An Uzbekistan native, indicted on federal charges of threatening the life of President Barack Obama and illegally possessing weapons, including a fully automatic weapon and a grenade, plans to plead guilty in the case next month.
U.S. District Court Judge Abdul Kallon late this morning issued an order setting a Feb. 10 hearing for Ulugbek Kodirov to change his plea to guilty in the case.
Kodirov was arrested at a Leeds motel on July 13.
Kodirov's attorney, Lance Bell, confirmed that Kodirov plans to plead guilty to the charges. But he declined further comment.
Kodirov was charged with four counts of threatening the president --- on July 9, July 10, July 11 and July 13 of last year. He also was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and unlawfully possessing a fully automatic weapon. Both of those weapons counts refer to a Sendra Corporation Model M15-A1 rifle which he bought from undercover law enforcement agents before his arrest on July 13, according to court documents. He was also charged with receiving and possessing an unregistered grenade on July 13. He had four grenades, but the gunpowder was not in them, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
During a speech at a Rotary Club of Birmingham meeting at the Harbert Center today, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance noted Kodirov as an example of terrorism her office has dealt with. He had a "well-developed plan" to assisinate the president including attempting to purchase weapons from undercover agents, she said.
Vance also told the crowd the U.S. Attorney's Office has developed solid relationships within the local Muslim community.
After her speech Vance said that Kodirov came to the U.S. on a lawful visa with the intent to study. "Our belief is that at some point that changed," she said.
Vance declined to give details of the investigation. but she called Kodirov a terrorist. "He wanted to take a machine gun and kill the president of the United States. In my mind, that's a terrorist," she said.
Vance talked to the Rotary Club about three types of terrorism her office worries about --- organized terrorism such as Al Quida, domestic terrorism such as the bombing of the Birmingham abortion clinic by Eric Robert Rudolph, and individuals who are radicalized to extremes often over the Internet.
Among items federal authorities were looking for in a July 13 search of Kodirov's room at the Oak Mountain Lodge in Pelham were Jihadist manuals and training materials, including those stored electronically on computers or other electronic devices, according to an affidavit filed with a federal search warrant. Authorities also were looking for sniper rifles and other long range weaponry, documentation related to assassination and the names and identifiers of possible co-conspirators.
The warrant did not list what may have been found during the search.
 |
| Ulugbek Kodirov |
Kodirov was arrested at a Leeds motel on July 13.
Kodirov's attorney, Lance Bell, confirmed that Kodirov plans to plead guilty to the charges. But he declined further comment.
Kodirov was charged with four counts of threatening the president --- on July 9, July 10, July 11 and July 13 of last year. He also was charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and unlawfully possessing a fully automatic weapon. Both of those weapons counts refer to a Sendra Corporation Model M15-A1 rifle which he bought from undercover law enforcement agents before his arrest on July 13, according to court documents. He was also charged with receiving and possessing an unregistered grenade on July 13. He had four grenades, but the gunpowder was not in them, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
During a speech at a Rotary Club of Birmingham meeting at the Harbert Center today, U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance noted Kodirov as an example of terrorism her office has dealt with. He had a "well-developed plan" to assisinate the president including attempting to purchase weapons from undercover agents, she said.
Vance also told the crowd the U.S. Attorney's Office has developed solid relationships within the local Muslim community.
After her speech Vance said that Kodirov came to the U.S. on a lawful visa with the intent to study. "Our belief is that at some point that changed," she said.
Vance declined to give details of the investigation. but she called Kodirov a terrorist. "He wanted to take a machine gun and kill the president of the United States. In my mind, that's a terrorist," she said.
Vance talked to the Rotary Club about three types of terrorism her office worries about --- organized terrorism such as Al Quida, domestic terrorism such as the bombing of the Birmingham abortion clinic by Eric Robert Rudolph, and individuals who are radicalized to extremes often over the Internet.
Among items federal authorities were looking for in a July 13 search of Kodirov's room at the Oak Mountain Lodge in Pelham were Jihadist manuals and training materials, including those stored electronically on computers or other electronic devices, according to an affidavit filed with a federal search warrant. Authorities also were looking for sniper rifles and other long range weaponry, documentation related to assassination and the names and identifiers of possible co-conspirators.
The warrant did not list what may have been found during the search.
No comments:
Post a Comment