{"id":8343,"date":"2015-01-05T14:29:46","date_gmt":"2015-01-05T22:29:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=8343"},"modified":"2015-01-05T16:33:14","modified_gmt":"2015-01-06T00:33:14","slug":"two-u-s-citizens-indicted-conspiring-overthrow-african-country","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cjnotebook.com\/?p=8343","title":{"rendered":"Two U.S. Citizens Charged With Conspiring to Overthrow an African Country"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The<\/a>WASHINGTON\u2014\u00a0<\/strong>Two men were charged for their roles in a recent attempted coup in The Gambia, officials said Monday.<\/p>\n

Cherno Njie<\/strong>, 57, and Papa Faal<\/strong>, 46, are in custody.<\/p>\n

Both men are accused of traveling from the U.S. to Gambia for the purpose of overthrowing the Gambia government, officials said.<\/p>\n

On Dec. 30, 2014, there was an unsuccessful attempted coup against the government of The Gambia. The Gambia is a country in West Africa bordered by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese defendants stand accused of conspiring to carry out the violent overthrow of a foreign government, in violation of U.S. law,\u201d said Attorney General Eric Holder<\/strong>. \u201cThe United States strongly condemns such conspiracies. With these serious charges, the United States is committed to holding them fully responsible for their actions.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Faal is a dual U.S. and Gambian citizen and a resident of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.<\/p>\n

Njie, a U.S. citizen of Gambian descent and a resident of Austin, Texas, is a businessman who served as financier and leader of the conspiracy.<\/p>\n

Njie and his co-conspirators expected that Njie would have served as the interim leader of The Gambia had the coup attempt succeeded, according to authorities.<\/p>\n

About 10 to 12 members of the conspiracy went to Gambia to carry out the coup attempt, with the expectation that others in the country would join and assist them.<\/p>\n

Prior to departing for \u00a0Gambia, between August and October 2014, Faal and other co-conspirators purchased multiple firearms, including M4 semi-automatic rifles, and shipped them to Gambia for use in the coup attempt. Members of the conspiracy also acquired night-vision goggles, body armor, ammunition, black military style uniform pants, boots, and other personal equipment.<\/p>\n

According to the criminal complaint, these are the facts and circumstances surrounding this case:<\/strong><\/p>\n