(HOUSTON) A United States citizen has been arrested and charged with receiving training from a foreign terrorist organization and conspiring to use an explosive device outside the United States, Don DeGabrielle, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas; Kenneth L. Wainstein, Assistant Attorney General for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice; and Joseph Billy, Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Counterterrorism Division, announced today.

Daniel Joseph Maldonado, a.k.a Daniel Aljughaifi, 28, a former Houston resident, was returned to the United States late last evening from Kenya to face the criminal charges pending in this district. Maldonado was captured by the Kenyan military on January 21, 2007, as he fled to avoid Ethiopian and Somalian forces. Expelled by Kenyan officials, Maldonado was turned over to American authorities over the weekend and flown to Houston accompanied by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Calvin Botley this afternoon and has been ordered detained without bond pending a detention hearing set for Tuesday, February 20, at 2:00 p.m.

"Any who seek to aid terrorists in their mission to threaten our national security will be held to account for such serious criminal conduct," said United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle.

"This case represents the first criminal prosecution of an American suspected of joining forces with Islamic extremist fighters in Somalia. The prosecution of Mr. Maldonado demonstrates the scope of our laws and serves as a warning to others who would travel overseas to wage violent jihad," said Kenneth L. Wainstein, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's National Security Division.

Joseph Billy, Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Counterterrorism Division, said, "The FBI is working closely with our law enforcement and intelligence community partners in this country and around the world to bring all necessary resources to bear to protect Americans and its allies from terrorist attacks."

According to allegations in the criminal complaint, Maldonado traveled from Houston, Texas, to Africa in November 2005 and then on to Somalia on or about December 2006 to join the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and elements of Al Qaeda, to fight "jihad" against the Transitional Federal Government to establishment of an independent Islamic State in Somalia. In the fall of 2006, the ICU used suicide bombers and vehicles containing improvised explosive devices to target the leadership of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.

While in Somalia, Maldonado was, according to the complaint, provided an AK-47, equipped with military combat uniforms and boots in Mogadishu, and participated in training camps in Kismaayo and Jilib, Somalia. The camps included physical fitness, firearms, and explosives training all in preparation to go to the front to fight for the ICU. Al Qaeda members were allegedly present at the training camp. During the course of his training, the complaint alleges Maldonado spoke to an individual about his willingness to become a suicide bomber if he was wounded and also observed the making and testing of bombs with the group's bomb-maker.

Conspiring to use a destructive device carries a maximum penalty of any term of years up to life imprisonment upon conviction. Receiving military training from a terrorist organization carries a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment upon conviction.

The investigation leading to the filing of criminal charges in this case was conducted by the Joint Terrorism Task Force including special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and officers of the Houston Police Department. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Gary Cobe.

A complaint is an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.