Alleged New Jersey Jihadis Appear In Court

NEWARK, NJ June 7, 2010 — -- With their curly hair, beards and gray button-down shirts, Mohamed Alessa and Carlos Almonte looked almost identical when they made their first appearance in federal court here Monday. The two New Jersey men were arrested over the weekend for allegedly planning to wage jihad and kill Americans in Somalia, and both now face the possibility of life in prison.

Alessa and Almonte were arrested at New York's JFK airport Saturday night as they allegedly attempted to board a flight to Egypt on their way to link up with a Somalia-based terror group.

"The charges were filed before their bags were packed and the arrest teams were waiting at the airport before they arrived," said Paul Fishman, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Magistrate Judge Madeline Arleo assigned each man a lawyer and ordered Alessa and Almonte detained until their next court date Thursday.

Alessa appeared to have a bruise on the side of his face. His father, who sat in the spectator's gallery, indicated to reporters his son had been hit. Authorities said both men had resisted arrest. Alessa appeared to recognize the presence of his parents. As he was led from court he smiled at them and tapped his heart.

Prosecutors said family played a role in identifying Alessa and Almonte's alleged militancy. In 2006 a relative told law enforcement the defendants watched internet videos of suicide bombings.

"They wanted to go join a foreign terrorist organization called al-Shabaab," Fishman said. "They had finally purchased plane tickets and were on their way out of the country."

There's nothing in the criminal complaint to suggest the men had scheduled meetings with known militants, nor is it alleged they possessed the equipment, desire or knowledge to carry out a terror plot on their own.

"Sophistication is not necessarily a measure of danger," said Fishman.