arrests in 2 states refuel refugee debate

recounted “just shooting, 14, brought new life to and, most importantly, it’s
spraying, spraying” with his a debate over whether not going to keep us safe,”
assault rifle during a battle. the United States is doing Earnest said.
He said he helped execute enough to screen refugees. Al-Jayab faces up to eight
three Syrian government Republican presidential years in prison on charges
soldiers, according to the candidate Sen. Ted Cruz of of traveling to Syria to fight
document. Texas called for a retroac- and lying to investigators
Authorities say Al-Jayab tive review of all refugees about it. He was due to
fought twice in Syria, in- who have come to the U.S. make his initial court ap-
cluding with a group af- to examine “all of the evi- pearance Friday after-
filiated with Islamic State. dence that might indicate noon.
There is no indication that whether these individuals His attorney, Ben Galloway
Al Hardan, an Iraqi refu- have ties to radical Islamic of the federal defender’s
gee, actually traveled to terrorists.” office, did not return tele-
Syria. White House spokesman phone and emailed mes-
Both are Iraqi-born Pales- Josh Earnest said the sages Thursday or Friday.
tinians who came to the screening of refugees is Al Hardan made his initial
United States as refugees. rigorous and thorough. He appearance in Houston
There was no evidence repeated the administra- federal court Friday morn-
either man intended or tion’s opposition to propos- ing after he was indict-
planned attacks in the Unit- als that would impose a re- ed Wednesday on three
ed States. ligious test or bar individuals charges related to accu-
The arrests, which came from the U.S. based on their sations he tried to provide
a little more than a month ethnicity. material support to Islamic
after an attack in San Ber- “That doesn’t represent State. q
nardino, California, killed who we are as a country

Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan, left, is escorted by U.S. Marshals
from the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse on Friday, Jan. 8, 2016,
in Houston. Al Hardan made his initial appearance in federal
court in Houston Friday morning after he was indicted Wednes-
day on three charges related to accusations he tried to provide
material support to the Islamic State group.

(AP Photo/Bob Levey)

DON THOMPSON plaint, according to Lauren
Associated Press Horwood, a spokeswoman
SACRAMENTO, California for theU.S. attorney in Sac-
(AP) — A man in California ramento.
encouraged a fellow Iraqi “O God, grant us martyr-
refugee in Texas to join the dom for your sake while
civil war against the Syrian engaged in fighting and
government and promised not retreating; a martyr-
to teach him how to fight, dom that would make you
federal authorities said Fri- satisfied with us,” Al-Jayab
day, a day after terrorism wrote to Al Hardan in April
charges against the men 2013.
were revealed. The complaint says Al-
A criminal complaint filed Jayab, who already had
against 23-year-old Aws fought in Syria, promised to
Mohammed Younis Al-Jay- provide weapons training
ab of Sacramento details to Al Hardan and advised
the social media communi- him on how he would be
cation he had with 24-year- assigned to the battlefield
old Omar Faraj Saeed Al once he arrived in Syria.
Hardan of Houston. Al Har- Al-Jayab described how
dan is the person identified he began fighting shortly
as “Individual I” in the com- after he turned 16, and