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Case 5:15-cr-40031-DDC Document 40 Filed 05/05/16 Page 1 of 10

INTHEUNITEDSTATESDISTRICTCOURT
FORTHEDISTRICTOFKANSAS
UNITEDSTATESofAMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v.

CaseNo.1540031DDC

ALEXANDERE.BLAIR,
Defendant.

FACTUALBASISFORPLEATOCOUNTONE
Mr.Blairbelievesthatthegovernmentpossessessufficientevidencetoconvicthim
ofthecrimeofconspiracychargedintheInformation(Doc.18)andrequestspermission
to change his plea to guilty. He proffers the following in support of the Courts
determinationthatthereisafactualbasisfortheplea:
In March of 2014, the FBI began an investigation concerning online statements
postedbyJohnT.Booker,Jr.,a/k/aMohammedAbdullahHassan,whereinBookerstated
hisintenttowageJihadanddieintheprocess. BeginningonOctoberof2014,Booker
engagedwithanindividualwhowas,unbeknownsttoBooker,anFBIConfidentialHuman
Source(CHS1).BetweenonoraboutOctober8,2014,andcontinuingtoonoraboutApril
10,2015,BookercommunicatedtoCHS1hisdesiretojointheIslamicStateofIraqandthe
Levant(ISIL).BookerwascommittedtocarryingoutanactofviolenceinsupportofJihad
and took steps to construct a vehicle borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), a

Case 5:15-cr-40031-DDC Document 40 Filed 05/05/16 Page 2 of 10

destructivedevice,whichhe,alongwithCHS1,wouldpersonallydetonateonApril10,
2015, at the Fort Riley Military Installation, which is real property in whole or in part
ownedandpossessedby,andleasedto,theUnitedStatesanddepartmentsandagencies
thereof.PartofBookerspreparationsfortheattackincludedrentingastorageunitin
Topeka,wherecomponentsfortheVBIEDwouldbestored.BookerwasarrestedonApril
10,2015,ashecompletedfinalpreparationsfordrivingtheVBIEDontoFortRiley.
During the investigation the FBI determined that Booker and the Defendant,
Alexander E. Blair, were associated and concluded that Blair shared some of Bookers
extremist views concerning Jihad against the United States military. Mr. Blair was
approachedandbefriendedbyBookerinJanuary2015,whenMr.Blairbeganattendingthe
IslamicCenterofTopeka.ThiswasMr.BlairsfirstexperienceasapracticingMuslim.Mr.
Blair,whohasageneticconditionknownasWilliamssyndrome,1rarelymadefriends.He
waslonelyandreceptivetoBookersinterestintalkingandbeingfriends.
Astheirfriendshipprogressed,BookercommunicatedhisextremistviewstoMr.
Blair.AlthoughtheevidencedoesnotshowpreciselywhenMr.Blairlearnedvarious
piecesofinformationfromBooker,theevidenceshowsthatMr.Blairlearnedthefollowing
atsometimebetweenmeetingBookerinJanuary2015andApril10,2015:Bookerbelieved
hewasactingonbehalfofISIL;Bookerwasgatheringmaterialsforconstructingthebomb;
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TheimpactofWilliamsSyndromeonMr.Blairandhisinvolvementinthiscase
willbefullyexplainedatsentencing.
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BookerintendedtodeliverthedeviceontoFortRiley;andBookerplannedtokillasmany
soldiersaspossible.
AsagentsinvestigatedBooker,theylearnedthatBlairloanedBooker$100inMarch
2015forthepurposeofrentingthestorageunitmentionedabove.Duetothisassociation,
agentscontactedandinterviewedBlairimmediatelyafterBookersarrestonApril10,2015.
TheevidenceregardingMr.Blairsknowledgeofwhatthemoneywouldbeusedforcan
befoundinarecordedtelephonecalldatedMarch17,2015,andstatementsMr.Blairmade
tolawenforcementonApril10,2015.
ThephonecalldatedMarch17,2015,includesthefollowingexchange:
Booker:Howmuchmoneydoyouhaveonyou?
Blair:Igotahundredbucks.
Booker:Alright.Alright.Savethat,becauseweregonnastartwe...youre
gonnastartspendinginthesakeofAllah.AndImgonnaneedyoualittle
helponthis.ButitsforthesakeofAllah,andIcanprovetoyouwhereitis
going if you wanna come with me. But, listen this is the case. Okay?
Tomorrow,Imayneedalittlebitofmoney.Anditsnotgonnabemorethan
overahundreddollars.ButImgonnaspendsome.Idonthavethatmuch.
Butthethingis,listen.Weneedtogeta...were...hewantsme,hesvery,
um,ordersaregettingstricter,okay?
Blair:Okay.
Booker:Youknow?Imlettingyouknowitsnotplaytimeanymorewhere,
Oh,inaweek....No.Itslike,weneedtostartgettingtheballrolling.
Thisiswhathisorderwastonight:Startgettingtheballrolling.Wewanna
doit.We...weneedtogetthisgoing.Youknow?Andheseemedvery
frantic.Idontknow.Ihopehesalright.Butheseemedlikehewastrying
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Case 5:15-cr-40031-DDC Document 40 Filed 05/05/16 Page 4 of 10

