US Man Charged in Afghanistan Rocket Attack

An American arrested in Pakistan last fall faces charges for firing rockets at a US military base in Afghanistan, the New York Times reports. Bryant Neal Vinas, 26, also allegedly gave al-Qaeda detailed information about the New York City transit system and Long Island Railroad in return for military training.

Vinas’ November arrest coincided with federal warnings of a possible attack on New York mass transit. The former Long Island resident, a convert to Islam, is said to be a key witness in two terrorism cases in Europe, including one against a Moroccan woman, Malika El Aroud, who allegedly used the Internet to find recruits for al-Qaeda in Pakistan. (More Bryant Neal Vinas stories.)