[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.

[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?

[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.

[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.

[sportutegrl]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0131436/

[Gritty]

Why are they buying so many untraceble phones?

They won't/can't use them all at once. But once their terror campaign starts here, the supply will immediately dry up. They need a deep reserve for communications and more IEDs - years worth, in fact. And they have lots of foot soldiers to supply.

It's sort of like buying an extra few dozen sealed tins of ammo, just in case.

[LA Woman3]

http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_225185805.html