Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns Birmingham’s ABC 33/40, reported yesterday that land in Alabama has been linked to a terrorist training camp in New Mexico where malnourished children alleged they were trained to commit shootings.
The information emerged in an FBI search warrant, according to the station. The land, located in Macon County, is owned by Siraj Wahhaj, according to Sinclair Broadcast Group.
Wahhaj lived on a compound in New Mexico last year with several adults and children who said they were training to commit mass shootings. Investigators found the remains of Wahhaj’s 3-year-old son on the property.
The Macon County property sits a few miles from downtown Tuskegee, according to Sinclair Broadcast Group.
#FBI investigators found a training compound in #Alabama linked to a group of suspected homegrown #Terrorists.
An @FBI search warrant described the property in Macon County, Alabama, as a “makeshift military-style obstacle course.” https://t.co/w1rK2TghXI
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) May 12, 2019
A federal grand jury indicted five adults living in the New Mexico compound on terrorism, kidnapping and firearms violations in March.
“The defendants in this case allegedly were preparing for deadly attacks and their targets included law enforcement and military personnel, the very people who are committed to protecting all of us,” said Assistant Director McGarrity in an FBI statement. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to uncover and put a stop to acts of terrorism.”
“During this lengthy and complex investigation, the safety of the community as well as that of the children at the Amalia compound has been our priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Langenberg. “Cases such as these sometimes take a while, but the FBI will never give up until justice is done.”
Wahhaj’s son Abdu-ghani was 3 when he disappeared. He had been living in Clayton County, Georgia before his father took him around Dec. 1, 2017, authorities have said.
Clayton County police said in a missing persons bulletin that Wahhaj and his son were last seen Dec. 13, 2017 in Alabama, traveling with five other children and two adults.
Dad of dead 3-year-old at New Mexico compound, partner plead not guilty to child abuse charges
The dead boy’s father, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, and his partner Jany Leveille remained silent as pleas were entered by a judge on their behalf. The charges could carry life sentences in the death of Abdul-ghani Wahhaj.
Georgia authorities said Wahhaj was traveling through Chilton County Dec. 13 with seven children and another adult when their car overturned. Wahhaj told police the group was traveling from Georgia to New Mexico to go camping.
The trooper who wrote the report said he found no camping equipment in or near the vehicle but that Wahhaj was in possession of three handguns, two rifles, a bag of ammunition and a bulletproof vest.
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© 2019 Alabama Media Group, Birmingham
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