Posted on 11/22/2009 1:10:44 AM PST by Cindy
SNIPPET: "Prosecutors allege that Mehanna, 27, and a second man, Ahmad Abousamra, 28, formerly of Mansfield, tried to join a terrorist training camp overseas, but were rejected, then plotted to shoot shoppers at a suburban mall, but scrapped the plan because they could not get automatic weapons. They are also accused of plotting to kill two unidentified government officials. Mehanna also allegedly incited violence by translating pro-jihad materials from Arabic to English and posting them on the Web."
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
BOSTON.com: "NO BAIL FOR ALLEGED SUDBURY TERROR PLOTTER" by Shelley Murphy and Martin Finucane (SNIPPET: "Prosecutors allege that Mehanna, 27, and a second man, Ahmad Abousamra, 28, formerly of Mansfield, tried to join a terrorist training camp overseas, but were rejected, then plotted to shoot shoppers at a suburban mall, but scrapped the plan because they could not get automatic weapons. They are also accused of plotting to kill two unidentified government officials. Mehanna also allegedly incited violence by translating pro-jihad materials from Arabic to English and posting them on the Web.") (November 18, 2009, 05:46 pm)
INTERNET-HAGANAH.com: "UNDERSTANDING TEREK MEHANNA" (SNIPPET: "What is important to understand about Terek Mehanna is how his online activities - operating his own website, translating key jihadi texts in to English, and distributing videos - were manifestations of his underlying ambition to eventually participate in real-world terrorism, an ambition which is amply demonstrated by the activities described in the criminal complaint against him.") (October 27, 2009)
BOSTON HERALD.com: "TERROR SUSPECT A PHARMACIST, SON OF A PROFESSOR" by Jessica Van Sack and Laura Crimaldi (SNIPPET: "He also maintains a blog at iskandrani.wordpress.com, where he posts English translations of Web pages devoted to influential jihad advocates and spiritual patrons in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to an arrest affidavit. His online blog identity is Abu Sabaaya.") (October 21, 2009)
TERRAPLEXIC.org/Current-Intelligence: "WHEN IDEOLOGUES (PLAN TO) ATTACK" by Marisa Urgo (SNIPPET: "Today, the FBI arrested for a second time Tarek Mehanna, a 27 year old Massachusetts man. This time Mehanna was arrested on various terrorism-related charges associated with a plot to attack shopping malls. Mehanna's plot appears to have been more "aspirational" rather than operational. However, the Mehanna arrest is significant, because he was a member of a prominent circle of young Salafist-Jihadists living in the United States. His blog was primarily dedicated to Salafist-Jihadist thought, and it was regularly linked back on by other members of the circle. Those members remain very active online, blogging and sharing jihadi media. They are for the most part the virtual epicenter of Salafist-Jihadism in the United States.") (October 22, 2009)
What's left for you after you get rejected from terrorist training camp? Hamburger U?
Thanks.
You’re welcome Ali Veritas.
Maybe hamburg U...but who knows.
They ALLEGEDLY tried hard.
They failed the suicide bomb trials.
The magistrate judge did note that a number of people spoke in support of Mehanna."They describe him as kind, religious, and gentle in his behavior and dedicated to his community. They describe Mehanna's parents and family in similar or even more glowing terms. The Court credits this evidence. However, the Court has before it evidence that there is another side to Mehanna," Sorokin said.
"This evidence ... shows Mehanna promoted terrorist activities, encouraged others to engage in terrorism, recruited others to participate in terrorism, and protected, or attempted to protect, a terrorist from law enforcement scrutiny," Sorokin said.
I suspect the revelations about the Fort Hood jihadist, someone also described as "religious," may have influenced the judge in his decision to deny bail.
OPINION:
Not really.
The evidence is pretty cut and dry, in my opinion.
It’s not uncommon for a suspect to have character witnesses describing the suspect as nice, kind, regular, upstanding community member, ad nauseum.
It’s pretty standard stuff.
True.
The evidence is pretty cut and dry, in my opinion.
That depends on the judge's opinion of the evidence, which we can all agree isn't always consistent across the legal system. OTOH, judges don't live in a vacuum, and can be influenced by major events.
I'm not denigrating the legal system, just noting that it's made up of human beings, who, for all their skills, are variously influenced by events, or lack of events, outside the court system.
Thanks, Cindy.
