Alaska couple accused of domestic terrorism to plead guilty to lying about hit list

Alaska couple to plead guilty to terrorism charges

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An Alaska couple accused in a domestic terrorism plot is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to federal charges of lying about creating a hit list of possible targets.

Paul Rockwood Jr. and his wife, Nadia Rockwood, of King Salmon, Alaska, are charged with lying about the list and making false statements about domestic terrorism during interviews with FBI agents in May.

Under a plea deal, Rockwood is expected to get eight years in prison and his wife five years probation in the United Kingdom, her country of origin.

Prosecutors alleged that Paul Rockwood, also known as “Bilal,” converted to Islam about a decade ago and began studying the teachings of American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who has professed hatred for the United States and supports acts of terrorism.

According to the charging documents, Paul Rockwood converted to Islam in late 2001 or 2002 when the couple lived in Virginia.

“After his conversion, and while residing in Virginia, Rockwood became a strict adherent to the violent Jihad-promoting ideology of cleric Anwar al-Awlaki,” the documents said. “This included a personal conviction that it was his religious responsibility to exact revenge by death on anyone who desecrated Islam.”

Federal authorities claimed Rockwood began researching and selecting possible targets for future execution by visiting websites, and later, after moving to Alaska, began researching explosive components, construction of remote triggering devices, such as cell phones, and construction of bombs to be delivered by common mail carriers.

Officials said that in late 2009, he began discussing using mail bombs and possibly killing targets by gunshot to the head.

By early this year, the hit list had been formalized, with about 15 targets. It was not made public.

Authorities claim he gave the list to his wife in April, and she carried it with her on a trip to Anchorage, where the FBI obtained it.