Politics & Government

UPDATED: Two Men Arrested in Seattle Terror Plot Originally Targeted Joint Base Lewis-McChord

Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif and Walli Mujahidh were arrested Wednesday night for allegedly plotting to attack a Seattle military processing center.

Two men arrested for allegedly planning to attack a military recruitment center in Seattle originally eyed Joint Base Lewis-McChord, according to authorities.

On Wednesday night, authorities arrested Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, aka Joseph Anthony Davis, 33, of Seattle, and Walli Mujahidh, aka Frederick Domingue, Jr., 32, of Los Angeles, on terrorism and firearms-related charges.

(To view the charging documents, click on the PDF document in the photo gallery to the right)

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According to the Department of Justice, the men obtained machine guns that they purchased and planned to use in an attack on the Military Entrance Processing Station, or MEPS, located on East Marginal Way in Seattle.

But the two men allegedly had been eyeing somewhere closer to the South Sound: Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

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"The defendants initially planned an attack on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State, but later changed targets," according to a Justice Department press release. "The defendants intended to carry out their attack with both grenades and machine guns."

According to charging papers, authorities determined through an unnamed source that the men wanted to drive a van "through the Fort Lewis guard gate and open fire with weapons and possibly explosives."

"Abdul-Latif made clear that the goal was to kill soldiers, not civilians," court papers state. The alleged attackers wanted to perpetrate the attack with AK-47 assault rifles.

They wanted to find the spot on the base "where the most activity is at," according to charging documents. (A copy of the documents is attached to this story.)

Authorities later learned from the source that Abdul-Latif referenced "ongoing military proceedings against Army soldiers stationed at Fort Lewis," according to court papers.

According to authorities, unbeknownst to the defendants, the weapons they had planned to use were "rendered inoperable" and posed no risk to the public.

Catherine Caruso, spokeswoman at JBLM, said as a matter of policy, officials do not discuss specific security actions taken at the base.

However, she credited law enforcement for preventing an attack.

"I can say that we are grateful to the investigating agencies for their continual efforts to keep our communities safe," she said.

Authorities first became aware of the potential threat when a citizen who had been approached about participating in the attack and supplying firearms to the two men contacted authorities, the Justice Department said.

The person then agreed to work with law enforcement, which began monitoring Abdul-Latif and Mujahidh. Since early June the men were captured on audio and videotape discussing a violent assault on the Military Entrance Processing Station. The MEPS is where each branch of the military screens and processes enlistees.

In addition to housing many civilian and military employees, the building houses a federal daycare center.     

“Driven by a violent, extreme ideology, these two young Americans are charged with plotting to murder men and women who were enlisting in the Armed Forces to serve and protect our country. This is one of a number of recent plots targeting our military here at home,” said Todd Hinnen, Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security. “The threat was averted by the combined efforts of the federal, state and local law enforcement officers that make up the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.”

“The FBI remains committed to utilizing intelligence-based investigations to thwart would-be terrorists,” said Laura Laughlin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Division. “This case epitomizes the value and capabilities of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force concept as a means of preventing acts of terrorism.  But for the courage of the cooperating witness, and the efforts of multiple agencies working long and intense hours, the subjects might have been able to carry out their brutal plan.”

Added Seattle Police Chief John Diaz:

“This attack was foiled because of the trust and relationships the men and women of the Seattle Police Department enjoy with our community. The complainant felt safe approaching a Seattle Police Detective and, in doing so, ended the plot intended to take innocent lives. This cooperative investigation involving local, state, and federal partners worked exactly as intended.”

Abdul-Latif and Mujahidh are charged with conspiracy to murder officers and employees of the United States, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction (grenades) and possession of firearms in furtherance of crimes of violence. Abdul-Latif is also charged with two counts of illegal possession of firearms.

The defendants were making their initial appearance on the complaint at 2:30 p.m. in front of Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler in Seattle.

Both Abdul-Latif and Mujahidh face potential sentences of life in prison if convicted of the charges.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, with assistance from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which has investigators from federal, state and local law enforcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives contributed significant expertise to this investigation.


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