Opinion ID: 2427524
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Prosecution and Conviction

Text: Shah and Sabir were arrested on May 28, 2005, and thereafter indicted in the Southern District of New York on charges that between October 2003 and May 2005, they (1) conspired to provide material support or resources to the terrorist organization al Qaeda, see 18 U.S.C. § 2339B; and (2) provided or attempted to provide such support, see id. § § 2339B, 2. See Indictment ¶¶ 1-2, United States v. Shah, S4 05 Cr. 673(LAP) (S.D.N.Y. filed June 27, 2005). [5] The two counts used identical language to describe three types of material support that defendants provided, attempted to provide, or conspired to provide: (i) one or more individuals (including themselves) to work under al Qaeda's direction and control and to organize, manage, supervise, and otherwise direct the operation of al Qaeda, (ii) instruction and teaching designed to impart a special skill to further the illegal objectives of al Qaeda, and (iii) advice and assistance derived from scientific, technical and other specialized knowledge to further the illegal objectives of al Qaeda. Id. ¶¶ 1-2. The two counts further alleged that Shah would provide martial arts training and instruction for jihadists, while Sabir would provide medical support to wounded jihadists, both defendants knowing that al Qaeda had engaged and engages in terrorist activity and terrorism. Id. After Shah pleaded guilty on April 4, 2007, to Count One of the indictment, trial against Sabir commenced on April 24. On May 21, 2007, the jury found Sabir guilty on both the conspiratorial and substantive charges against him, and, on November 28, 2007, the district court sentenced him principally to 300 months' incarceration. This appeal followed.