20 Facts About Iyman Faris

Iyman Faris was detained in Ohio two weeks after Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was arrested in Pakistan on March 1,2003.

Iyman Faris was born in 1969 in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.

Iyman Faris came to the United States as a young man in 1994 on a student visa but never enrolled in school.

Iyman Faris's father had just died and his five-year marriage was ending.

Iyman Faris admitted to having met Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan.

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Iyman Faris used an internet cafe in Karachi, Pakistan to research planes, buy cellphones and 2000 sleeping bags for training camps.

In late 2001, while in Pakistan, Iyman Faris went to a travel agency to have some expired airline tickets to Yemen re-issued for several unknown colleagues.

Iyman Faris claimed to be a preacher from Tablighi Jamaat, a missionary group.

In early 2002, Iyman Faris was introduced to an operative identified only as "C-2".

Iyman Faris learned of a plot allegedly involving the simultaneous destruction of the Brooklyn Bridge by cutting through cables with blowtorches, and a second group that would derail a train in Washington DC Faris' investigations into obtaining the necessary tools for the dual-operation involved asking a friend where he might purchase welding equipment, and researching the structure of the bridge on the internet.

Iyman Faris concluded that the operation was unlikely, and allegedly sent a message back to Pakistan calling off the plot, stating that "The weather is too hot".

On March 19,2003, Iyman Faris was visited by two FBI agents and an anti-terror officer, who confronted him with testimony from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed about his contacts with al-Qaeda, and the results of an intercepted telephone call.

Iyman Faris was reportedly accommodating, and agreed to let the agents search his apartment the following day.

Iyman Faris agreed to cooperate with the FBI and work as a double agent, reporting to them.

Iyman Faris was ordered to leave his home in Columbus and was assigned to a safe house in Virginia, from which he would appear to continue discussions with his contacts, reporting the information back to the FBI.

Iyman Faris later totally recanted this in a written statement provided in 2007 to Khan's Combatant Status Review Tribunal, saying his accusation was "an absolute lie, " and he had been coerced into making the claims.

On May 1,2003, in a plea bargain, Iyman Faris pleaded guilty to both charges: providing material support and resources to Al Qaeda and conspiracy for providing the terrorist organization with information about possible US targets for attack.

On September 25,2003, Iyman Faris sought to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming that while he admitted to meeting with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, he had been seeking information about al-Qaeda for a book he wanted to write.

Iyman Faris argued that Mohammed had given false information to authorities as revenge, for Faris had refused to be recruited into al-Qaeda by his lieutenant.

On October 28,2003, Iyman Faris was sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment by District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema.