[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Alleged participation in bombing living in Houston


DOJ seeks probe of US nationals implicated in Davao bombing
By Aurea Calica
The Philippine Star 12/22/2004

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking the United States to locate its two nationals — Michael Meiring and his friend, Stephen Hughes — and conduct an investigation into their alleged participation in the bombing of a hotel in Davao City on May 16, 2002.

In his letter to US Ambassador to Manila Francis Ricciardone, Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez noted that Meiring was reported to be living in Houston, Texas while Hughes was said to be a teacher at the North Surry High School in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

"Since both are US citizens and wanted by the Philippine authorities in connection with the bombing of the Evergreen Hotel in Davao City, which clearly appears to be an act of terrorism, I am certain the US government will not tolerate this terrorist act," Gonzalez said.

The DOJ chief sought the support of the US, through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security, to track down Meiring and Hughes.

"I request that background investigation be conducted by US authorities so that this incident can be properly prosecuted to its conclusion," Gonzalez said.

He pointed out that the Philippine government could not conclude the investigation of the incident without going after Meiring and Hughes.

The bomb detonated right inside the room of Meiring in the hotel. Hughes, Meiring’s long-time friend who claimed to be in the same room an hour and a half before the blast, said he did not find any bomb.

"If these persons were correctly suspected for acts of terrorism by Philippine authorities, they also pose threats to the United States government," Gonzalez said.

Warrants of arrest had been issued against Meiring for alleged illegal possession of explosives and reckless imprudence resulting to damage to property.

Gonzalez was furnished a copy of an investigation report on Meiring made by 11 News, a media organization in Texas, that said the suspected terrorist had been in Houston.

In its report, 11 News said Meiring was having his last name changed to Van de Meer for remarrying purposes last March. He made the application before the Harris County Family court in Houston. He listed a Houston address as residence where he lived with a woman for several months.

The 11 News said it was able to track down Meiring to a phone number with a California area code. He denied the charges, refused an on-camera interview and would not comment on record.

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[DAVEY CROCKETT]

URL for above.. sorry

http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200412229902.htm

[milkncookies]

UT-OH!!!

[liberallyconservative]

"...Hughes was said to be a teacher at the North Surry High School in Mount Airy, North Carolina."

Wasn't there some mention of Mt. Airy, NC in relation to the 2 guys stopped here in TN back in the spring? The ones in the moving van, involved in a chase on curving mountain roads, seen to have thrown some unknown substance out the window. IIRC, they were 2 Israelis. And they had a flyer for a flight school.

[milkncookies]

CIA or Christ In Action?

"Meiring is an American national and self-described "fortune hunter," who was seriously injured May 16, 2002 in an explosion in his Davao City hotel room on the Phillippine island of Mindanao. Screaming in pain, his legs mangled, Meiring told police someone had lobbed a grenade through his window. Actually, the explosion had originated inside a metal box with which Meiring had checked in.

Just three days later, an FBI team arrived at his hospital room and spirited him stateside before the matter could be investigated, despite arrest warrants, an order that he not leave the country, and "without the knowledge of any police, military or government official in the city or region," in the words of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who called Meiring´s FBI-aided flight an "affront to Philippine sovereignty."
From The Minda News excellent three-part series on the Meiring mystery:

The circumstances behind Meiring’s sudden departure from the hospital, inspite of his serious condition, raised questions about his real identity. A number of officials in ‘for background only’ interviews, speculated Meiring may have been an agent of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Meiring himself, according to those who had spent some time with him, refered to himself as CIA although he would qualify that to mean “Christ In Action.”

Four months after the incident, Davao City Prosecutor Raul Bendico announced that findings from the investigation of the case indicated that the accident occurred when Meiring was attempting to set up explosives intended to blow up the Evergreen Hotel.

[Velveeta]

Well, that's curious!