Lewisham man on terrorism charges accused of al Qaida oath (From News Shopper)

Lewisham man on terrorism charges accused of al Qaida oath

11:58am Friday 6th July 2012 in News By Sarah Trotter

A LEWISHAM man faces a string of terrorism charges including swearing an oath to an al Qaida splinter group.

Minh Quang Pham, 29, is accused of preparing online propaganda for terrorist group al Qaida and taking part in military training in Yemen in December 2010.

Pham, who faces charges in the US, was arrested last Friday and remanded in custody to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 27.

If found guilty he faces life in prison serving a minimum of 40 years.

Assistant director of the FBI's New York office Janice Fedarcyk said: "The defendant not only allegedly pledged an oath to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula and received military training from Aqap, he also helped design and disseminate its propaganda.

"The investigation that led to this indictment is the result of the kind of cooperation and co-ordination, domestically and internationally, that is essential in the effort to prevent acts of terrorism."

He is charged with two counts of conspiracy to provide and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organisation and conspiracy to receive military-style training from militant Islamist group Aqap.

Pham also stands accused of undertaking military-style training from a foreign terrorist organisation and with the use and possession of machine guns.