Cary man's home searched in terrorism investigation

RALEIGH, N.C. — As they rounded up seven men charged with engaging in terrorism, federal agents last month searched the home of a Cary man who hasn't been indicted in the case.

The search of Jasmin Smajic's home occurred July 27, the same day the alleged terrorists were arrested, according to court documents unsealed this week. The affidavit citing the reason for the search and the list of any items taken from the home remain sealed.

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Cary home searched in terrorism probe

Smajic declined to say Wednesday whether anything was taken from the home or whether he was questioned by federal agents. He maintains that he has done nothing wrong.

Daniel Patrick Boyd, 39, and his sons, Dylan Boyd, 22, and Zakariya "Zak" Boyd, 20, and four other men – Hysen Sherifi, 24, Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan, 22, Ziyad Yaghi, 21, and Anes Subasic, 33 – have been indicted on charges that they were plotting to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people overseas.

An eighth man charged in the case, Jude Kenan Mohammad, 20, is believed to be in Pakistan.

Authorities claim the group was preparing to wage "violent jihad," although they haven't detailed any specific targets or time frame. Prosecutors cited trips members of the group made overseas in recent years, weapons purchases, fundraising efforts and military-style training conducted in the woods of Caswell County.

Smajic said he knows all of the men and said he believes authorities targeted them because of their Muslim faith.

The North Carolina State University student said he attended Cary High School with Hassan and had met others at local mosques. He called all of them good, honest people and said he hopes the justice system clears them of wrongdoing.

During a court hearing two weeks ago, an FBI agent testified that Daniel Boyd, the man authorities say led the operation, vowed to wage a holy war in the U.S. if his efforts overseas failed.

Photos presented during the hearing showed fortress-like elements at the Boyds' home in Willow Spring, including a bunker on the back deck, a lookout stand in a tree, a cabinet near the front door filled with weapons, gas masks and a trench under the deck that a witness told authorities was designed to conceal weapons.

Searches of the home and Daniel Boyd's truck turned up 27,443 rounds of ammunition. A backpack in the truck contained a vest with numerous 30-round magazines.

The search warrant, which was unsealed Tuesday, lists seven pages of items seized by agents, including "military manuals," $14,000 in cash, several prepaid cell phones that were inside a bag of pita chips, "militant documents," papers by Dylan Boyd on cyber-security, a map of Jordan and newspaper clippings of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Neighbor Mike Settle said Wednesday that he doesn't know what to think about the case.

"The FBI has its reasons for investigating. What they were doing, they were activities out of the norm. Once it all goes through the system, it will work itself out," Settle said.

The FBI also searched Sherifi's Raleigh home and seized a computer, CDs, books, videotapes and an airline receipt, according to a second search warrant unsealed Tuesday.