Jilted man takes revenge with terror attack hoax
Quote:
WASHINGTON: A jilted Virginia man pleaded guilty on Friday to falsely reporting a future terrorist attack in what he later admitted was a hoax to get back at someone who was dating his ex-girlfriend.
Federal prosecutors said Nabil Wasfi Alkharouf, 38, of Ashburn, pleaded guilty in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, and that sentencing was set for May 12. He faces up to five years in prison.
During a nine-day span last summer, Alkharouf made anonymous communications to the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and local law enforcement authorities about an Iraqi individual living in Arlington, Virginia, who was said to be planning a terrorist attack in the coming weeks.
Alkharouf gave authorities the name, address and other specific identifying information about the individual, identified in court papers by the initials "HK". He claimed to have been selected by elders in the local Muslim community to warn authorities about the individual, prosecutors said.
Alkharouf said that the individual was harbouring three other Iraqis illegally in this country, that they had made recent trips to Syria and that they had smuggled in weapons from overseas.
Alkharouf described the individual as being disturbed and upset about the war in Iraq. He said "HK" had recently made comments about the Washington area being too secure and that he instead would conduct an attack in California.
Alkharouf also warned that New York was a possible target.
Prosecutors said federal agents determined "HK" was not a threat and traced the anonymous phone calls, email and letters back to Alkharouf.
When Alkharouf was questioned, he admitted he had lied and had made up the story, in part, according to court documents, because his girlfriend had left him for "HK."
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