Londonderry – On Feb. 15, 2007, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported that Daniel Maldonado, a Houston man facing federal terrorism-related charges, had ties to the Granite State. Federal authorities said this morning that Tarek Mehanna, the terror suspect arrested at Logan Airport, had attempted to purchase automatic weapons through Maldonado. That 2007 story follows.

An American man facing federal terrorism-related charges that allege he joined al-Qaeda and attempted to help the group overthrow the Somali government has ties to the Granite State.

►Terrorism suspect arrested in Sudbury, Mass. (27)

The New Hampshire Union Leader has learned that Daniel Joseph Maldonado , 28, a Muslim convert who also goes by Daniel Aljughaifi and Abu Mohammed, may have lived in Londonderry and has family members there.

Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Maldonado , who was arrested in Kenya last month, was ordered held without bond Tuesday on charges he underwent military training with a terrorist organization and conspired to use a destructive device. The report says Maldonado, a native of Boston who also lived in Houston, was brought back to the U.S. Monday night, and was arraigned before a U.S. magistrate the following afternoon.

The AP attributed the information to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston, which said it was unaware whether Maldonado has retained legal counsel, but that he was scheduled for a detention hearing next week.

Londonderry Police Cap. Bill Hart said the only contact his department ever had with Maldonado was issuing him a traffic ticket in 2003.

Rena and Jose Maldonado have lived at a home on Gregg Circle since June 2003. Yesterday, a woman who identified herself as Rena refused to discuss the situation when reached by phone yesterday.

"I have no comment, I'm sorry," she said before hanging up.

Two neighbors, who live on either side of the Maldonado residence, also declined to get into specifics.

"I have no comment. I want to respect my neighbors' privacy," said Ann-Marie McKenna.

Pamela McEachern said she doesn't know the family well enough to discuss the arrest. The only dealings she ever had with the Maldonados, she said, was during Halloween time, when she took her children out trick-or-treating.

"They're very nice," she said. "It (the situation) is very, very shocking."

The Associated Press report cites Assistant Attorney General Kenneth Wainstein as saying in a statement that Maldonado 's arrest marks the first criminal prosecution of an American suspected of joining terrorists in Somalia. It also references a criminal complaint that alleges Maldonado traveled from Boston to Houston in August 2005, left Houston for Egypt three months later, and ended up in Somalia by December of last year. In Somalia, he allegedly joined with the Islamic Courts Union and elements of al-Qaeda in fighting the Somali government.

The report says Maldonado was captured by the Kenyan military in January, two days after he fled Ethiopian and Somalian forces, and was handed over to U.S. officials for his return to Houston soon after.

It also states that Maldonado allegedly told FBI agents in Kenya that he traveled to Somalia to fight a "jihad for a true Islamic government," and that he would agree to fight against Somalis, Ethiopians, and even Americans, should the opportunity present itself.

Additionally, the report says Maldonado underwent military-style training with the Islamic Courts Union, although he was unable to complete the training after contracting malaria. It also says he told federal agents he took part in the interrogation of a flight attendant the group suspected of being a spy, whom he threatened to kill, but was later killed by someone else.

(New Hampshire Union Leader Correspondent Jon Campisi and the Associated Press contributed to this report.)

In a Feb. 18, 2007 story, the Associated Press reported that Maldonado grew up in Pelham and attended a mosque in Methuen, Mass.

Daniel Maldonado , 28, got in trouble "a lot" as a teenager for things like traffic violations and loud parties, but did not commit any serious crimes, said Pelham Police Capt. Joseph Roark.

Maldonado grew up in Pelham and attended Pelham High School, but dropped out in 1997, his junior year. He moved to Manchester after his parents left Pelham, then lived in Methuen for several years.

Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported that Maldonado was convicted and is serving a 10-year prison sentence in the United States.