3 Texas men arraigned on terror charges (Caro, Michigan TracPhone Bust)

AP via Yahoo! News ^ | August 13, 2006 | AP

[conservative in nyc]

Three Texas men were arraigned Saturday on terrorism-related charges after police found about 1,000 cell phones in their minivan, and prosecutors say they believe the men were targeting a bridge connecting Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas.

But two of the men said they were only trying to buy and sell phones to make money, and one said the money was intended to help pay for his brother's college education.

A magistrate set bond at $750,000 for each of the men, who are charged with collecting or providing materials for terrorist acts and surveillance of a vulnerable target for terrorist purposes. No pleas were made at the arraignment at a District Court in Caro, about 80 miles north of Detroit.

Officials have not said what they believe the men intended to do with the phones, most of which were prepaid TracFones. But Caro's police chief said cell phones can be used as detonators, and prosecutors in a similar case in Ohio have said that TracFones are often used by terrorists because they are not traceable.

"All we did is buy the phones to sell and make money," Louai Abdelhamied Othman told the magistrate. He said authorities had previously stopped the group in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"We've been checked by the FBI before," he said. "They even gave us their card and everything."

Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark E. Reene told The Saginaw News that investigators believe the men were targeting the 5-mile long Mackinac Bridge. He declined to say what led investigators to that belief.

Reene and the FBI did not return phone messages Saturday to The Associated Press.

Othman and Maruan Awad Muhareb, both of Mesquite, Texas, and Adham Abdelhamid Othman, of Dallas, were stopped before dawn Friday after they purchased 80 cell phones from a Wal-Mart in Caro. Police said they found about 1,000 cell phones in their minivan.

Adham and Louai Othman are brothers and are in their early 20s. Muhareb, 18, is their cousin. All are being held at the Tuscola County Jail, Caro police said.

Muhareb told the magistrate: "This is a misunderstanding." He said he was selling the phones to earn money to help pay for his brother's college education.

Louai Othman's wife, Lina Odeh, said the men were buying the phones to sell to a man in Dallas for a profit of about $5 per phone. She said they were in Michigan because so many people in the Dallas area are doing the same thing that the phones are often sold out.

"I just want everyone to know that they're innocent and they shouldn't be locked up in jail without any evidence," she told The Associated Press.

The arrests in Caro came three days after two men were arrested in Marietta, Ohio, where police said they aroused suspicions when they acknowledged buying about 600 phones in recent months at stores in southeast Ohio.

Ali Houssaiky and Osama Abulhassan, both 20 and from Detroit suburb of Dearborn, have been charged with two felonies — money laundering in support of terrorism and soliciting or providing support for acts of terrorism — and misdemeanor falsification. A preliminary hearing on the felony counts was set for Tuesday.

Defense lawyers said Houssaiky and Abulhassan planned to resell the phones simply to make money. They say the men were targeted only because they are of Arab descent.

[conservative in nyc]

Suppose these men are "innocently" selling cell phones for a profit. What do they think this mysterious Dallas man doing with these cell phones? He's paying $5 more than the regular price for a phone without a charger (and maybe even without a battery). Who else is selling phones to him? I hope the men are singing like canaries about the purchaser and the FBI is following up.

[Fresh Wind]

Well, since the are reselling the phones, charge them with tax evasion.

[bobbyd]

bttt

[onyx]

Adham and Louai Othman are brothers and are in their early 20s. Muhareb, 18, is their cousin.

It's a family affair.

[D-fendr]

She said they were in Michigan because so many people in the Dallas area are doing the same thing that the phones are often sold out.

Yeah. The Walmarts nearest to Dallas are in...

Michigan.

[nopardons]

bttt

[MaineVoter2002]

Wow!

We must never forget the words of Harry Reid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBP91gvs8wI

[Kakaze]

" "All we did is buy the phones to sell and make money," Louai Abdelhamied Othman told the magistrate. He said authorities had previously stopped the group in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"We've been checked by the FBI before," he said. "They even gave us their card and everything."

