By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
On Wednesday, November 24, US Senator Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama) released 12 examples of individuals who were admitted to the United States as refugees who were publicly implicated in terrorism investigations in 2015.
According to information provided by Sen. Sessions’ office, on February 5, 2015, Abdinassir Mohamud Ibrahim a Somali who came to the United States as a refugee in 2007, and later adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status, was sentenced in West Texas to 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to Al-Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization, and for making a false statement in his immigration paperwork.
Ibrahim falsely claimed that he was of a member of the minority Awer clan in Somalia and subject to persecution by the majority Hawiye clan. In reality, Ibrahim was actually a member of the Hawiye clan and not subject to persecution. The Complaint charges that, “Ibrahim’s family was famous . . . [and] [t]hrough his clan lineage, Ibrahim was related to known Somali terrorists[.]” Ibrahim also admitted he had lied on his citizenship application by having previously lied on his refugee application by falsely claiming that he had not provided material support to a terrorist group, when he had in fact provided material support in the form of cash to an Al-Shabaab member.
On February 5, 2015, in East Missouri, Abdullah Ramo Pazara, a Bosnian who had come to the United States as a refugee, adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status, and subsequently applied for and received citizenship in 2013 was named in an indictment against six individuals listed below. Pazara was not charged because, purportedly, he is believed to be dead. According to the Indictment, the others listed provided material support to Pazara, who left the United States to go to Syria and fight with ISIS just eleven days after becoming a citizen. Pazara allegedly told an individual about a mission where they “captured a large area, killed even individuals, captured one, and added that they intended to slaughter the prisoner the follow[ing] day.” According to press accounts, at the time Pazara was purportedly killed in Syria, while working as a deputy to one of the top ISIS commanders.
On February 5, 2015, Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, a purported Bosnian war hero who came to the United States as a refugee, was charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, with providing material support to terrorists, and conspiring to kill and maim persons in a foreign country. Hodzic is alleged to have obtained money that he used to “purchase materials and supplies including: United States military uniforms, tactical combat boots, military surplus goods, tactical gear and clothing, firearms accessories, optical equipment and range finders, rifle scopes, equipment, and supplies . . . intending that the materials and supplies would thereafter be transferred to, and used to support” Abdullah Ramo Pazara and ISIS.
Unkic Hodzic – the wife of Ramiz Zijad Hodzic (another Bosnian “refugee”) was charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and providing material support to terrorists. According to the indictment, Sedina and her husband, collected money from third parties and wired it to terrorists abroad. Also according to the indictment, Sedina shipped six boxes of US military uniforms, combat boots, tactical clothing and gear, military surplus items, firearms accessories, rifle scopes, optical equipment, first aid supplies, and other equipment to terrorists abroad.
Armin Harcevic (a Bosnian refugee) was also charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and with providing material support to terrorists. According to the Indictment, Harcevic collected money from third parties and wired it and his own funds to terrorists abroad.
Nihad Rosic (again a Bosnian refugee turned Lawful Permanent Resident and later naturalized US citizen) was also charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiring to kill and maim persons in a foreign country.
According to the indictment, Rosic sent funds to terrorists abroad, and attempted to travel to Syria to join terrorists in Syria and Iraq. Rosic was a truck driver and former mixed martial arts fighter who had previously been charged with endangering the welfare of a child after punching a woman in the face while she held a child, and in a separate incident, was charged with assault after allegedly beating his girlfriend with a belt.
Mediha Medy Salkicevic is another native Bosnia “refugee”, adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status, and subsequently applied for and received citizenship. She was charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and providing material support to terrorists. Salkicevic was formerly an employee with a cargo company that deals with items coming in and out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Salkicevic allegedly collected money from third parties and wired it and her own funds to terrorists abroad.
Jasminka Ramic is native Bosnian refugee, adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status, and subsequently applied for and received citizenship. She also was charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and providing material support to terrorists. According to the indictment, Ramic collected money from third parties and wired it and her own funds to terrorists abroad.
Abdurahman Yasin Daud was born in a refugee camp in Kenya and came to the United States as a refugee while still a child. Daud was subsequently adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status. On April 20, 2015, Daud was charged in Minnesota (along with six others) with conspiracy and attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Daud and another individual drove from Minnesota to San Diego to attempt to get passports, cross the border into Mexico, and fly to Syria in an attempt to join ISIS.
Guled Ali Omar was also born in a Kenyan refugee camp, came to the United States as a refugee when still a child and later adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status. He subsequently applied for and received U.S. citizenship. Along with Daud he was charged with conspiracy and attempt to provide material support to ISIS. Omar is the younger brother of another indicted fugitive, Ahmed Ali Omar, who left the United States in 2007, to fight for Al-Shabaab. Another one of his brothers, Mohamed Ali Omar, was convicted in March of threatening federal agents when they came to the family’s residence to interview Guled Omar. During a press conference, US Attorney for the District of Minnesota, Andy Luger, said that Omar “never stopped plotting,” and had previously attempted to leave the United States.
On August 12, 2015, in Idaho, Fazliddin Kurbanov was found guilty on charges that he conspired and attempted to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and possessed an unregistered destructive device. Kurbanov came to the US from Uzbekistan in 2009. U.S. Assistant Attorney General John Carlin stated that he “conspired to provide material support to the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and procured bomb-making materials in the interest of perpetrating a terrorist attack on American soil.”
Senators Sessions and Shelby (R-Alabama) have jointly called for canceling the open-ended ‘blank check’ in the year-end funding bill, warning that this is the only way to halt the President’s plans.
Sessions has also authored appropriations language that he would like to see included in the omnibus. It would prevent any of the President’s resettlement from being effectuated until Congress passes a separate resolution to authorize it.
Sen. Sessions said that more than 9 in 10 recent Middle Eastern refugees are receive some type of federal welfare. Sessions says that 12 could be supported in their home region for the cost of just one brought into the US.
US Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) said, “In order to ensure the safety of the American people, Congress must use the power of the purse and halt all funding for the Syrian refugee resettlement program. The President cannot continue to undermine our national security and I’ll keep working to halt the movement of Syrian refugees into the United States.”
President Barack Obama recently compared the Syrian refugees to America’s 17th Century Pilgrims. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump has compared them to the Trojan Horse that the Mycenean Greeks used to get their warriors inside the walls of Troy in Homer’s, “Illiad.”
