Prosecutors Indict Hezbollah Agent For Surveying Terrorist Targets In US - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2019) A naturalized US citizen faces multiple terrorism-related charges related to surveilling potential attack targets in the US on behalf of the Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah, the Department of Justice said in a press release on Thursday.

"Alexei Saab, 42, of Morristown, New Jersey, also known as Ali Hassan Saab, Alex Saab, or Rachid, was charged today in a nine-count indictment for offenses related to his support for Hezbollah and separate marriage-fraud offenses," the release said.

In 2005, Saab applied for naturalized citizenship and falsely affirmed that he had never been "a member of or in any way associated with.

.. a terrorist organization," the release said. In August 2008, Saab became a naturalized US citizen.

While living in the United States, Saab served as an operative of Hezbollah and conducted surveillance of possible target locations in order to help prepare for potential future attacks against the United States, the release said.

In 1992, Saab committed marriage fraud by wedding an unnamed individual so that the person could apply for US citizenship, the release said.

The nine-count indictment includes charges that Saab provided material support for a foreign terrorist group, received military training from terrorists and committed marriage fraud, the release added.