totellme,Look,weneedtogetthis...thisgoing.Hesoundedlikehewas
ahundredpercentsure.Um,so,weneedtogetthisgoing.Andmyorders
weretoshowuptocertainplacesattomorrow.Now,listen...um,Imgoing
toneed...Imayneedacouplebucksfromyou,maybenotalot.Butthe
thingis,thereasonwhyisIneedhelpwiththestoragebecausehewantsme
torentit.Hesgonnapaymeback,andIcanpayyoubacklater.He,he
wantsmetorentthestorageassoonaspossible.Tomorrow.Hewantsmeto
lookatthestoragetomorrow....
WhenFBIagentswenttoMr.BlairsparentshomeonApril10,2015,Mr.Blairwas
awakenedinordertospeakwiththem.Bookerwasalreadyincustody,buttheagentsdid
not tell Mr. Blair that. Rather, they told Mr. Blair that, in order to save lives, it was
imperativethatMr.Blairprovideinformationabouthisknowledgeofandinteractionswith
Booker.Theinterviewlastedapproximatelyfourhoursandwasrecorded.
Thefollowingisanexample,fromtherecording,ofhowlawenforcementledMr.
BlairtobelievehewassavinglivesbytellingtheminformationaboutBooker:
TFOBERGLUND:

Idontknowwhatyouregettingthrough,butIknow
thatwhenyourevealsomethinglikethat,itsabigdeal.

BLAIR:

Imdoinittosavelivesbecauseyouknow,yeah,its

TFOBERGLUND:

Okay.Takeabreath.

AGENTCASLEN:

YouknowwhatAllahhassaidaboutsavingonelife,
right?

BLAIR:

Exactly.Andthisis,yeah.

AGENTCASLEN:

Itslikesavingtheentireworld,soyoujustsavedlives
bydoingwhatyoudid,imaginehowmanylivesthat
Allahthinksthatyouhavesaved.Alot.
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WhilerepresentingthattheyneededMr.Blairsassistancetosavelivesandassuring
Mr.Blairthathewasnotthefocusoftheirinvestigation,agentsaskedMr.Blairabout
lendingmoneytoBooker.BlairadmittedthathelentBooker$100forastorageunit:
BLAIR:

Yes,Ididgivehimahundreddollarsforastorage
unit.

TFOBERGLUND:

Okay.

BLAIR:

Iaintgonnalie.I,uh,it,itsselfincriminating,I
know,but

TFOBERGLUND:

Butyourejustbeinhonest.

BLAIR:

Yes.DidIknowwhatitwasfor?Yes,Idid.

TFOBERGLUND:

Okay.

BLAIR:

DidIlikeit,no,Ididnt.But,heaskedmeforhelp,I
helpedhim.

Mr.BlairknewthatBookerwantedtocommitanactofjihad.And,whilehedidnotknow
allofthedetailswhenhelentBookerthemoney,heunderstoodthatthestorageunitwas
partofBookersplanforsomeactofjihad.Hespeculateditwasabombing:
AGENTCASLEN:

Okay,didhetellyouwhattheshedwasforbefore
theygot,oryougavehimthemoneytogogetit?

BLAIR:

Yes.

AGENTCASLEN:

Okay.

BLAIR:

HewaslikeBrother,ImkindainahardspotIhave
somethintodoandIneedyourhelp.Okay?Igo
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whatisit?LikemySheikhhastoldmetogeta
storageunit.
TFOBERGLUND:

Umhum.

BLAIR:

Okay,soImthinkinsmall(unintelligible)youknow,
somethin.AndImlikewell,andeverytimebeforeI
didanything,Iaskedhim,isthisgonnainvolve
civilians?

TFOBERGLUND:

Back,Imsorry,Imgonnagoback,rewindyou.You
saidhetoldyouthathehadsomethintodo,and
whatwasthenextthingyousaid,hesaidsomething
andyousaidIassumedthatmeantabomb,isthat
whatyousaid?

BLAIR:

Yeah.

TFOBERGLUND:

So,likewhy:

BLAIR:

Hadtobesomethincausehewanted,hehad,thisis
whathishandlerstoldhimtodo,getsomethinclose
tohisplacethathesstayin.