You’re welcome Dinah.
http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/case_docs/1095.pdf
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http://www.investigativeproject.org/blog/2010/02/key-massachusetts-terror-case-witness-gets
by IPT News • Feb 5, 2010 at 4:08 pm
“Key Massachussets Terror Case Witness Gets Probation”
SNIPPET: “A man who cooperated in an FBI terrorism investigation in Massachusetts was sentenced to probation Thursday after pleading guilty to a weapons charge.
Bilaal McCloud, 54, of Roxbury started cooperating with investigators after his 2005 indictment for illegally possessing a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition. He is credited with helping build the case that led to terrorism charges against Tarek Mehanna, 27, of Sudbury, and 28-year-old Ahmad Abousamra, formerly of Mansfield, the Boston Globe reported.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2131072/posts
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Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2131072/posts?page=8#8
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blog
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/201596.php
March 17, 2010
“The New England Jihadis”
SNIPPET: “An excellent report by American for Peace and Tolerance on the Boston blogger and would-be jihad Tarek Mehanna. Do we know Tarek? Yes, we do. And yes Tarek knows us. Oh what a small world it is! This guy is a real piece of work.”
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VIDEO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XeNw9YTBnQ
“Sudbury to Mumbai: Connecting the Dots”
Video Description - Quote:
apeacet
March 17, 2010
This video focuses on the October arrest of Tarek Mehanna, a Sudbury, Massachusetts resident whom the FBI charged with planning to machine gun shoppers in a New England mall. The video offers a glimpse into a loosely-coordinated web of radical Islamic individuals and organizations based in New England with ties to Islamic terrorist groups overseas. This web is responsible for the radicalization of the next generation of American Muslims.
The video demonstrates the disheartening phenomenon (given the historical moderation and success of Boston Muslims) of the current groundswell of support for Tarek within a segment of the Boston Muslim community and its virulent response to his arrest. The video shows how Islamic radicals have been using the Internet to organize thousands of supporters and raise money for Tarek a man who the FBI alleges had enjoyed gloating over propaganda videos of Al Qaeda terrorists disemboweling and burning the bodies of American GIs in Iraq. (Tarek and his friends mockingly called these mutilations Texas BBQs.)
Category: Nonprofits & Activism
Tags: Tarek Mehanna radical Islam Islamism terrorism Hafiz Masoood Hafiz Saeed Abdul-badi Abousamra Ahmad Abousamra Islamic Center of New England
http://www.telegram.com/article/20110804/NEWS/108049423/-1/NEWS04
Thursday, August 4, 2011
“Terror charges against former Worcester teacher allowed to stand
Judge rejects free speech bid”
By Denise Lavoie THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOSTON —
SNIPPET: “As a volunteer before his arrest in October 2009, Mr. Mehanna was teaching science, math and religion at the Muslim academy on East Mountain Street in Worcester.
Authorities have said Mr. Mehanna and two other men sought training at terrorist camps in the Middle East. Prosecutors said the men told friends they were rejected because of their nationality, ethnicity or inexperience, or that they were unable to make contact with people they hoped would get them into such camps.”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2790725/posts
“... ‘Occupy Boston’ Holds Rally for Accused Terrorist”
Townhall.com ^ | October 10, 2011 | Guy Benson
Posted on October 10, 2011 1:10:55 PM PDT by Kaslin
“Mass. man goes to trial on US terror charges”
By Denise Lavoie
AP Legal Affairs Writer / October 22, 2011
SNIPPET: “BOSTON—Prosecutors portray Tarek Mehanna as a terrorist in the making, a man who tried to help al-Qaida by promoting violent jihad online and traveling to Yemen to seek training in a terrorist camp.”
ADDING additional thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2538568/posts
“Superseding Indictment Charges Two Men with Conspiring to Provide Material Support to...”
Boston.FBI.gov - DOJ Press Release ^ | June 17, 2010 | n/a
Posted on June 21, 2010 1:18:29 AM PDT by Cindy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2538568/posts
#
NOTE The following text is a quote:
www.fbi.gov/boston/press-releases/2012/tarek-mehanna-sentenced-in-boston-to-17-years-in-prison-on-terrorism-related-charges
Tarek Mehanna Sentenced in Boston to 17 Years in Prison on Terrorism-Related Charges
U.S. Attorney’s Office
April 12, 2012
District of Massachusetts
BOSTON—A Sudbury, Massachusetts man who was convicted last year on charges that he conspired to kill Americans was sentenced today to 17.5 years in federal prison.
