The six are Bosnian natives living in Missouri, Illinois and New
York. Five of them were arrested in the United States and charged
with conspiring to provide material support and resources to
terrorists. The sixth person is overseas, the department said in a
statement.
Members of the group conspired to provide money and equipment -
including U.S. military uniforms, combat boots, tactical gear,
military surplus goods and firearms accessories - to be used to
commit crimes outside the United States, according to a federal
grand jury indictment made public by the Justice Department.
It said people in Turkey and Saudi Arabia acted as intermediaries
who received the money and property from the defendants in the
United States and transferred them to militants fighting with groups
in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.
The group transferred thousands of dollars over the past two years
to purchase equipment for a man identified as Abdullah Ramo Pazara
and other foreign fighters traveling to join battles in Syria, Iraq
and elsewhere, the indictment said.
In one message last year, two of the accused parties discussed
buying a night-vision optic with a built-in camera for recording
killings while fighting in the Middle East, according to the
indictment.
The indictment said members of the group used telephones and
Facebook and other social media to send and receive messages, using
fictitious names and code words including "Lions," "Bosnian
brothers" and "mujahids."
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It identified the defendants as Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 40; his wife,
Sedina Unkic Hodzic, 35; and Armin Harcevic, 37, all of St. Louis
County, Missouri; Nihad Rosic, 26, of Utica, New York; Mediha Medy
Salkicevic, 34 of Schiller Park, Illinois; and Jasminka Ramic, 42,
of Rockford, Illinois.
All were charged with conspiring to provide material support and
resources to terrorists, and with providing material support to
terrorists. Ramiz Zijad Hodzic and Rosic also were accused of
conspiring to kill and maim persons in a foreign country, the
department said.
"Today's charges and arrests underscore our resolve to identify,
thwart, and hold accountable individuals within the United States
who seek to provide material support to terrorists and terrorist
organizations operating in Syria and Iraq," said Assistant Attorney
General John Carlin.
(Reporting by Fiona Ortiz in Chicago and Doina Chiacu in Washington;
Editing by Doina Chiacu and Mohammad Zargham)
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