Seven men accused of an intricate terrorism plot seemed to live simply, quietly, and kindly, says the Raleigh News & Observer. Daniel Boyd was a father who stopped his work at noon each day for prayer. Dylan Boyd, his son, was a college student who worked as a clinical services technician. Mohammad Omar Aly Hassan was a newlywed; his father owns a car dealership. To federal authorities, these men and four others plotted to kill themselves and others in the name of Islam.
Their activities, tracked by FBI agents over three years and detailed in federal indictments released yeserday, tell of an elaborate scheme hatched in a quiet neighborhood and nondescript apartment complexes. All seven men are charged with conspiring to provide support to terrorists and conspiring to murder, kidnap, maim and injure people abroad. “If he’s a terrorist, he’s the nicest terrorist I’ve ever met in my life,” said a neighbor of Boyd.