Nov 9, 2009 6:01 pm US/Central
Prosecutors Say Chicago Man Had Al-Qaida Video
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
Two videos produced by Osama bin Laden's al Qaida terrorist network have been found in the home of a Chicago man accused of plotting an armed attack on a Danish newspaper, federal prosecutors said.
Bin Laden appears on one of the DVDs, describing the lives of four so-called martyrs "on behalf of Islam," and other footage focused on the cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad published in the Copenhagen newspaper, prosecutors said in papers filed late Friday. Those cartoons sparked outrage in much of the Muslim world.
Details of the U.S. case against Rana.
The filings are part of prosecutors' efforts to bolster their case that Chicago grocery store owner and immigration counselor
Tahawwur Rana, 48, should not be freed on bond pending resolution of terrorism charges against him and David C. Headley.
Rana's bond hearing was originally scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed until Nov. 19.
His attorney, Patrick Blegen, has said Rana may be merely the innocent dupe of Headley.
At Rana's Devon Avenue grocery store, manager Rukhsana Younis was quick to defend her boss, calling him a "nice very man."
"As long as we have known him, we've never seen anything wrong … We still like him," Younis said through a translator.
An attorney for Headley has declined to comment.
According to federal prosecutors, Headley, also of Chicago, was in contact with terrorist leaders based in the tribal areas of western Pakistan about an attack on the Copenhagen newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, and twice scouted out the newspapers offices in that city and Arhus in preparation for an attack.
Rana allegedly made Headley's travel arrangements for the trips to Denmark.
Prosecutors said the video was found in Rana's living room on Oct. 18 and that it was produced by As-Sahab Media, which is al-Qaida's media production wing. Among those who appear in the video is Mustafa abu al-Yazid, described by prosecutors as the third-ranking member of the terrorist network.
Prosecutors said a 54-minute video focuses on the 12 cartoons that appeared in Jyllands-Posten five years ago.
Cartoonist Kurt Westergaard is shown on the video and quoted as saying the cartoons were a way of fighting Islamic extremism and he doesn't regret their publication. The Danish flag is shown against a background of flames.
Prosecutors said one video hails a man who carried out a suicide car bombing of the Danish Embassy in Pakistan.
The video also includes verbal attacks on the United States and Jewish people for "a litany of perceived outrages," according to court papers.
Terrorism expert Tom Mockaitis says actual possession appears to show sympathy for extremist views. He says downloading controversial footage is not as important for evidentiary reasons as having the actual DVDs in one's possession.
"That would suggest a level of sympathy beyond just a casual acquaintance," Mockaitis said.
Still, at the Mosque where Rana regularly worshipped, those who know him say Rana never showed any extremist tendencies.
"I'm 100 percent positive Dr. Rana is not a terrorist," Rashed Khan said.
Khan says he's known Rana for more than 15 years. He says he thinks prosecutors have the wrong man. But he says if the evidence shows otherwise, he would want Rana prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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