Suspect’s stories of aiding Islamic guerrillas are doubted

The former officials questioned whether Boyd, 39, had any affiliation with the Islamic guerrillas, noting the Soviets had all but left Afghanistan by the time the young, blond Muslim convert arrived from America two decades ago.

Boyd’s stories were part of an indictment accusing him and seven followers of violent jihad overseas. The indictment claims some of the men were training in military-style tactics and that all were plotting to kill, kidnap, and maim in a holy war overseas.

Regardless of whether Boyd was ever actually involved with the mujahedeen, authorities said he was preparing for holy war and found more than two dozen weapons, a stockpile of ammunition, and gas masks at his house.

At least one of Boyd’s tales has changed over time. Just two months ago, Boyd giddily bragged about robbing Pakistani banks of more than 30,000 rupees - money he said he gave to the mujahedeen.

In 1991, when Boyd was arrested in Pakistan and accused of bank robbery, he claimed he was set up by a bank employee who had made inappropriate advances toward his wife and tried to pilfer money from his family.

A Pakistani court sentenced Boyd and his brother Charles to have a hand and foot lopped off under Islamic law. When an appeals court overturned the convictions, Boyd said “the truth has finally come out.’’

Yet the truth came into question when prosecutors released an audiotape of Boyd talking in May to a person prosecutors have said is an unidentified witness. On the tape, Boyd vowed that he had changed since his time in jail in Pakistan.

“We were also young and dumb and not thinking straight,’’ Boyd said on the tape, played during a court hearing last week. “Here we have lots of talent, lots of experience, lots of brains.’’

In the grandiose claim secretly caught on the tape, Boyd then talked of returning to those exploits, discussing the merits of “hitting the Wells Fargo trucks and banks.’’ He said the money was insured, so banks get hurt but people don’t. He argued the financial system was the main ammunition of the “Kuffar’’ - Arabic for nonbelievers.

Elizabeth Jones, who was deputy chief of mission for the US embassy in Islamabad, was involved in trying to free the Boyd brothers from jail in 1991. She said she never received any information that they had been involved with any mujahedeen group.