A Portland, Ore., resident was arrested Tuesday on charges of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists. The FBI alleges that Reaz Qadir Khan, 48, gave money and advice to a man involved in a deadly 2009 suicide bomb attack on the headquarters of Pakistan's intelligence service in Lahore.
The attack resulted in an estimated 30 deaths and 300 injuries. Khan, a naturalized U.S. citizen, could face a maximum sentence of life in prison if he is found guilty. FBI agents arrested him at his home Tuesday morning.
Here's how Oregon Public Broadcasting's Kristian Foden-Vencil explains the FBI's case:
"They're saying he allegedly conspired with a man named Ali Jaleel and others. Jaleel died while participating in the Pakistan suicide attack."
"The U.S. Department of Justice says that between December 2005 and June 2009, Khan used email and intermediaries to give Jaleel and his family money and advice."
"They say Khan used coded language to help Jaleel travel undetected from the Maldives, where Jaleel lived, to Pakistan."
"And they also say Khan gave Jaleel money to attend a training camp to prepare for the attack."
The indictment accuses Khan of using an intermediary in Los Angeles as a fast way to transmit funds to Jaleel.
The FBI says, "In October 2008, Jaleel allegedly told Khan he needed '$2,500 for everything' and asked that Khan take care of his family and educate his children. Khan promised to help Jaleel's family."
The office of Portland's mayor has confirmed to OPB that Khan is "a city employee who works for the Environmental Services Bureau."
The Oregonian reports that Kahn's co-workers were surprised to hear of his arrest, saying that he seemed "like a good guy" who quietly went about his job at the wastewater plant.
Khan will appear at a detention hearing Wednesday afternoon.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.