Feds: Terror suspect had 'Jihad library'

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SUDBURY, Mass., Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Federal prosecutors say they plan to use a Massachusetts terror suspect's so-called jihad library against him when he goes to trial next week.

Tarek Mehanna, 29, of Sudbury, is charged with providing and conspiring to support terrorists. Federal prosecutors have amassed a collection of 800 pieces of literature in Mehanna's possession with titles such as "39 Ways to Serve and Participate in Jihad," "Make Martyrdom What You Seek" and "Guiding the Confused on the Permissibility of Killing the Prisoners," the Boston Herald reported Thursday.

"Looks like a jihad library," said John Pike, director of the terrorism research group GlobalSecurity.org. "The titles contain words and phrases like 'jihad' and 'martyrdom' and 'killing the prisoners,' which tends to leave little to the imagination."

Robert Spencer, who writes the blog Jihad Watch, agrees with Mehanna's lawyers, who say the prosecution's case is "paper-thin" because the suspect is protected by free speech.

"There's no way they can or should convict him on the basis of his library. If that were the case, I'd be in jail myself," Spencer said. "Tarek Mehanna would envy my library."