Captured fugitive was Taliban, al Qaeda supporter

More details are emerging regarding the background of James Ernest Thompson, The U.S. fugitive turned over by Belize authorities to the F.B.I. yesterday and flown back to the States. According internet reports from U.S. media sources, Thompson, also known as Earnest James Ujaama, entered into a plea bargain with U.S. federal prosecutors in April 2003 under which he pled guilty to a charge of conspiracy to provide goods and services to the Taliban. By pleading guilty Thompson received a two year sentence, avoiding the possibility of a maximum of ten years in prison. The two years behind bars were to be followed by three years of supervised release. As part of the deal, Thompson agreed to cooperate with authorities in any other prosecutions, and for ten years he is barred from communicating with any members of terrorist organisations, must keep the Attorney General’s office informed of his residence, surrender his passport and not leave the continental U.S. without written approval. As for his criminal acts it appears that Thompson, an accomplished software designer, travelled to Afghanistan to help the Taliban programme their computers. He assisted with fundraising and arranged passage for foreign jihadists to undergo training at al Qaeda camps in Afghanistan. Thompson, however, was not always such a rebel. In his earlier years as a community activist he authored books on how to succeed in business and was recognized in 1994 in his native Seattle, Washington, by having the state legislative declare a James Ujaama Day. In 1996 he moved to London, converted to Islam and began his ill-fated association with known terrorists.