By Terry Frieden
CNN Justice Producer
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal authorities have charged sevenmen in North Carolina with supporting terrorism and conspiracy tocommit murder abroad, the Justice Department announced Monday.
Officials said one of the men, identified as North Carolina residentand U.S. native Daniel Patrick Boyd, had traveled to Pakistan andAfghanistan, where he trained in terrorist camps to carry out "violentjihad."
Boyd, 39, who went by the name Saifullah, was chargedalong with two of his sons: Dylan Boyd, 22, also known as Mohammed, andZakariya Boyd, 20.
The four others also are residents of NorthCarolina, and all seven are accused of engaging in weapons training andmilitary tactics in their home state, the Justice Department said.
"We consider this significant. We've been watching them for some time,and we think they were dangerous," said a federal law enforcementofficial who asked not to be identified.
The Boyd family and defendant Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan areidentified as U.S.-born citizens. Defendant Hysen Sherifi is identifiedas a native of Kosovo who is a legal permanent resident of the UnitedStates, and Hiyad Yaghi and Anes Subasic are said to be naturalizedU.S. citizens. Officials did not immediately identify their nativecountries.
The indictment, made public by the JusticeDepartment, says Daniel Boyd and others left the United States forIsrael in June 2007 to "engage in violent jihad but ultimately returnedto the United States after failing in their efforts."
Thedefendants, with a substantial cache of weapons, had "practicedmilitary tactics and use of weapons on private property in CaswellCounty, North Carolina, in June and July 2009," the indictment says.
The documents make no reference to a direct threat to individuals or property in the United States.
In a written statement, the Justice Department's top counter terrorismofficial, David Kris, said that Daniel Boyd, "a veteran of terrorist training camps" had conspired with others to recruit and help young men travel overseas in order to kill."
The U.S. attorney in Raleigh, George E. B. Holding, said, "Thesecharges hammer home the point that terrorists and their supporters arenot confined to the remote regions of some far-away land, but can growand fester right here at home."
The defendantsmade an initial appearance in federal court in North Carolina.Officials said they are expected to return to court Thursday fordetention hearings.