Attorney: Terrorism Suspect 'Stripped Of Identity' In Jail

NBC 4 Columbus ^ | June 24, 2004

[flutters]

Abdi Accused Of Plotting To Blow Up Mall

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The attorney for a man charged with plotting to bomb a shopping mall said Wednesday his client was "stripped of his identity" while in federal custody.

Attorney Mahir Sherif said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that after Nuradin Abdi's arrest last November, he was booked into an immigration jail under the name "John Doe."

"His jailers addressed him as John Doe and any correspondence he received was addressed to John Doe," Sherif said. "His family ... and all other relatives were not allowed to see or visit with him despite their efforts to do so."

Authorities accuse Abdi, a Somali refugee, of plotting with admitted al-Qaida member Iyman Faris to blow up a shopping mall. He was indicted earlier this month on charges including providing material support to al-Qaida, conspiracy and document fraud. If convicted, he could get up to 80 years in prison.

Sherif said he did not know who directed that Abdi be booked as John Doe or prohibited his family from visiting him. Authorities say Abdi is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

Messages were left seeking comment late Wednesday with a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio.

Sherif also said that Abdi was struggling financially as the owner of a small cell phone shop before his arrest and wouldn't have had the financial means to carry out an attack.

Abdi's family has said that he had no connection to Iyman Faris, except that the two knew each other from attending the same mosque. His family also has said they've seen him little since his arrest.

At a hearing last week, Abdi lay his head on the courtroom table several times and mumbled to himself.

SLIDESHOW: Scene Inside, Outside Courtroom

Sherif said during the hearing that "the government took a healthy man, and what we have here is a broken man, mentally."

A federal magistrate ordered a psychological evaluation to determine if he's able to stand trial. Sherif said Wednesday he couldn't comment on Abdi's mental state or the progress of the evaluation.

The FBI and Ohio's terrorism task force said they are still tracking terrorists in the city. A key federal official told NewsChannel 4, "There is more to come" in Columbus, Elenora Andrews reported.

Key officials said they believe there is a link between convicted terrorist Faris, Abdi and a possible suspect who lives in the 600 block of Riverview Drive, Andrews reported.

The FBI and the Ohio Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted a search in the neighborhood June 7. Key officials said they are waiting for forensic evidence from the possible suspect's computer to see if the suspect, Abdi and Faris stored information about bombs or detonating devices that could have been used in the alleged mall plot, Andrews reported.

In the meantime, the U.S. Attorney's Office said the third possible suspect is under heavy surveillance.

[flutters]

Pictures from outside the courthouse (slide show at link).

[sheik yerbouty]

Deport the demonstrators to their Somali paradise!

[ICX]

"His jailers addressed him as John Doe and any correspondence he received was addressed to John Doe," Sherif said. "His family ... and all other relatives were not allowed to see or visit with him despite their efforts to do so."

Good. And to all those Somalians protesting outside the courthouse...if America's so evil and oppressive, why'd you come here in the first place?

[longtermmemmory]

This attorney is playing to the cameras, prison is supposed to be removing of identity.

[mgc1122]

Beget the perp and his attorney ...

[NateLannister]

Poor baby. Wah!

[HamiltonJay]

Cry me a river.

[oolatec]

Well damn... they should have been nicer and put panties on his head!

[No Blue States]

"Sherif said during the hearing that "the government took a healthy man, and what we have here is a broken man, mentally."

I am consumed with guilt. We hurt his feelings by keeping him from bombing a mall. HOW could we?!

[Joe 6-pack]

You know, at least one in that crowd was in Mogadishu in '93 cheering the GI body dragging.

[OXENinFLA]

Attorney Mahir Sherif said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that after Nuradin Abdi's arrest last November, he was booked into an immigration jail under the name "John Doe."

GOOD!!

If they didn't it would be like contacting al-Qaida directly and saying "HEY, we just wanted to let you know we have on of your operatives."

[VaBthang4]

Pinging the "EvilAshcroftarians".

[flutters]

I keep waiting for the pictures of demonstrators protesting the beheadings but I just can't seem to find any. /sarcasm

[Jack Black]

To quote Africa's greatest pop musician "Islam is Bullsh*t for Africa" and America too.

I realize the more I think about it that I consider Islam incompatible with U.S. Citizenship. I realize that's pretty non-PC. But stil...

[robowombat]

Dealing with Muslim terrorists I have no problem with these tactics. However, the rats will eventually get the White House back. If the present pattern of narrowly decided elections continues they will be absolutely determined to keep the Presidency using any and all tactics. The current anti-terrorist laws contain a wide array of powers that can be used in conjunction with changes in tactics, techniques, and procedures routinely used by fed and dem controlled state law enforcement agencies against many conservative Americans. Membership in groups with the following agendas; pro-life, Second Amendment rights, home schooling, government accountability and citizen participation, anti-Green movement; will be targeted as potential 'terrorists under new definitions of likely sources of domestic terrorism. Evangelicals particularly those who are strongly fundamentalist and Bible believing congregations can expect repressive surveillance and constant harassment along with random raids and jailings to demoralize and disorganize them. The rats will do anything to hold on to power and we all remember on Klintoon the obvious belligerent hostility toward these groups by the FBI, BTAF, IRS and Secret Service. With the Department of Homeland Security think of the amount of repression a Prez Hillabat or Algore clone could wield.

[jackibutterfly]

"Dealing with Muslim terrorists I have no problem with these tactics. However, the rats will eventually get the White House back."

Yeah, and if that happens, I would not be surprised at all to see the TERRORISTS taking the White House (in elections, of course).

[robowombat]

The problem is once the rats have the Presidency prying out of their grip will be very difficult unless they lose bigtime a presidential election. The strategy will be in narrow races such as 2000 to pull out all stops and use both the old tried and true techniques of voter fraud combined with selective repression against those individuals and groups considered to be 'enemies'. This will also be combined with truly massive third world immigration (much of it encouraged illegal immigration) and loading the voter list in big electoral vote states such as California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Illinois with illlegals. We have never faced a major political party combining corruption and an ideological power drive like the rats. They will do whatever they have to take and hold power.

[monkeyman81]

His behavior in court reminds me a little of Vinnie the Chin Gigante (the "Oddfather"). I'm Sicilian, so I know a fair amount about the Mafia, and it wouldn't surprise me if jihadis are using the same kind of fake insanity tactics as the Mob used to use.
As for hiding somebody, dealing with international terrorism requires different rules. I don't have a problem with it. But the left is already saying this guy is innocent and that he was tortured in jail.
http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0621-01.htm
Read this and tell me there aren't people on the left who are spreading propaganda for the enemy.