Leader of Triangle-based terrorist group pleads guilty

By: Kevin Reopelle

A North Carolina man accused of leading a group of people in plotting terrorism attacks has pleaded guilty. Daniel Patrick Boyd filed a guilty plea Wednesday to charges of conspiring to provide support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people. Prosecutors agreed to dismiss several other counts against him.

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NEW BERN, N.C. – Inside a federal courtroom Daniel Patrick Boyd plead guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to murder, kidnap, maim or injure persons in a foreign country.
U.S. Attorney George Holding says Boyd's case shows the dangers of domestic terrorism.
"This case drives home the point that homegrown terrorism is the greatest threat that we're facing right now in the homeland, the radicalization of Muslims here in our own country is a very serious threat," said Holding.
Boyd and six other men were arrested in 2009 in connection with multiple terrorism related charges. Boyd was considered the ringleader and when searching his Wake County home investigators found jhadist propaganda, more than two dozen weapons and 27,000 rounds of ammunition.
Laila Yaghi, the mother Ziyad Yaghi, one of the other men arrested with Boyd, says her son is innocent.
"My son did not go overseas for that reason. My son only went overseas to visit family members and to get married," said Laila Yaghi.
Boyd's indictment says that he, Yaghi and two other defendants traveled to Israel in 2007 and spent a month abroad. Holding says Boyd's guilty plea is just the beginning.
"This is an important step forward in this case and we'll pursue it to the end, there are other defendants involved so there’s a long way to go," said Holding.
Boyd is scheduled to be sentenced in May. He could face up to life in prison.