Ex-School Official Tied To Terrorism

Ex-School Official Said Tied to Terrorism
Associated Press Online - March 30, 2005 Wednesday

DETROIT - A former public schools official, accused of conspiring with a Florida man in the 1990s to raise money and recruit Muslim extremists to fight in Bosnia, Kosovo, Chechnya and Somalia, was ordered held Wednesday to face federal terrorism charges.

A criminal complaint issued in December and unsealed Monday in Miami charges Kifah Wael Jayyousi, 43, formerly of Detroit, and Kassem Daher, of Broward County, Fla., with conspiring to provide material support and resources for terrorism, and with conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim or injure people or damage property in a foreign country.

Jayyousi appealed the order that he be held, and a hearing was set for Thursday, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office said.

A message seeking comment was left Wednesday night with a lawyer for Jayyousi.

Authorities said Jayyousi, a former Detroit Public Schools assistant superintendent, was arrested Sunday at Detroit Metro Airport after arriving from Amsterdam. U.S. Customs agents detained him after a routine computer check showed he was wanted on a federal warrant out of Miami.

Prosecutors have requested that he be sent to Miami.

Conspiring to provide material support and resources for terrorism carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The other charge carries a maximum penalty of 35 years to life in prison.

Daher is a fugitive living in Lebanon, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Jayyousi left Detroit Public Schools in 1999. A court affidavit signed by an FBI agent said he moved to Egypt in 2003.