Jose Padilla, also known as Abdullah al Muhajir, was indicted Nov. 17 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida for his alleged role in what the government has called a "violent jihad support cell" operating in southern Florida. Padilla, a U.S. citizen and convert to Islam, has been held by the U.S. Department of Defense and designated an enemy combatant since his 2002arrest. He is best known for allegedly plotting with al Qaeda to detonate a "dirty bomb" — an improvised device intended to disperse radiation — inside the United States. Padilla was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., which makes him a "home-grown terrorist," unlike individuals who emigrate or travel to countries from their home countries to participate in jihadist activities. According to the indictment, Padilla was in Afghanistan in 2000 for jihadist training.