Ex-Navy Sailor Supplied Classified Information to Terrorists

By Erin Peterson

Former Navy Sailor Hassan Abujihaad, 31, was charged Wednesday with material support for terror with the intent to kill U.S. citizens and transmitting classified information to unauthorized people. The FBI says that Abujihaad e-mailed information about the location and movement of the warship on which he was stationed to a suspected terrorist financier. The information was then posted on a jihadist website that was being used to raise funds for Al Qaeda.

This case began and will be tried in Connecticut because the computer servers used to host the website and e-mail account in question are based there. Abujihaad, also known as Paul R. Hall, was arrested at his home in Phoenix and is currently being held without bail.

Abujihaad was stationed on the U.S.S Benfold, a guided-missile destroyer, from 2000 to 2001 before his honorable military discharge in 2002. Officials investigating the case say they found records of e-mail communication between Abujihaad and the administrators of the radical website "Azzem Publications." They also found that Abujihaad had purchased videos promoting jihad.

Babar Ahmed and Syed Talha Ahsan are the two men connected with the Islam extremist website. Both men were arrested in Britain in 2004 and are currently awaiting extradition to Connecticut on charges of material support for terrorism. It is reported that Abujihaad destroyed his jihad videos and deleted files from his home computer after Ahmed and Ahsan were arrested in 2004.

Investigators reviewing the files on Ahmed’s computers found classified information regarding the position and movement of U.S. ships and discussions on their susceptibility to attack. E-mail log files showed that this information was sent to Ahmed and the Azzam website from Abujihaad during his time on active duty. Abujihaad’s e-mails also praised Bin Laden and the 2000 bombing of the U.S.S. Cole.

Other documents found in Ahmad’s possession included drawings of Navy battle groups along with notes on how to attack the groups using rocket-propelled grenades (RPG’s) and other small weapons. Additional files that were discovered contained classified information on upcoming U.S. Navy missions. Abujihaad provided Azzam with information when the U.S.S. Benfold left California for Afghanistan.

Abujihaad’s involvement in this case came to light in December in relation to the arrest of Derrick Shareef of Genoa, IL, near Chicago. Shareef, 22, was arrested and charged with planning to attack holiday shoppers at a mall with hand grenades.

Police investigating Shareef’s case learned that Shareef and Abujihaad lived together in 2004. Shareef told investigators that Abujihaad became upset when he learned of Ahmad’s arrest in Britain and said, "I think this is about me."

Investigators set up a telephone conversation between an informant and Abujihaad. The recording of the conversation reveals that Abujihaad appeared nervous and uncomfortable with the discussion. While he did not admit that he supplied classified information, the conversation did provide enough evidence to issue an arrest warrant for Abujihaad.

If convicted on the charges of transmitting classified military information and supporting terrorism, Abujihaad could receive up to 25 years in prison.