By Mark Scott & Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – Six men accused of being members of a terror cell are due in federal court in Buffalo Wednesday. A hearing will determine if they'll be held without bail.
Prosecutors allege that the men went to Afghanistan and attended a training camp run by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network.
Federal prosecutors may reveal more evidence today against the six men, all of whom at one point lived within a few blocks of each other in Lackawanna.
Investigators say two more members of the cell, including the ringleader, are believed to be in Yemen.
The six Yemeni-American men scheduled to be in court are charged with providing support or resources to foreign terrorists. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in jail.
Buffalo has had more than its fair share of negative publicity. In fact, most of the big news coming out of Buffalo in recent years is bad.
O.J. played here. Tim McVeigh was born here. James Kopp is still making headlines. Now, Buffalo is the place where the nation's first terrorist cell was found.
Richard Geiger is President of the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors' Bureau. His job is promoting the region nationally. He says this one is a lot tougher than putting a spin on lousy weather.
Geiger says it'll take some big distractions -- some really big projects -- to make people forget terrorists live in Buffalo. He says that might work. But Geiger says it'll be harder for people who live here to get past their fears.
This new fear-factor could cost Buffalo more than just a few conventions. Businesses also decide on future locations based largely on how their employees would feel about living there.
Click the "listen" icon above to hear Joyce Kryszak's full report.