Posted on 10/11/2007 10:42:34 AM PDT by Squidpup
Ramzi Yousef, the mastermind of the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, claims he converted from Islam to Christianity, Scott Pelley reports in a story that brings viewers inside the secretive "Supermax" prison where he is being held. Pelley also reports that some 900 force feedings were performed on other al-Qaeda terrorists who went on repeated hunger strikes to protest conditions at the Colorado top-security federal prison. The 60 MINUTES segment will be broadcast Sunday Oct. 14 (7:30-9:00 PM, ET/7:00-9:00 PM, PT) on the CBS Television Network.
The prison in Florence, Colo., which the government calls ADX-Florence for Administrative Maximum, houses the nation's toughest and most infamous criminals, such as Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph, would-be 9/11 terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui, Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols and shoe bomber Richard Reid. 60 MINUTES obtained exclusive footage of prisoners inside the facility, where special-case prisoners are allowed only a phone call a month, spend 23 hours a day in their 12-by-7 cells and can get mail only from people approved by the prison.
Robert Hood, its warden from 2002 to 2005, says Yousef was a special case. He never left his cell because he did not want to face the indignity of a strip search required for recreation. "He has that Charlie Manson look," says Hood of Yousef. "He has some charisma about him. He's in [prison] uniform, but you know that there's a powerful person you're looking at," Hood says. Told that Yousef has begun leaving his cell and now claims to be a Christian, Hood says, "He's playing a game with someone. If he's doing that, he's doing it for the reaction....He is the real deal," he tells Pelley. As a Muslim, Yousef prayed almost every hour, remembers Hood.
Other Qaeda terrorists protested the special conditions with hunger strikes that Hood had to end with force feedings. "I probably...authorized, conducted 350, maybe 400 involuntary feedings," recalls Hood. "You could have one person, three meals a day for...two months."
Pelley also speaks with a corrections officer inside ADX-Florence, who tells him what she heard on 9/11 after terrorist prisoners saw the destruction on their televisions. "We had a lot of them jump up and down. ...scream and yell and clap and they were very excited," says Barbara Batulis, who heads the prison's staff union. She also characterizes the Muslim extremists as needy. "They want more than what they have coming," she says. "They want extra toilet paper...writing paper...extra envelopes and if you can't give them, they want to see a supervisor right then and there."
Batulis would rather work among the other prisoners because she is female. "It's very obvious, [Muslim extremists] just look at you with sheer disdain." Hate can turn into threats. "A terrorist inmate threatened to kill my family, because I was doing my job," Batulis tells Pelley. Batulis says the prison needs more officers. "...We are very short staffed. I firmly believe that staff lives are at stake," she says.
Developing...
Isn’t Robert Hanssen at Supermax? His piety seemed genuine, despite his grievous sins.
The cause of his conversion is ‘JESUS CHRIST’ NO one has the ability to convert/save anyone. It’s only JESUS CHRIST who has that ability. JESUS CHRIST is THE WORD OF GOD
I considered posting on sidebar, but the statement in the title didn’t appear credible enough to me from the story.
That's the real Abdul Basit you're thinking of. Ramsi Yousif assumed Abdul Basit's identity whan he first came to the US from Iraq to help set up the first WTC attack.
We know he was not Abdul Basit. Abdul Basit is probably dead. Abdul Basit's identity was most likely set up for Yousif by the Saddam Hussein government.
I am not sure we actually know this man's real name. It may not be Ramsi Yousif.
Now torture him for all he knows and give him a hot-needle for his penance.
That’s a big deal if true.
I'm filing under the not-so-blind pig denying his faith - lying - for the sole purpose of protecting his own ass. Lying and Islam have a very close relationship.
In china under Mao they just killed Islam’s leaders and anyone that taught their religion. Then in the late 70’s they dropped that policy and are back doing it again with long prison sentences this time or death starting last year I think.
What’s next - writing childrens books like the Tookster?
In china under Mao they just killed Islam’s leaders and anyone that taught their religion.
Never heard that before. I know China has treated drug dealers this way - must not have CCLU (Chinese Civil Liberties Union) LOL.
More details please
Many muslims today are converting to Christianity....many muslims are giving testimonies of visions and dreams where Jesus Christ has appeared to them and they've received salvation through these visions and dreams. One man had visitations for a year from Jesus Christ. When he finally went to an underground Church he knew more about Christianity than all those attending church including the pastor.
At first, I was tempted to take this line of thought. Upon reflection, it's not my place. Only Christ can know what is in his heart, and it's not my place to question something of this magnitude.
If he has converted, well, good for him. if he is lying, and continues to lie, his destination hasn't changed one iota; no matter what happens from this point forward.
Not a bad idea!
Throw some holy water on him and see what happens. Also, send in the Jehovah Witnesses, because we don’t like this clown anyway.
A friend of mine used to work for immigration. She told me Muslims would lie to her even when they didn’t have to.
Basically China does allow peaceful religious groups to practice through a license that they must obtain. But those are very watered down forms of Islam and they are not considered ‘true Islam.’
From the late 70's up until last year(I think) China has been appeasing Radical Islam and even working with them in many things.
Many of the ‘true’ believers of Islam have left China, but there is a fight once again in China against those that practice Islam without a license.
Exactly. If true good for him. He still needs to be punished for his crimes, though. If not, then that’s just on more thing he’ll have to answer for.
I find this very hard to believe. But...if it’s true, great. He will, however, still need to face his earthly penalty. Which I shamefully hope is slow and painful.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.