Terror Probe Centered At Folsom Prison

Aug. 17 (KGO) -- Prison officials released new details today about a radical prison group that the FBI says is behind a Southern California terror plot planned for September 11th. Authorities say convicted Oakland gang member Peter Martinez hatched the plot from inside Folsom State Prison. That's where he recruited inmates to be part of his militant black Muslim group, including Levar Washington, the man suspected of orchestrating the attacks after his release last year.

The two inmates that are being investigated for devising a terror plot are housed in the maximum security section of the Folsom facility. Prison officials had very little to say about the probe because it's being handled at the federal level.

Rod Hickman, State Corrections Secretary: "I cannot and will not comment on any ongoing investigations in our institutions."

Today state prison officials did admit they were aware of the group linked to the L.A. terror plot and its existence at the new Folsom State Prison. Other than calling it a disruptive group, they shed little light on the prison gang known as JIS. The group's name in Arabic means the Assembly of Authentic Islam.

Matthew Bettenhausen, State Director of Homeland Security: "We also know that the idea of terrorism recruitment and radicalization in prisons is nothing new and continues."

The recent reorganization in the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation was to improve the flow of information and the monitoring of activities.

Rod Hickman: "What is new is our ability to investigate, cooperate and collaborate with all law enforcement, solidify that information, and frame it in a way that we can provide more national security than we have in the past."

Part of the reorganization is a new arm called Correctional Safety, which make extra efforts to tell local law enforcement about the release of gang members.

Walter Allen, Asst. Secretary of Correctional Safety: "We are going to make 100 percent sure that we maintain a watchful eye on those groups that want to disrupt the security of Californians and the institutions."

Prison guards say Islamic gangs are relatively small in size, compared to other prison gangs, but inmates sign up because they're vulnerable.

Lance Corcoran, State Prison Guard Union: "They've probably been involved in some gang activity in the past. They're disenfranchised. Family activity may be minimal. It may have been awful. So they're looking for an opportunity to be a part of something."

Since state leaders told us they knew about this radical Islamic gang, we're trying to find out if local law enforcement was notified about the recent release of an inmate from here.

Lavar Washington is in custody for a string of robberies in Southern California and a police search of his apartment suggested there was a terror plot in the making.

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