A Moroccan-born American citizen admitted in a Kansas City federal courtroom that he routed $23,500 he obtained through bank fraud to al-Qaida. Khalid Ouazzani, owner of Truman Used Auto Parts, pleaded guilty to providing material support to al-Qaida.
Under questioning from his own attorney, Ouazzani, 32, also admitted he made an oath of allegiance to the terrorist group. According to
criminal information filed Wednesday, Ouazzani and unnamed co-conspirators send the money "for the use and benefit of al-Qaida and would and did perform other tasks at the request of and for the benefit of al-Qaida."
According to the Kansas City Star:
He also acknowledged that he and co-conspirators not identified in the charges discussed fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq or Somalia as another way to support al-Qaida.
The conspirators also "used various techniques to disguise their communications about their plans and assistance to support" al-Qaida, according to court records.
Ouazzani originally was indicted for bank fraud and money laundering in February. The 33-count indictment charged him with lying to obtain property loans, then "obtaining substantially more funds than the real estate securing the loans was actually worth." He then defaulted on the loans.
The indictment noted that he "transferred substantial amounts of loan proceeds to bank accounts outside the United States," but did not refer to al-Qaida.
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