BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
The arrest of six individuals and the unraveling of a plot to attack the Fort Dix army base in Wrightstown, Burlington County, shocked New Jersey residents last week.
Speaking on May 8, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Christopher J. Christie said, “Five radical Islamists, three of them brothers, have been arrested and charged with plotting to kill as many soldiers as possible in an armed assault at Fort Dix.”
Philadelphia FBI Special Agent in Charge J.P. Weis said, “A sixth defendant is charged with aiding and abetting the illegal possession of firearms by three of the members of the group. “I want to salute the unsung hero (a store clerk who was asked to reproduce videos involving the suspects) who took the initiative to report the video to local authorities. [That kind of action] is the embodiment of the cooperation we need from the public to keep this nation safe.”
Law enforcement officials said the arrests were made on the evening of May 7 in Cherry Hill as two of the suspects were meeting with a confidential government witness in an attempt to purchase three AK-47 automatic guns and four semi-automatic M-16s to be used in a terrorist attack on Fort Dix, according to criminal complaints unsealed on the morning of May 8.
A press release issued by Christie’s office said some of the group members allegedly conducted surveillance at Fort Dix and also at Fort Monmouth, Eatontown; Dover Air Force Base, Delaware; and on the U.S. Coast Guard in Philadelphia.
The co-conspirators obtained a detailed map of Fort Dix as part of an alleged plot to attack the army base and kill as many soldiers as possible. The suspects conducted small arms training at a shooting range in the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. Law enforcement officials said the suspects distributed training videos among themselves that included depictions of American soldiers being killed and known foreign Islamic radicals urging jihad (holy war) against the United States.
Christie said the actions of the men posed a real threat to the safety and security of New Jersey citizens.
“We will remain steadfast in our focus on protecting New Jersey from the terrorist threat among us whether that threat is against everyday citizens or our men and women in uniform,” Christie said.
There are five men charged with conspiracy to murder members of the uniformed services, which carries a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment. They are:
+ Mohamad Ibrahim Shnewer, 22, of Cherry Hill. He was born in Jordan. Shnewer is a U.S. citizen employed as a Philadelphia taxi driver.
+ Eljvir Duka, 23, of Cherry Hill, also known as Elvis Duka and Sulayman.
+ Dritan Duka, 28, of Cherry Hill, also known as Distan Duka, Anthony Duka or Tony Duka.
+ Shain Duka, 26, of Cherry Hill, also known as Shaheen.
The Duka brothers were all born in the former Yugoslavia. All three Duka brothers are reportedly in the United States illegally and operate businesses under the names Qadr Inc., Colonial Roofing and National Roofing, all of which list the business addresses at the same residence as the Dukas’ residence.
Each of the Duka brothers is also charged with being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. That charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
+ Sordar Tatar, 23, of Philadelphia, was born in Turkey and is a legal U.S. resident. His last known employment was at a convenience store in Philadelphia.
Agron Abdullahu, 24, of Buena Vista Township, Atlantic County, is charged with aiding and abetting the Dukas’ illegal possession of weapons. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.
Abdullahu was born in the former Yugoslavia and is a legal resident of the United States. He is employed at a supermarket.
It was expected that law enforcement officials would ask a judge to order all six men to be held without bail pending further legal proceedings.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security Kenneth L. Wainstein said, “This case underscores the need for continued vigilance against threats within our borders. While these defendants are not charged with being members of an international terrorism organization, their involvement in weapons training, operational surveillance and discussions about killing American military personnel warranted a strong law enforcement response.”
Christie credited special agents of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division and the FBI’s South Jersey Joint Terrorism Task Force under the direction of Weis for investigating the case.