Former San Diego-Based Sailor Allegedly E-Mailed Terror Suspect (Mohammed the sailor man!?)

The San Francisco Chronicle ^ | August 6, 2004 | Seth Hettena [Associated Press]

[quidnunc]

San Diego – A former sailor aboard a San Diego-based ship allegedly praised a deadly terror attack on a U.S. destroyer and communicated with a British man arrested on suspicion of having terrorist ties, according to a court document unsealed Friday.

The sailor on the USS Benfold, whose name has not been released, allegedly sympathized with the jihad cause and sent e-mails to anti-Western Web sites run by Babar Ahmad. British police arrested Ahmad, 30, earlier this week on a U.S. extradition warrant charging that he used the Internet to help Taliban fighters recruit and raise money.

The USS Benfold left San Diego in March 2000 and returned shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. It was part of a battle group that included a second destroyer, the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, two nuclear submarines, two frigates, a cruiser and a support ship.

On Friday, the ship was docked at a San Diego Navy base.

E-mails the former sailor allegedly wrote Ahmad were disclosed in a 33-page arrest warrant affidavit unsealed Friday in Connecticut, where Ahmad was charged with providing material support to terrorists. The court papers also said Ahmad possessed a classified U.S. Navy document, though authorities have not accused the sailor of providing him that document.

-snip-

[Dog Gone]

Let me guess. His name was Mohammed somethingorother.

[Arkinsaw]

They find documents describing weaknesses in the battlegroup that this sailor was in and find notes from him explaining the weaknesses. They know who he is and where he is, but he has not been arrested. Instead they are taking "precautions".

I know that the term "treason" is bandied about a lot. But this here is no doubt 100% pure treason to the worst degree. Are they going to do anything about it?

[eno_]

Thank God these guys are dumber than the sand they wipe their butts with.

[theDentist]

Do such modern ships as the Benfold have ropes and yardarms?

[CindyDawg]

Can the military still charge him?

[dennisw]

He was Sinbad the sailor.

[nuconvert]

Bump

[VeniVidiVici]

I always thought he was a good guy

Babar

[fatidic]

The people who run our country's institutions act pretty dumb for not being wise to the Muslims with all kinds of classified clearances in the military, FBI, etc. Perhaps some prefer America, but it seems like playing Russian roulette with our nation's security to allow Muslims the opportunity to screw us. What is the matter with using common sense? Oh, I forgot about the ACLU.

[USNBandit]

Yep, and they still have keels as well.

[SpyGuy]

I have just one word: EXECUTION.

[PAR35]

Since I didn't see the ship type listed, it is an Arleigh Burke class Destroyer.

[South40]

This is big news in San Diego.

If he's guilty, I hope they try him for treason.

[piasa]

fyi

[DoctorZIn]

This article has been posted to DoctorZin’s New News Blog!

[em2vn]

Keelhauling would be the proper punishment.

[theDentist]

I disagree. He put the lives of all men on that ship and other ships at risk, knowingly. String the %&%^%& up.

[Lorianne]

Why won't they release his name?
Is there a "terrorist shield law"?

[em2vn]

Keelhauling is the act of mounting a pulley on a yard arm. A rope is passed over the side of a ship, under the keel and up the other side, through the pulley. It is then afixed to a man's hands. The other end is afixed to his feet. He is then pulled back and forth against the hull of the ship under the waterline.
I think this qualifies as being strung up.

[quidnunc]

em2vn wrote: Keelhauling is the act of mounting a pulley on a yard arm. A rope is passed over the side of a ship, under the keel and up the other side, through the pulley. It is then afixed to a man's hands. The other end is afixed to his feet. He is then pulled back and forth against the hull of the ship under the waterline. I think this qualifies as being strung up.

The difference would be that in days of yore the keelhaulee would be cut up by the barnacles on the ship's hull.

Therre's no barnacles on the hull of a modern Navy ship.

[em2vn]

Barnacles attach to anything in the water. They may not attach to modern ship to the extent they did to sail powered ships but they certainly do attach, or at least did when I was in the USN in the 60s.
Another aspect of keelhauling is the simple fact of drowning.