A Yemeni nations pled guilty on Tuesday to hatching a conspiracy "to murder U.S. nationals abroad" and provide military support to al Qaeda, according to the Department of Justice.
Ali Alvi al-Hamidi, 31, a Yemeni national, pled guilty to the charges in U.S. District Court in New York, according to DOJ.
Al-Hamidi admitted to traveling in 2008 to Afghanistan, where he linked up with Taliban forces "for the purpose of fighting members of the U.S. military and coalition forces stationed there," the DOJ announced.
Al-Hamidi also helped a U.S. citizen travel from Long Island, New York, to Pakistan, where he received military training from al Qaeda, according to the DOJ.
John Carlin, an assistant attorney general for national security, disclosed that Hamidi fought alongside al Qaeda militants in Afghanistan.
Al-Hamidi "went to the [federally administered tribal areas] to join al-Qaeda, received training from the terrorist organization, and later fought alongside the Taliban against coalition forces in Afghanistan," Carlin said in a statement. "With this plea, he will be held accountable for his terrorist activity, including conspiring to kill members of our military. "
The Justice Department will continue "to bring justice to those who seek to harm American servicemen and women who bravely risk their lives in defense of our nation," Carlin said.
Paul Abbate, director in charge of the FBI’s Washington field office, said that the bureau continues to uncover terror plots of this nature.
"As we witnessed today, those who support designated foreign terrorist organizations like al Qaeda and seek to harm people will be held fully accountable under the law," Abbate said in a statement. "On a daily basis, the FBI and its partners face the challenge of an ever evolving threat environment. Through our partnerships, both international and domestic, the FBI continues to track down those who aid and abet terrorist groups and ensure that they are brought to justice."
Hamidi’s guilty plea comes amid a sharp uptick in the number of foreign-born individuals caught planning terror attacks in the United States. Efforts by lawmakers to learn more about these individuals have been stonewalled by the Obama administration, sparking a congressional investigation.