Five men charged with conspiracy to provide terrorist support

WASHINGTON -- The government Wednesday charged five men with conspiring to provide "material support and resources" to terrorists for a series of attacks in the United States and overseas.

In an indictment from a Detroit federal grand jury, prosecutors alleged at least four of the men "operated as a covert underground support unit for terrorist attacks" and functioned as a "sleeper operational combat cell."

The men were charged with conspiring to provide services and tangible items to individuals in the United States and abroad to assist them in engaging and promoting violent attacks in Jordan, Turkey and the United States.

The indictment said the men used codes to speak about terrorist plans and were involved in plans to obtain weaponry to benefit operatives overseas.

The planning involved specific violent attacks, including on an American air base in Incerlik, Turkey, and a hospital in Amman, Jordan, said the indictment, citing plans found in a planner.

The indictment named Karim Koubriti, Ahmed Hannan, Youssef Hmimssa, Farouk Ali-Haimoud and a man known by the name Abdella. They were charged with conspiracy to provide material support or resources to terrorists and charges involving conspiracy to engage in fraud and misuse of visas and identification documents.

Hmimssa was named at the top of the indictment, where the charges were listed, but was not further mentioned in the indictment. U.S. officials offered no explanation.

Four of the men have been in custody since a Detroit apartment raid after Sept. 11.

The indictment suggested the men were involved with an Islamic extremist movement, Salafiyya, which became associated with al-Qaida.

The indictment is expected to the first of a string accusing Americans of providing support from within the U.S. to foreign terrorist groups.