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Witness: Mehanna Wanted To Fight Americans In Iraq

A man in prison for training at a terrorist camp in Somalia has testified that a Massachusetts man told him that he would fight American soldiers in Iraq, if given the chance.

Daniel Maldonado took the witness stand Thursday in the trial of Tarek Mehanna, a Sudbury man charged with plotting to provide material support to al-Qaida. Prosecutors say Mehanna made an unsuccessful attempt to get training at a terrorist camp in Yemen.

Maldonado, who grew up in Pelham, N.H., said he and Mehanna were "best friends," and said they often watched jihadi videos and talked about their hope to participate in jihad.

Maldonado said Mehanna also said the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States were "justified" because the same thing has happened to the Muslims around the world.

This program aired on November 17, 2011. The audio for this program is not available.

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