S.C. Defers to Feds in Pipe Bomb Case {USF terror supporters in Goose Creek}

AP via SFGate ^ | 9/4/7 | BRUCE SMITH, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

Charleston, S.C. (AP) -- With a federal indictment in place, state charges will be dismissed against two Egyptian-born students who were stopped last month with what authorities said were pipe bombs, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

"I plan to dismiss the charges in favor of federal prosecution," said Scarlett Wilson, state prosecutor for Charleston and Berkeley counties.

Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed, 24, and Yousef Samir Megahed, 21, both students at the University of South Florida in Tampa, were arrested on state charges of possession of an explosive device following an Aug. 5 traffic stop in Goose Creek.

[coconutt2000]

The ACLU demands to know why these students privacy rights were violated, and that all the evidence obtained should be thrown out.

Okay, so far as I know, the ACLU hasn’t said anything, but sadly, it is something you an definitely see them defending.

[vetsvette]

But, of course, the Feds originally could see no reason to investigate Ahmed Abda Sherf Mohamed and Yousef Samir Megahed for possessing bombs near military bases because they could identify not a single reason to suspect terrorist connections or intent.

Now, if they had been named Joe Smith and Jim Jones, they might have caught on.

In any case, I’m not confident that the Feds will follow through lest CAIR get upset over profiling of Islamic fanatics.

[USNBandit]

The men told police they had fireworks in the car and were driving through the area to vacation at a North Carolina beach

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One thing that hasn't been explained is why these two upstanding citizens were stopped on Hwy 176 in the first place if they were going to the beach in N.C

They are pretty far off the beaten path for the beaches in NC. If they were stopping in Charleston for something one would wonder why they didn't take the interstate, which would be much quicker.

There story doesn't add up.

[USNBandit]

Sorry wrong there. Should be Their story doesn’t add up.

[bajabaja]

Missing from this story is what is reported elsewhere. One of these young pranksters was brought up on terrorism charges in Egypt. Yet he is in this country and happens, just by mere coincidence, to have explosives in his vehicle near a military installation. No mention of the laptop the two had in their car at the time of the roadside arrest. And of course, no mention of what someone brought up on terrorism charges in another country is doing at a US university. Coincidence?

[El Gato]

The indictment also charges that:

AHMED ABDELLATIF SHERIF MOHAMED
, the defendant herein, did teach and demonstrate the making and use of an explosive and destructive device and distribute by any means, information pertaining to, in whole and in part, the manufacture of a destructive device and did distribute by any means information pertaining to, in whole and in part, the manufacture and use of an explosive and destructive device, with the intent that such teaching, demonstration, and information be used for, and in the furtherance of, an activity that constitutes a federal crime of violence, to wit: a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339A.

Section 2339A is entitled "Providing Material Support to Terrorists".

§ 2339A. Providing material support to terrorists

(a) Offense.— Whoever provides material support or resources or conceals or disguises the nature, location, source, or ownership of material support or resources, knowing or intending that they are to be used in preparation for, or in carrying out, a violation of section 32, 37, 81, 175, 229, 351, 831, 842 (m) or (n), 844 (f) or (i), 930 (c), 956, 1114, 1116, 1203, 1361, 1362, 1363, 1366, 1751, 1992, 1993, 2155, 2156, 2280, 2281, 2332, 2332a, 2332b, 2332f, or 2340A of this title, section 236 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2284), section 46502 or 60123 (b) of title 49, or any offense listed in section 2332b (g)(5)(B) (except for sections 2339A and 2339B) or in preparation for, or in carrying out, the concealment of an escape from the commission of any such violation, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both, and, if the death of any person results, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life. A violation of this section may be prosecuted in any Federal judicial district in which the underlying offense was committed, or in any other Federal judicial district as provided by law.

(b) Definitions.— As used in this section— (1) the term “material support or resources” means any property, tangible or intangible, or service, including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safehouses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel (1 or more individuals who may be or include oneself), and transportation, except medicine or religious materials; (2) the term “training” means instruction or teaching designed to impart a specific skill, as opposed to general knowledge; and (3) the term “expert advice or assistance” means advice or assistance derived from scientific, technical or other specialized knowledge.

[tutstar]

poing....

[SC Swamp Fox]

South Carolina Ping

Add me to the list. | Remove me from the list.

[STARWISE]

OK! What’s eventually revealed about what they were actually planning is going to be really interesting. I just want them and their ilk GONE.

[SE Mom]

Curiouser...and curiouser.

[nicmarlo]

What’s eventually revealed about what they were actually planning is going to be really interesting. I just want them and their ilk GONE.

Agreed!! Thanks for the ping, Starwise. BumPing!!

[yorkie]

Thanks for the ping! If ‘someone’ posts bail for these two creeps, and they carry through with their ‘alleged’ intent, there’s going to be a lot of explainin’ to do.

How did they get into this country, anyway? Oh. I forgot. We never closed our border when we initiated the WOT.

[RipSawyer]

OK! What’s eventually revealed about what they were actually planning is going to be really interesting. I just want them and their ilk GONE.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Nonsense, they should be welcomed! We have an ever growing population of alligators in South Carolina and they have to eat something!

[Cindy]

Thank you STARWISE for the ping.

#

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1890027/posts?page=201#201

[nicmarlo]

What WOT??? /s

[yorkie]

;-)

[Law is not justice but process]

I have this gut feeling that we are seeing security probing by some terrorist organization, and that it is all leading up to a major assault on U.S. military personnel and dependents on and near U.S. bases worldwide. This case in Goose Creek was just a few miles from the Naval Weapons Station and Goose Creek is home to many USN personnel. They were heading away from the NWS at the time of arrest, but the GPS may well show they drove through it. That could explain the terrorism charges the feds brought and the transfer of the defendants to the USN Consolidated Brig in Hanahan SC (my home town, BTW). The housing and shopping areas of the base are not secure (as the weapons and training areas are), so it is a “soft” military target.

When I saw this article on my ping list, I also saw this one: “Back-to-School Bomb Threats: At Least 13 U.S. Universities Targeted.” One of these bomb threats had just happened at Clemson when I was there for the game Monday evening. Clemson, like just about every other major university in the U.S., has three active ROTC programs on campus (USN/USMC, USAF, and USA). Another soft U.S. military target. These calls may be pranks, or they may either be probes of our security response or “cries of wolf” to make people less likely to respond properly due to threat fatigue. They may also be a ruse to deflect security officers from the location of a real potential attack to the location of a “red herring” threat.

Finally, I wake up this morning and read of a busted terror plot in Germany near Ramstein Air Force Base. This, also, is a place where there are many U.S. military personnel and dependents, often in “soft target” areas.

I expect the terror threat level to go to Red any time now. Something big is planned for September 11, 2007. I would guess it will be a coordinated series of bombings (suicide, car, roadside, etc.) in the military personnel and dependent areas of various U.S. military bases worldwide.

Any military personnel or families out there better be on your toes next Wednesday.

[Law is not justice but process]

“Any military personnel or families out there better be on your toes next Wednesday”

SORRY. Poor piece of calendar reading on my part. September 11, 2007, is next TUESDAY.