FORT LEWIS – A Lynnwood soldier accused of spying for al-Qaida terrorists came one step closer Thursday to a general court-martial that could mean a long prison term or death sentence.
An investigating officer said he will recommend a military trial for Spec. Ryan G. Anderson, 26, a Washington National Guard enlisted man whose unit was called up for deployment to Iraq.
“These are serious criminal offenses that present a real and present danger to U.S. soldiers who are currently serving in harm’s way,” said Col. Patrick Reinert, who presided over a two-day hearing to take preliminary evidence in the case.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that the accused has committed each and every one of the offenses” with which he was charged, Reinert added.
The final decision on an Anderson trial and whether to seek the death penalty will be made by base commander Lt. Gen. Edward Soriano. Army officials said they don’t know when that decision is expected.
Anderson was arrested in February and charged with five counts of trying to provide information about troop strength, methods for killing U.S. soldiers and other information to people he thought were in the al-Qaida terrorist network.
The 1995 Cascade High School graduate was nabbed after an amateur terrorist sleuth from Montana noticed a posting on an extremist Muslim Web site and traced it to Anderson, who had converted to Islam.
Anderson allegedly told the Montana woman he was “bearing the arms of the enemy” and wanted to switch sides.
Her tip led to an FBI and Army investigation that culminated in a sting operation in which Anderson was taped giving information to two men he thought were Muslim extremists, the government alleged at his Article 32 hearing. The recording was played for Reinert.
In the hearing’s closing arguments Thursday, prosecutor Maj. Chris Jenks told Reinert: “It’s clear that Specialist Anderson believed he was dealing and communicating with an enemy of the United States. He disclosed the means and methods to destroy U.S. Army equipment and vehicles and to kill U.S. Army soldiers.”
An Article 32 hearing is similar to a grand jury and is used to gather information. Although Anderson and his attorney, Maj. Joseph Morse, had a right to call witnesses, they did not do so.
Six witnesses, including three Army investigators, testified during the public parts of the hearing. Reinert heard about an hour of information that was not open to the public.
Members of Anderson’s family attended the hearing, although Army escorts prevented reporters from talking to them.
Security was tight. Reporters were checked for weapons and other materials. They were checked again with metal detectors upon entering the courtroom. No recording equipment, computers or cellphones were allowed in the hearing, which was fed to most reporters via closed-circuit TV away from the courtroom.
Anderson, dressed in military fatigues, said little, occasionally responding to Reinert with a crisp “Yes, sir” or “No, sir.” He is being held at the Regional Corrections Facility at Fort Lewis, where his brigade is based.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
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