Pubdate: Mon, 02 Dec 2013
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2013 The Associated Press
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117

TERRORISM TIES TO PLANT ARE QUESTIONED

(AP) - A chewable African plant that investigators in Texas believe 
may be linked to terrorism groups has quietly caused a lengthy 
investigation in Houston and produced multiple arrests.

The Austin American Statesman reported Sunday that Muslim civil 
rights groups are questioning whether the Texas Department of Public 
Safety has crossed a line. The agency last year included the 
olive-shaped leaves known as khat on a statewide threat assessment.

Khat is grown in the Horn of Africa. State investigators say plant 
sales are suspected to benefit Africa-based terrorist groups, but 
there is wide disagreement over the strength of that link.

The assessment, the newspaper says, is based on a congressional 
testimony given more than a decade ago by Steven McCraw then-FBI 
assistant director, now DPS director, who briefly said that it is 
likely that khat proceeds "pass through the hands of suspected 
[Islamic militants] and other persons with possible ties to terrorist groups."

A state trooper noticed two men chewing khat while making a routine 
traffic stop near Houston last year. DPS spokesman Tom Vinger says an 
investigation hasn't yet led to terrorism-related charges.

Defense attorney Mark Correro says the Harris County prosecutor seems 
to believe otherwise. "Almost the very first words out of his mouth 
were, 'You know your clients are terrorists, right?' "

A spokesman for the district attorney said the prosecutor was 
unavailable for an interview.

Also unavailable for interviews were Correro's clients. He said they 
are Ethiopians legally in the U.S. who work as cab drivers or in 
construction and use khat socially.

A U.S. Justice Department spokesman said he couldn't find any khat 
cases that had yielded terrorism charges. Past arrests have included 
money laundering charges based on transfers "to Somalia or other 
countries where khat originates from," Andrew Ames of the 
department's National Security Division wrote in an email. But "I am 
not aware of a case that alleges where that money goes."

Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Islamic council's Texas 
branch, said the council's "concern is always when you start hearing 
references to terrorisms."

Vinger said the investigation has led to the seizure of 1,000 pounds 
of the plant.

Unlike other plants that contain narcotic substances, like marijuana 
or opium poppies, the khat plant is not illegal. The active chemical 
substances in it, cathinone and cathine, are. Unlike other drugs 
found in plants, the active ingredients in khat lose their potency 
and can disappear in a matter of days. That, combined with the 
restricted use of the plant to small immigrant communities has meant 
infrequent prosecutions.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom