Va. man charged with supporting Somali terror group expected to appear in federal court
By APThursday, July 22, 2010
‘South Park’ critic in Va. court on terror charge
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A Virginia man who once threatened the creators of “South Park” will spend at least one more day in jail on separate charges of trying to join a Somali terror group linked to al-Qaida.
Twenty-year-old Zachary Chesser of Oakton, Va., made an initial appearance Thursday in U.S. District Court on charges of providing material support to the group al-Shabab. Chesser requested a court-appointed lawyer. A detention hearing was set for Friday.
FBI agents say Chesser tried to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabab as a fighter. An FBI affidavit says he was stopped from flying once by his mother-in-law and the second time was told he was on the no-fly list.
He is not charged for an online posting saying the creators of the animated series “South Park” risked death by mocking the Prophet Muhammad.
