Soldier accused of trying to aid al-Qaida

[Jorgy]

NBC: Soldier accused of trying to aid al-Qaida

Charged with attempting to pass information to terrorist network

Updated: 6:43 p.m. ET Feb. 12, 2004

U.S. military and Justice Department officials tell NBC News that a U.S. Army National Guardsman was taken into custody Thursday at Fort Lewis, Wash., and charged with attempting to pass intelligence information to the al-Qaida terrorist network.


Spc. Ryan G. Anderson has been charged with "aiding the enemy by wrongfully attempting to communicate and give intelligence to the al-Qaida terrorist network," U.S. officials told NBC News. The officials said that Anderson was caught up in a sting operation conducted jointly by the Army, the Justice Department and the FBI. Anderson, however, is currently being held and charged only by the Army. Anderson is a Muslim, officials said.

Anderson, a 26-year-old tank crewmember from the Army's 81st National Guard Brigade, was among the 4,100 troops of the 81st Brigade on their way to Iraq for a one-year deployment after further training.

2002 college graduate
According to a recent edition of the Everett Herald newspaper, Anderson is a 2002 graduate of Washington State University and graduated from Cascade High School in 1995. While at WSU he majored in military history with an emphasis on the Middle East. The article says Anderson converted to the Muslim faith five years ago.

Lt. Col Stephen Barger, public information officer at Fort Lewis, said Anderson will be held at Fort Lewis pending the filing of criminal charges.

The brigade has been training at Fort Lewis since November. Eighty percent of the soldiers "” 3,200 "” are from Washington state, and 1,000 are from guard units in California and Minnesota.

It includes two tank battalions, a mechanized infantry battalion, engineers, support troops, artillery and an intelligence company.

[Jorgy]

Ok, here is my question. If this is true, and he is found guilty, do you think he should be put to death?

I can think of alot of rotten things someone can do, but to betray your own country, that is pretty low down. Every few years I read about something like this, mostly about spys being caught, but I really think that the death penalty should be used on cases like this. I don't really care if he did it to undermine our presence, or he was trying to turn a buck. I say, if guilty, string him up.

[messageman]

I think they ought to lock him in a room with you, and have you play with his nipples.

[Jorgy]

Oh my god, you have a sense of humor. Go you!

[8x8bull]

think they ought to lock him in a room with you, and have you play with his nipples.

nice train of thought there messageman

[fng]

I think they ought to lock him in a room with you, and have you play with his nipples

WTF? Good comeback but holy cripes, ..

Ahhhh, is that you VC ??

[Mike from Texas]

Treason. Kill him.

[J in GB]

Makes me sick every time of here of instances like this one!