Washington: Three men having ties with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant group and belonging to what the US Government calls a "Virginia Jihad" were convicted of conspiracy to wage war on America and aid Taliban in its fight against American troops, charges that carry a possible life prison term.

The Government obtained convictions yesterday (Mar 4, 2004) on all of the most serious charges it filed against the three American Muslim men, Masoud Khan, 32, of Gaithersburg, Mohammad Seifullah Chapman, 31, of Alexandria and Hammad Abdur-Raheem, 35, of Falls Church. All three face a potential maximum of life in prison.

All three were acquitted on some lesser firearms charges and those of commencing an expedition against a friendly nation, namely India.

Khan and Abdur-Raheem were to be sentenced on June 4 and Chapman on June 11.

"The defendants convicted were associates of a violent extremist group known as Lashkar-e-Toiba, which operates in Pakistan and Kashmir and which has ties to the al-Qaeda terrorist network," US Attorney General John Ashcroft said.

Khan, who faced the most serious charges, was convicted of conspiracy to levy war against the US and conspiracy to contribute services to the Taliban. He faces a maximum of life plus 50 years, and related firearms convictions require mandatory minimum sentences of 90 years.

Chapman and Abdur-Raheem were convicted of providing material support to LeT and firearms charges. Chapman faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 35 years; Abdur-Raheem does not face a mandatory minimum.

Ashcroft said, "The convictions are a stark reminder that terrorist organisations are active in the United States. We will not stand by as United States citizens support terrorist causes."

Prosecutors said the three men were part of a "Virginia jihad network" that used paintball games in 2000 and 2001to train for holy war around the globe.

After the September 11 attacks, the group turned its intentions toward America and several members including Khan, travelled to Pakistan in the days after the attacks to train with Lashkar in the hopes of joining the Taliban and fighting against the US, they said.

Two defendants Chapman and Abdur-Raheem testified in their own defence and said the paintball games were innocent fun and fellowship among a group of Muslim friends.

Chapman admitted attending the Lashkar camp in August 2001 but said he did so not to train for holy war but for a gruelling physical challenge in the rugged Pakistani mountains. Khan did not testify, but his lawyers denied any hostile intent.

US District Judge Leonie Brinkema, who imposed the convictions in US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, said she did not believe Chapman and Abdur-Raheem's testimony.

"I could not find the testimony of the two defendants credible," she said calling their assertions that they were unaware of any hostile intentions "deliberate ignorance".

All three defendants waived their right to a jury trial, leaving Brinkema to decide guilt or innocence.