A federal grand jury in Minnesota has indicted two naturalized U.S. citizens originally from the Republic of Cameroon, accusing them of organizing kidnappings, bombings, and killings in their home country.
Benedict Nwana Kuah, 51, and Pascal Kikishy Wongbi, 52, were taken into custody on Friday morning in Minnesota. They face further charges including conspiracy to commit murder, kidnapping, and maiming overseas, as well as conspiracy to offer material support or resources, and conspiracy to launder money, as stated by the Department of Justice.
Kuah is additionally charged with three counts related to providing material support, conspiracy to undertake hostage-taking, and conspiracy to utilize weapons of mass destruction outside of the U.S.
The men made their initial appearances and are being held in custody pending detention hearings scheduled for Sept. 10 and 11.
The alleged attacks happened in Cameroon, a country in Central Africa. (The Associated Press)
If convicted, the men face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison.
Matthew Galeotti, the acting assistant attorney general of the DOJ’s Criminal Division, remarked that the duo operated from the U.S. to instigate “death, terror, and suffering” among innocent individuals.
Joseph Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, added the state “is not a launchpad” for overseas violence.
“Working from the comfort of their homes in Minnesota, these defendants initiated acts of violence and suffering far across the globe,” Thompson noted in a statement. “They orchestrated kidnappings, bombings, and murders. Their offenses are an affront to both American laws and fundamental human decency. Cameroon is now a safer place thanks to this legal action.”
The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
