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WFTV obtains new documents in case of Imam, man facing charges in anti-terrorism investigation

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — On Monday night, WFTV learned more about what federal agents say a central Florida Imam and another local man, who are facing charges in an FBI anti-terrorism investigation, were planning.

WFTV's Kathi Belich obtained new documents in the top secret case, which show they might have been plotting with others to kill high-ranking Americans in the military overseas.

New court documents show a central Florida Imam is suspected of being involved in a travel network to send people overseas to commit violent jihad or holy war.

WFTV first reported about the arrest of Imam Abu Taubah last year on a weapons charge just days before the tenth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

He's a former prayer leader of the Masjid Al-Ihsaan mosque in East Orange County. Federal agents said the Imam is really convicted felon Marcus Dwayne Robertson.

New documents allege Robertson was training Jonathan Paul Jimenez, who had moved to central Florida from New York, in skills necessary to "participate in violent jihad overseas," skills like martial arts, firearms and knife training.

Federal prosecutors said in June 2011, Jimenez, with the help of Robertson and others, was making plans to travel overseas.

According to documents, during a recorded call, Jimenez told a confidential government source that Robertson told him "it was permissible or obligatory to kill members of the armed forces, specifically generals" and that Robertson showed him what a general's stars look like.

Jimenez also was recorded saying Robertson told him suicide bombings were "permissible," according to documents.

Federal agents accuse Jimenez of being a tax cheat to collect a fraudulent $5,000 refund that would be used to pay for his travel. He had the check sent to one of Robertson's Orange County homes.

Jimenez is expected to plead to tax fraud and lying to the FBI on Tuesday morning in federal court.

Robertson is scheduled for trial in October for his alleged part in the tax scheme and is awaiting sentencing on a firearms trafficking conviction.