TFOBERGLUND:

Gotcha.

Afterabriefdetour,theconversationreturnedtoMr.Blairsstatementthatheassumed
thestorageunitwouldinvolveabomb:
TFOBERGLUND:

Forgiveme.Whydid,whydidbombcometomind?

BLAIR:

BecausehewantedtodohisJihad.

TFOBERGLUND:

Okay.

BLAIR:

Youknow.Iaintkiddin,he,thatsallhewantedto
do.
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AGENTCASLEN:

Whatisthis,thisJihad?

BLAIR:

Suicidebombing.

TherewasanotherexchangeaboutMr.Blairsknowledgeaboutthepurposeofthe
storageunit.Mr.Blairsaidthatthestorageunitwas[f]oravehiclethattheycouldmake
thedevice.ThestatementsuggestsMr.Blairhadthisspecificinformationatthetimethat
heloanedthe$100toBooker.
Mr.Blairmadeitclearthatherefusedtopersonallyparticipateinthebombing.He
said,Hewantedmetogowithhim.Itoldhimno.Later,hesaid,Ididntwanttojoin
theJihad. ButMr. Blair acknowledgesthat he loaned$100toBookerknowing thatit
wouldhelpBookerfollowthroughwithinstructionsfromhishandler,knowingthat
Bookerwantedtocommitanactofjihadwiththehelpofhishandler,andbelievingthat
thestorageunitwaspartofplansforasuicidebombing.Mr.BlairalsoknewthatBooker
intendedtodirecthisjihadattheUnitedStatesmilitary.
Duringtheinterview,Mr.BlairadmittedtoagentsthatheurgedBookertocease
talking openly about his intentions to conduct an attack for fear of attracting public
attentionandbeingreportedtolawenforcement:
TFOBERGLUND:

Uh, when he would say stufflikethisinpublicum,


whatwereyouthinkingtoyourself?

BLAIR:

Iwantedtoknockhimout.

TFOBERGLUND:

Okay.
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BLAIR:

Nothat,not,notjustcausethat,butIjustIgettiredof
himtalkingaboutit.

TFOBERGLUND: But.
BLAIR:

Youknow.

TFOBERGLUND:

You know asyouguysgotfurtheralongandyou


startedtalkingspecifics,what,what,whatwasgoing
throughyourmindifsomebodyoverheardyouguys?

BLAIR:

Uh,eventuallythepolicewouldshowuporsomething
youknowandthenitwouldbeinapickleanditsjust
likemanIdontdoyouwantthatshit,justshutthe.

Mr. Blair also told agents that he believed he had in fact been recently put under law
enforcementsurveillance.Mr.BlairsaidthathebelievedheIbeengettinfollowedby
someoneforthepast,becauseIbeenseeingthesamevehicle,sameplateandthathe
assumeditwaslawenforcement.
Finally,Mr.BlairtoldagentsthathebelievedBookerwouldcarryouttheattackbut
chosenottoalertauthoritiesandreportBookersactions.HesaidthatBookerwantedto
carryouttheattack.Thefollowingadditionaldiscussionoccurred:
SACASLEN:

Didyoubelievehim?Thatthiswasgonnahappen?
Didyouthinkhewascapableofdoingit?

BLAIR:

Yes.At,atfirstno,atfirstno,Imlikeokayhesjustfull
ofshit.

TFOBERGLUND: Right.
BLAIR:

Butthenoncehestartedtalkingonasecondphoneand
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hestartedaskingmeforthings,itsjustlikeum,okay
youknow.Thenhewasaskingmeforagun,thenhes
revealingmehispastaboutbeingcapturedbytheFB
I,thenitwasjustlikeokay.
Mr.BlairstatedthathedidnotreportittoauthoritiesbecauseIthoughtIwasbeing
followedsoIfiguredyouguyswouldknowsomethingofit.

Respectfullysubmitted,
Joseph,Hollander&Craft,LLC
AttorneysforDefendantBlair
By:

s/ChristopherM.Joseph
ChristopherJoseph,#19778
1508S.W.TopekaBlvd.
Topeka,Kansas66612
Phone:(785)2343272
Fax:(785)2343610
cjoseph@josephhollander.com

Case 5:15-cr-40031-DDC Document 40 Filed 05/05/16 Page 10 of 10

CERTIFICATEOFSERVICE
IherebycertifythatonMay5,2016,Ielectronicallyfiledtheforegoingwiththe
clerkofthecourtbyusingtheCM/ECFsystemwhichwillsendnoticeofelectronic
filingtoallpartiesofrecord.

s/ChristopherJoseph

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