Al-Qaida suspect has Pelham ties – Former Pelham High student charged with conspiring with terrorists

Salem Editor — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 19:21:00 GMT

It’s been more than a decade since Dorothy Mohr taught Danny Maldonado in a freshman English class, but she recognized him on TV while watching the news.

Maldonado, 28, who is charged with receiving military training from the al-Qaida terrorist organization, used to reside in Pelham with his family and attended the town’s high school.

“He was just a unique individual, both for his manner of dress and his opinionated outlook,” said Mohr, who knew Maldonado in the mid-1990s.

He was the only student then, she recalled, who wore his hair in dreadlocks. He was also into pop culture and wore a big jacket.

Mohr, who is now the school’s principal, remembers that Maldonado voiced strong opinions, but she doesn’t remember any specifics about what he talked about.

“He had his own agenda. He certainly wasn’t the valedictorian of the class,” said Mohr.

Mohr doesn’t recall any major discipline problems with Maldonado who, she said, withdrew from the school in 1997.

Daniel Joseph Maldonado has been charged with conspiring to use a bomb outside of the United States and receiving military-type training from al-Qaida.

According to an affidavit filed in a federal court in Texas by a FBI special agent, Maldonado was allegedly trained by terrorists while living overseas.

The affidavit contains information that the agent said was provided by Maldonado when he was interviewed by the FBI and from a cooperating witness who knew of his activities.

The affidavit claims that Maldonado, a Muslim convert, moved from Boston to Houston, Texas, in August 2005, and later traveled to Cairo in 2005 and to Somalia the following year in search of a country where he could practice true Islam.

Maldonado reportedly told the FBI that while living in Egypt, he decided to go to Somalia to fight for Islam.

He had chosen to fight, he reportedly said, because he believed he was fighting for a legitimate Islamic government.

“Maldonado also stated that he had ‘no problem’ killing or fighting Americans because he was angry with America. He added that he had ‘no problem’ with the September 11, 2001 attacks,” the affidavit states.

In Somalia, Maldonado had been given an AK-47 assault rifle and a belt that is worn over the chest and holds clips for the gun, according to the FBI.

“Maldonado admitted participating in military training in Mogadishu,” the affidavit states. “He described a program that included weapons, explosives and physical fitness training. He was told that after he completed major physical training, and firearms training, he would be able to go to the ‘front line’ to fight, a desire which he had previously expressed.”

Along with other fighters, he was transported to Kismaayo, which is located in the southern part of Somalia and is considered a stronghold for al-Qaida operating in the country.

Maldonado reportedly told the FBI that while in Kismaayo he helped guard and interrogate a suspected spy because they both spoke English. He said he learned later the man had been killed.

In Kismaayo, Maldonado participated in physical training but did not go to the front line because he contracted malaria.

While in training camps, he reportedly was taught by a bomb maker who manufactured small explosive devices.

Maldonado admitted he would be willing to become a suicide bomber if he were wounded and could not fight, according to the affidavit.

When Ethiopian forces attacked, Maldonado and other fighters fled to Kenya. They took a boat and later walked in the woods for two to three days before being captured by Kenyan authorities.

Like Mohr, Pelham police Capt. Joseph Roark said that Maldonado was memorable for wearing his hair in dreadlocks.

The Maldonado family lived on Dutton Road, and their address was familiar to patrol officers, Roark said.

Officers visited the house in response to minor family disputes and routine calls for service, he said.

Maldonado was also stopped for motor vehicle offenses, Roark recalled.

“He was somewhat detached but respectful to police,” Roark said. “Not friendly, but cooperative."

Pelham News : student, terrorism

Al-Qaida suspect has Pelham ties – Former Pelham High student charged with conspiring with terrorists