I see they caught 3 more middle eastern men (naturalized citizens) with a car full of cell phones today. This bunch is different than the ones they caught the other day.
Drudge has the story.
This reminds me of that car accident a few months back, in Chicago where the guy had a bunch of cell phones and a ton of money....anyone remember?
I hope I'm wrong but I wonder if the cell phones have anything to do with planes. 600 just that we know of. Someone mentioned finding Walmart maps but most kids start back to school around the 21st too. I think we need to watch other areas also. Yes, keeping a close eye on the planes but not let them give us tunnel vision. They know we are expecting plane attacks. They could use that against us.
Aug 11, 2006 10:59 AM CDT
(TV5) -- Around 1:00am August 11th three men purchased cell phones from the Wal-Mart store on M-81 near the corner of M-24 in Caro. Wal-Mart places a limit on the number of cell phones that can be purchased at once, that number is three. The three men allegedly bought 80 by purchasing them three at time so that an alert wouldn't be triggered by the cash register. They also paid cash.
An alert clerk grew suspicious and called Tuscola County central dispatch. The Caro Police Department sent a unit and stopped the rented van on M-81 just east of Caro. The suspects were headed towards Bad Axe on M-81 where there is another Super Wal-Mart.
The three men were described as being of Pakistani descent but live in Texas. Police say the three, ages 19, 22, and 23 appear to be naturalized citizens. One man was driving while the other two were in the back opening the phone packages with box cutters throwing the phones in one box, batteries in another and the packaging and phone charger in another container. The suspects had 1000 other cell phones in the van. There was also a bag of receipts showing that someone was in Wisconsin the day before.
The phones were Nokia Tracfones selling for $20 at Wal-Mart. For your twenty dollars you receive a phone charger and 40 minutes of airtime. The phones do not have to be registered with a name. Also discovered was a laptop with store addresses and store logos.
The men have been "cooperative, upfront, not hiding" anything according to police. They also told officers they get stopped frequently and say they buy the phones for $20 and sell them elsewhere for $38. They sell them without the packaging or charger.
The Caro Police Department, the FBI and the Homeland Security Terrorism Taskforce are involved in the case.
The Caro Police Department is holding the suspects property while awaiting arrival of the FBI. FBI wants to talk to the three men who are not in custody.
Once again I ask... why aren't the companies/stores reporting these sales? If you distribute, you have to show docs. Do they even get their name and address (which would probably be fake anyway or show up individuals with no record). It has to be coordination. Why is it we haven't heard of more arrests here and have they checked airport employees yet?
How many groups of the cell phone purchasers have they found? About six? Ohio(maybe 2 groups), W. Virginia, Caro, MI (where we have family & two of them work at the Wal-Mart), there are more. This is NOT a good thing.