The Niqabi Paralegal

Spc. Ryan Anderson, a Seattle-area Muslim convert and soldier in the Washington National Guard, has been charged with attempting to pass information to Al-Qaida.

Anderson was arrested last week after being caught in a sting operation. No information actually passed to Al-Qaida; the individuals Anderson thought were Al-Qaida operatives were actually undercover agents. Initial reports cited FBI and other federal law enforcement sources as saying that Anderson was a "wannabe" with no significant security clearance and that the information he passed on was "common knowledge stuff". However, Anderson has been charged with providing detailed information about weaknesses in the military and "means of killing U.S. Army personnel and destroying U.S. Army weapon systems and equipment."

Anderson's background has been of some interest. While his conversion to Islam has drawn attention, Anderson has an interest in guns and militia groups that predates his conversion. The AP as well as the Everett Herald and freelance journalist David Neiwert, an expert in right-wing militia groups, have traced Anderson's postings to pro-gun and militia Usenet news groups. In 1998, Anderson was arrested for approaching a school while toting weaponry, according to Reuters. The incident occurred a day after a school shooting in Oregon by Kip Kinkel.

In 2002, Anderson alarmed members of an email list for Seattle Muslims, not with fundamentalist rhetoric, but with his interest in forming a group of Muslim men who would practice shooting together. The group primariy discusses community events, and Anderson was rebuffed and left soon thereafter.

Anderson's case comes after the high-profile prosecutions of Captain James Yee and Ahmad al-Halabi, who served at Guantanamo. Both Yee and Halabi were initially accused of espionage and aiding the enemy. Both cases eventually fell apart. Will the case against Anderson follow the same pattern? Only time will tell.

© 2004 Solidarity USA