PH envoys visit Filipino held in US terror plot

6:37 am | Saturday, November 24th, 2012

Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine consular officials were able to visit the 23-year-old Filipino immigrant detained in California for his alleged involvement in a plot to mount terrorist attacks that reportedly included targets in the Philippines.

In a statement, Ambassador Jose Cuisia Jr. said the Philippine consulate general in Los Angeles had been given consular access to suspect Ralph Kenneth de Leon at a detention facility in San Bernardino County late Wednesday afternoon.

Cuisia quoted Consul General Hellen Barber-Dela Vega confirming that De Leon, who migrated to the United States in 2003, was still a Philippine citizen and a holder of a valid Philippine passport.

De Leon and three other suspects were arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Sunday and later charged in connection with an alleged plot to join the al-Qaida network and the Taliban, and then launch attacks against American targets in Afghanistan, Palestine and the Philippines.

“The embassy and the consulate general in Los Angeles are working closely with American authorities to get more information about the reported terrorist plot and to ensure that the rights of Mr. De Leon, a Philippine national, are protected,” Cuisia said.

Dela Vega said Consul Charmaine Serna-Chua went to the San Bernardino Sheriff Central Detention Center and was able to check De Leon’s physical condition. She said De Leon appeared well despite being held in solitary confinement.

Chua was also able to talk by phone to De Leon’s father and court-appointed lawyer.

According to Dela Vega, De Leon, along with Miguel Santana, Arifeen Gojali and Sohiel Kabir, are facing charges of “conspiring to provide material support and resource to terrorists in violation of Section 2339A, Title 18 of the US Code.” She said the preliminary hearing on the case was set on Dec. 3.

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Tags: al-Qaeda , Filipino immigrant , Ralph Kenneth De Leon , Taliban , terror attack , terror plot , Terrorism

Ncarreonjr

Green card holder and a terrorist wannabe. He will be deported after serving his time in prison if convicted. He should
use his head next time if there is a next time.
kanoy

No doubt about it…..the USA needs to junk the VFA immediately and cancel all foreign aid to the Philippines as this is far worse than 2 drunken soldiers in a bar brawl, don’t you think Mrs.Defensor? Mr.Bello?
kanoy

funny also this arrest happened a week ago and just now being reported here….3 men arrested…filipino, mexican. afghan…With loud explosions and bright
lights from flashbang grenades, heavily armed federal agents stormed a
car near an apartment complex in Chino on Friday and arrested three men
in connection with terrorist activities…Sohiel Omar Kabir

Born in Afghanistan, Kabir is a 34-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was a resident…Ralph Kenneth Deleon
is a 23-year-old permanent
resident immigrant who resides in the city of Ontario. He was born in
the Phillipines. He converted to Islam in 2010 and began engaging with
Kabir and others online in discussions about jihad, including posting
radical content to Facebook and expressing extremist views in comments.
He is being detained, without bail, at the Central Detention Center in
San Bernardino. A prelimijnary hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 3 and
an arraignment for Dec. 5 in federal court.

Miguel Alejandro Santana

Santana is a 21-year-old permanent resident immigrant who
resides in Upland. He was born in Mexico and has pending citizenship in
the U.S.
jinx

Beware of the new Muslim converts. They could be more aggressive…..they were hopeless, and now they found a religion that gives “hope” to those who would kill in the name of …….

kanoy

lol thats what happened to Spain that dumped Catholicism here sold this joint to the USA then went home where violent form in such groups as the rightist
Catholic
terrorist organization known as the warriors of Christ the king,
which assaults progressive priests and their churches….there are extremists in all religions…that is whats wrong with religion…no matter which one it is,,,we all think we are right…The pope’s visit to Spain produced a lot of protests — and at least one
attempted act of terrorism. But it wasn’t an attempted act of terrorism
against Benedict XVI or against Catholics; no, it was a devout
Catholic believer from Mexico who was planning on attacking protesters
with deadly gas, including sarin.

nennen12345

i feel sorry for you Pinoy, a would be terrorist. you should have thought a thousand times otherwise you wouldn’t be in solitary confinement right now. why do you think of killing in the name of your Allah? couldn’t we live in peace in the name of GOD?

PH envoys visit Filipino held in US terror plot

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