Ohio man charged with helping al Qaeda

Story Highlights

• Indictment reveals charges against man arrested Wednesday
• Christopher Paul of Columbus, Ohio, faces three terrorism-related counts
• Paul charged with plotting to set off bombs in Europe, United States
• Indictment says Paul helped al Qaeda, trained at their camp in Afghanistan

From Kevin Bohn
CNN

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A 43-year-old U.S. citizen was charged Wednesday with providing material support to al Qaeda and plotting to set off bombs in Europe and the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed in Columbus, Ohio.

Christopher Paul did not enter a plea in his first court appearance Wednesday, and his lawyer, Donald Worley, would not comment on the charges when contacted by CNN.

A detention hearing and arraignment are scheduled for Friday, according to the clerk of court's office. (Read the indictment)

According to the indictment, the targets of the bomb plots allegedly included European tourist resorts where Americans stayed and a person in the United States whom prosecutors did not name.

The plotting took place between April 1999 and January 2000, according to the three-count indictment.

Prosecutors say that beginning in 1989, Paul supported terrorists by his actions, and he provided training and equipment to be used in attacks on people overseas.

Most of the ties the indictment lays out relating to Paul's alleged association with al Qaeda date back to the early to middle 1990s. Prosecutors allege Paul traveled to Afghanistan and trained at an al Qaeda camp in late 1990 or early 1991, and later in 1991 joined the terror group.

In court papers, prosecutors also say Paul and some co-conspirators watched videos depicting violence against Muslims, and in the middle 1990s he "expressed his admiration" for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to an unidentified co-conspirator.

"The indictment of Christopher Paul paints a disturbing picture of an American who traveled overseas to train as a violent jihadist, joined the ranks of al Qaeda, and provided military instruction and support to radical cohorts both here and abroad," Assistant Attorney General Ken Wainstein said in a written statement.

"Our persistence and determination in the pursuit of this case should serve as a strong warning to any American who considers joining forces with our enemy."

Prosecutors also charge Paul with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction by alleging that in April 1999, he "provided explosives training to co-conspirators in Germany in order to assist them in preparing to conduct attacks using explosives on targets in Europe and the United States."

The indictment lists various items found in Paul's or his father's homes in the last few years, including a night vision scope, "a thermal fax containing names, phone numbers, and contact information for key al Qaeda leadership and associates," a book on improvised land mines, books on making explosives and explosive devices and a letter from him to his parents "explaining that he will be 'on the front lines' and where to find out information on 'jihad.' "