If , IF, this is legitimate, you'd think that after being stopped 4 times in 4 states and arrested at least once, you'd change your behavior.

That is unless its not innocent and you with a sense of duty, continued toward your objective.

[Beckwith]

Look at the money they had in that truck.

Wal-Mart sells 3 prepaid cell phones. One is only available from the Internet. The two remaining ones sell for $49.82 and $78.84 repectively.

Even if these Yutes bought only the cheap one, 1,000 cell phones at $49.82 plus tax is over $55,0000.

Where did these guys get $55,0000 to spend on cell phones that they never intended to recharge?

Wal-Mart Prepaid Cell Phones

[Rte66]

Adham Othman, left; Louai Othman, center; and Maruan Muhareb

[snip - WFAA story]

" ... Only Adham Othman appears to have a criminal history. He is a registered sex offender in Texas who has a 1999 conviction for indecency with a child by sexual contact involving a 5-year-old girl, state records show.

.....
The men are charged with supporting terrorism, but Odeh [Linda Odeh, wife of Louai Othman] explained that the men sell the phones to a wholesaler in Dallas.

But neighbors like Ricardo Caldurilla have suspicions. "They had like vans out here, and they keep moving boxes, taking them upstairs, and they have cell phone markings on them," he said.

Apartment resident Rolando Rangel said he saw about ten family members packing a moving van once the news broke. "They moved out of that apartment in about an hour," he said.

Still, Odeh says her husband and family are unfairly targeted. "There's nothing wrong with it," she said. "Are y'all making a big deal of it because the Arabs are doing it?" ..."

(I'm guessing Odeh might not be of the same persuasion as her hubby, "y'all.")

[RushLake]

Don't mess with Caro!

[opinionator]

What terrorist plan could involve 1,000 cell phones?

[AmericaUnited]

What terrorist plan could involve 1,000 cell phones?

It could be that after some BIG NEW event, they would expect these types of phones to be UNAVAILABLE and wanted to stockpile them so as to continue operations. You use one for a short period of time and then discard it. Or you make only a few phone calls to one person and then discard it, so the NSA can not connect the dots, i.e. calls made between one phone/individual and 13 terror related people..

[bcsco]

Where did these guys get $55,0000 to spend on cell phones that they never intended to recharge?

Good question. Also, the story has now changed. The wife says they were going to sell them for $5.00 more than they bought them for to a guy in Dallas. Earlier, the men claimed they'd bought the phones for $20.00 apiece, with intentions to sell them without the chargers for $38.00 apiece. That's an $18.00 profit; not $5.00.

Follow the money.

[Eye of Unk]

1,000 remote controlled bombs, what else?

Just have several auto dialers like marketeers use and have these cell-bombs in public places like subways, trains, cruise ships, theme parks, sporting events and cause a nationwide panic of these thousand plus little bombs going off all at the same time.
Personally I think we should immediately spread the world that all cellphone communications may be blocked or subjected to interruptions.

[EnquiringMind]

"They say the men were targeted only because they are of Arab descent".

The men have been targeted because only ARABS have been buying thousands of cell phones.

[raybbr]

1,000 remote controlled bombs, what else?

I don't think so. More like untraceable communication between cells and their members.

[MarineDad]

"Only Adham Othman appears to have a criminal history. He is a registered sex offender in Texas who has a 1999 conviction for indecency with a child by sexual contact involving a 5-year-old girl, state records show."

Just trying to emulate his beloved PedoProphet, who took a "wife" all of 9 years old.

Stinking filthy cult of murder and mayhem...

[Recon Dad]

No place does it say if they are US citizens? Don't you need a work visa or something to earn money if you're not a US citizen?
Also if you have $55K to spend on phones you've got the tuition thing covered.

[Wristpin]

"What terrorist plan could involve 1,000 cell phones?"

Shipping them to Middle East for use as IED detonators. They're using our own Wal-Marts against us.

Are these guys actually US citizens? If they are guilty of arming terrorists what should be the penalty?