Following a two-hour hearing in U.S. District Court in Boston, Judge George A. O’Toole, Jr. sentenced Tarek Mehanna, 29, to 210 months, to be followed by seven years of supervised release. In December 2011, Mehanna was convicted by a jury, after 10 hours of deliberation, of four terrorism-related charges and three charges related to providing false information to the government.
Following an eight-week trial, Mehanna was convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to al Qaeda, providing material support to terrorists (and conspiracy to do so), conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, conspiracy to make false statements to the FBI, and two counts of making false statements.
According to testimony at trial, Mehanna and co-conspirators discussed their desire to participate in violent jihad against American interests and their desire to die on the battlefield. The co-conspirators attempted to radicalize others and inspire each other by, among other things, watching and distributing jihadi videos. Mehanna and two of his associates traveled to the Middle East in 2004, seeking military-type training at a terrorist training camp that would prepare them for armed jihad against U.S. interests, including U.S. and allied forces in Iraq. One of Mehanna’s co-conspirators made two similar trips to Pakistan in 2002.
After returning to the United States, Mehanna continued his efforts to provide material support by, among other things, translating and posting on the Internet al Qaeda recruitment videos and other documents.
In December 2006, Mehanna was interviewed by federal authorities regarding a trip by Mehanna, Ahmad Abousamra, and another individual to Yemen in 2004. During that interview, Mehanna provided false information and made fraudulent and fictitious statements about the purpose of that trip and his relationship with co-conspirator Daniel Joseph Maldonado, aka Daniel Aljughaifi. Mehanna lied to the FBI concerning where Maldonado was living at the time and what Maldonado was doing. Just a few days prior to the FBI interview, Mehanna received a call from Maldonado, who was in Somalia receiving military-type training for jihad. Mehanna admitted in recorded conversations that he had lied to the FBI about Maldonado’s whereabouts and training in Somalia. Mehanna also lied to the FBI concerning his trip to Yemen in 2004. Mehanna did, in fact, go to Yemen with Abousamra and another individual to conduct, and to subsequently engage in, jihad.
In 2007, Maldonado pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Texas, admitting that he had traveled from Houston to Africa in November 2005 and then on to Somalia in December 2006 to join the Islamic Courts Union and elements of al-Qaida to fight against the Transitional Federal Government to establish an independent Islamic State in Somalia. Maldonado was sentenced to 10 years in prison, the maximum statutory penalty for receiving military training from a terrorist organization.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) members: Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs Border Protection, the Massachusetts State Police, and the Lowell, Massachusetts Police Department, in addition to other members of the FBI’s JTTF. The JTTF includes officers and agents from a number of other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Auerhahn and Aloke S. Chakravarty of the Anti-Terrorism and National Security Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and by Jeffrey Groharing, Trial Attorney with the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
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http://www.investigativeproject.org/3529/convicted-al-qaida-plotter-sentenced-to-17-years
For The Record - The IPT Blog
“Convicted Al-Qaida Plotter Sentenced to 17 Years”
by IPT News • Apr 12, 2012 at 3:24 pm
SNIPPET: “A federal judge in Boston sentenced a Massachusetts man to 17 ½ years in prison Thursday for conspiring to aid al-Qaida terrorists.
Tarek Mehanna was convicted in December on charges related to a plot to kill U.S. soldiers overseas. Mehanna and two co-conspirators traveled to Yemen in 2004 to seek training in a terrorist camp with the goal of plotting jihad against American troops stationed in Iraq. After failing to find a camp, Mehanna and others returned to the United States to plot attacks within the United States including randomly shooting people in a shopping mall. Mehanna also launched his own online al-Qaida “media wing” to translate and distribute publications by the terrorist group.
Prosecutors sought a 25-year sentence in a memorandum filed Tuesday. A lengthy sentence would act as a deterrent to jihadi wannabes seeking to imitate Mehanna’s actions, they argued, including traveling overseas to obtain terrorist training as well as using the Internet to publicize al-Qaida’s violent message.
Mehanna “continues to have no respect for American law and would reoffend if given a chance” they argued “A lengthy prison sentence and period of supervised release is needed to ensure that he does not get that opportunity.”
Mehanna’s attorneys say he visited Yemen for religious purposes and his online jihadi activities were protected by the First Amendment.”
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...and now a look at the media spin:
www.lawfareblog.com/2012/04/david-cole-on-tarek-mehanna
“David Cole on Tarek Mehanna”
By Benjamin Wittes
Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 8:23 PM
~
www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2012/apr/19/39-ways-limit-free-speech/
“39 Ways to Limit Free Speech”
by David Cole
April 19, 2012
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