Posted on 05/19/2005 12:10:45 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
DETROIT (AP) - A man who was discharged from the Air Force amid allegations he expressed sympathy for Osama bin Laden was found guilty Thursday of lying to get a job as a baggage screener at the Detroit airport.
A federal jury deliberated for about four hours before convicting Yemeni immigrant Sadeq Naji Ahmed on two counts of making false statements.
Each charge is punishable by up to five years in prison; sentencing was set for Aug. 22.
The government said Ahmed lied on his job application when he said he never left a job under unfavorable circumstances, and when he failed to disclose that his security clearance had been revoked.
Ahmed was honorably discharged from the Air Force, but his former commander testified that military officials took action after the Sept. 11 attacks to discharge Ahmed as quickly as possible because they questioned his loyalty.
According to Col. Steven G. Seroka, Ahmed said that if the United States attacked certain countries, he would have to fight for the other side. He also talked about bin Laden as "a holy man, someone to be looked up to, to be listened to," Seroka said.
Ahmed was fired by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration in 2003 after the agency learned about his discharge.
His lawyer argued that he was being persecuted simply for expressing an opinion.
He also talked about bin Laden as "a holy man, someone to be looked up to, to be listened to,"
Glad we got rid of him. Just the person we need looking through baggage.
Can you imagine if this guy had half a brain and just kept his mouth shut . . .
Scary world out there.
His lawyer argued that he was being persecuted simply for expressing an opinion.
DUH!!
How about deportation? Man sounds like he's a walking Mohammed Atta wannabe.
According to Col. Steven G. Seroka, Ahmed said that if the United States attacked certain countries, he would have to fight for the other side.I'd really like to know what someone as stupid as Ahmed is could possibly have been qualified to do in the USAF to begin with.
Maybe he wanted to fly planes. Not land them, mind you, just fly them...
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