Daniel Patrick Boyd, Saifullah, Sword of God planned violent jihad in Tel Aviv, Israel

According to the indictment released in the terrorism case, Daniel Patrick Boyd went by the alias “Saifullah”, the name means Sword of God. Daniel’s sons, Dylan and Zakariya Boyd went by the names “Mohammed” and “Zak.” It is alleged that between 1989 and 1992, Daniel Patrick Boyd, or “Saifullah” received military style training in terrorist training camps located in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The purpose of the training was to wage violent jihad. When Boyd finished his training, he fought against the Soviet Union and Communist rule in Afghanistan.

The indictment alleges that “Saifullah” Daniel Boyd; “Zak”, Zakariya Boyd; “Mohammed”, Dylan Boyd, Hysen Sherifi, Anes Subasic, Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, and Ziyad Yaghi supported terrorism between the dates of November 9, 2006 and July, 2009. They may have been operating their terror cell before November 9, 2006, but the indictment alleges no later than that date.

The purpose of the terrorism training cell was to advance violent jihad which included supporting and actively engaging in terrorist activities outside of the United States. It is alleged that the terrorist ring prepared to become “mujihadeen” and to die “shahid” or as martyrs furthering the cause of jihad. The group held fast to the belief that “fard ayn” or that violent jihad is the responsibility and requirement of every good Muslim. The group was committed to teaching and preparing others overseas for furthering jihad, as well as finding young converts to join their cause.

Daniel Boyd and the terror cell also face allegations that they used money to support terrorism through means of training and financing the needs of those training overseas. They collected and planned to obtain weapons, such as the AK-47 and were actively training with them.

The indictment alleges that on March 11, 2006, “Saifullah” or Daniel Patrick Boyd traveled to Gaza and attempted to introduce his sons to others who believed in violent jihad. On October 7, 2006, Ziyad Yaghi left the United States and traveled to Jordan to engage in violent Jihad. On November 9, 2006, Saifullah, or Daniel Patrick Boyd, purchased a Bushmaster M4 A3 16 inch patrolman carbine rifle and an ETA M16 V System C-MAG magazine. On February 21, 2007, Daniel Boyd, then purchased airline tickets for his son Zak, Zakariya Boyd as well as himself to Israel.

Boyd purchased another weapon, on March 13, 2007: a Ruger mini 14 long gun. Several weeks later, on March 29, 2007, he purchased another airline ticket to Israel, this one for his son “Mohamed” or Dylan Boyd. More tickets to Israel were purchased somewhere near April 3, 2007, this time for Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan and for Ziyad Yaghi.

June 12, 2007, Daniel Patrick Boyd, known as “Saifullah” and his son Zakariya Boyd, known as “Zak”, left the United States to travel to Tel Aviv, Israel. The following day, June 13, 2007, Ziyad Yaghi and Mohammad Omar Aly Assan left the United States and traveled to Tel Aviv, Israel. Their attempt to engage in violent jihad failed, and Ziyad Yaghi returned to the states on July 16, 2007. Daniel Patrick Boyd and son, Zakariya, returned on July 18, 2007, and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan returned on July 21, 2007.

Upon Daniel Patrick Boyd “Saifullah” return to the states, he was questioned by Customs and Border Protection during an interview at the Atlanta airport During this interview, Boyd lied to federal authorities and claimed that hew had no intentions of meeting with Ziyad Yaghi and Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan in Tel Aviv. Daniel Boyd further lied to FBI agents in Raleigh, North Carolina on August 2, 2007 regarding the same matter.