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U.S. NEWS Thursday 16 augusT 2018

U.S. officials: Iraqi refugee was part of terror group

By DON THOMPSON Obama-era settlement
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — program, questioning
A 45-year-old Iraqi refugee whether enough was done
was arrested Wednesday to weed out those with
in Northern California on terrorist ties.
a warrant alleging that he Officials said Ameen kept
killed an Iraqi policeman secret his membership in
while serving with the two terrorist groups when
Islamic State organization. he applied for refugee
Omar Abdulsattar Ameen status, and later when he
and other members of ISIS applied for a green card in
killed the officer after the the United States.
town of Rawah, Iraq, fell Benjamin Galloway, one of
to the Islamic State in June Ameen's public defenders,
2014, according to court said he had just 10 minutes
documents. to meet with his client prior
He was arrested by the to his initial federal court
FBI Joint Terrorism Task appearance Wednesday
Force at a Sacramento afternoon and attorneys
apartment building based hadn't decided whether
on a warrant issued in May to contest that Ameen is
by an Iraqi federal court in in fact the man wanted by
Baghdad. U.S. officials plan Iraqi authorities.
to extradite him back to Ameen remained dressed
Iraq under a treaty with that in street clothing including
nation, and he made his a light blue T-shirt as
first appearance in federal he appeared in court A woman carrying a child is escorted by authorities to an apartment following the arrest of a
court in Sacramento on handcuffed to a chain 45-year-old Iraqi refugee, Omar Ameen, Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Sacramento, Calif.
Wednesday. around his waist. U.S. Associated Press
Prosecutors say Ameen Magistrate Judge Edmund
entered the U.S. under Brennan ordered him and extradition request say Department. They opened al Qaeda in Rawah and
a refugee program, detained until his next that Ameen entered his fire and the man shot back, that Ameen was a member
eventually settling court appearance set hometown of Rawah in the but the documents allege of both al Qaida in Iraq and
in Sacramento, and for Monday, accepting Anbar province of Iraq with that Ameen fatally shot the ISIS. The documents allege
attempted to gain legal prosecutors' argument that a four-vehicle ISIS caravan man in the chest as he lay that he did a number of
status in the United States. Ameen is dangerous and a and drove to the home on the ground. things in support of the
The Trump administration flight risk. of a man who had served Court documents say groups, including helping
has sharply criticized the The Iraqi arrest warrant with the Rawah Police Ameen's family also aided plant improvised bombs.q
Georgia woman facing 'longest sentence' for leaking to media

By RUSS BYNUM Winner, 26, is scheduled to imprisonment of five years high priority, and Attorney if it could be tougher.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — be sentenced Aug. 23 by and three months. But General Jeff Sessions "The government advises
A Georgia woman who U.S. District Court Judge the sentencing judge isn't pledged to clamp down the Court that despite
mailed a secret U.S. report to J. Randal Hall in Augusta. bound by that agreement. on leaks last year. the agreed-upon
a news organization faces She pleaded guilty in Winner's crime carries a In a court filing Tuesday, sentence being below
the "longest sentence" ever June to a single count maximum penalty of 10 federal prosecutors in the applicable guidelines
behind bars for a federal of transmitting national years. Winner's case said the range, it would be the
crime involving leaks to the security information when The Trump administration 63-month sentence they're longest sentence served by
news media, prosecutors she worked in Augusta as a has made prosecuting recommending is plenty stiff a federal defendant for an
said in a court filing. translator at an NSA facility. government employees to deter other government unauthorized disclosure to
Former National Security Winner's plea deal with who leak sensitive workers from leaking the media," the prosecutors
Agency contractor Reality prosecutors calls for information to the media a sensitive information, even wrote.q