BEAUMONT, Texas — A list of four names and phone numbers of alleged terrorist contacts in Stockholm, Sweden was presented in court Thursday in the trial of a man accused of trying to recruit ISIS solders among federal inmates in Beaumont.
Former inmates of Beaumont's medium-security prison testified earlier this week that they were approached by Mohamed Ibrahim Ahmed about taking part in terrorist acts. On Thursday, jurors heard from men who said they were approached by Ahmed while being held at the LaSalle facility in downtown Beaumont.
Both inmates who testified Thursday morning said Ahmed told them that an affiliated terrorist group referred to as "Somali pirates" needed Americans to help with terrorist attacks. Each inmate testified that they are not Muslim, but was told if they agreed to convert and carry out acts of violence when instructed to do so, they would be rewarded with cars, women and a place to live. They testified that they were important to the terrorist group because Americans could move around without attracting the attention a non-American would attract.
The list of names and numbers prosecutors say Ahmed handed to each inmate was displayed on a screen for jurors to see. Both inmates testified that Ahmed told them to encode the information and mail it to themselves so they could reach terrorist contacts once they were out of prison. One of the inmates testified he gave the hand-written note to federal authorities rather than following Ahmed's instructions.
Both inmates testified that Ahmed wanted to use an explosive at the federal building on Magnolia Street because that's where judges and lawyers are located. They were also told, if needed, Ahmed said he had chemicals stored in Dallas and New York. Upon cross-examination, one of the inmates said Ahmed did not imply chemicals to be used for bomb making, but that they were chemicals that could kill a lot of people.
Ahmed, who is acting as his own attorney, asked both inmates if they were offered a lighter sentence for testifying. Both said they received no change to their sentence. One said to Ahmed, "The only thing you talked to me about was hurting people. That's where we fell out."
Testimony is ongoing before District Judge Marcia A. Crone at the Jack Brooks federal courthouse.
