Man in terror scare says woman is lying

CNN ^ | 9-13-02 | Kelli Arena, Kelly Wallace, Susan Candiotti, Mark Potter and Terry Frieden

[bootless]

NAPLES, Florida (CNN) --The Georgia woman who prompted Friday's terror scare was "flat-out lying" when she told authorities she overheard three Muslim men at a restaurant laughing about September 11 and making suspicious comments, one of the men said late Friday.

[CharacterCounts]

I don't want to be their defender. If they were joking, the joke turned out to be on them. However, there is always more to the story than we first hear.

[LADY J]

"This just makes me sick. Sure, a waitress at Shoney's really needs the upheaval in her life."

This woman is a nurse who was having breakfast with her son. She is not a waitress.

But she IS an American Patriot!! God Bless her!!

[NeoCaveman]

They kept them there for 16 hours, blew up there back pack.

They deprived Americans of 16 hours on the I-75 Interstate highway paid for by American's taxpayer's dollars.

They aren't concerned about political correctness and cops don't back off of a case in this manner just to be politically correct.

Until the Feds tell them to be.

[chnsmok]

Wrapping my head in duct tape in case my brain explodes (thank you Glen Beck). Was the lady lying or were they just kidding? Jeez.

[thepitts]

Gheith has a bushy black beard and was wearing traditional Muslim headgear.

If they really don't want to be seen as terrorists they wouldn't dress the part.

[Lucas1]

The woman may be telling the truth. Or maybe not...the facts are though that now it appears that the police were never told by the three men that they were joking. I think it is wrong that the police came out and said that the men said they were joking. When it now appears that never happened. Talk about ruining someones reputation...and like they are going to have a chance to prove themselves innocent. Look at what people are already saying. What if they are innocent? Does it matter anymore...I doubt it. it is kinda scary how easy it is to ruin some of these peoples lives. They are Americans afterall? Correct...that was my understanding.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Is Abu-Gheith in this article rlated to the one in the post above?

“Muslims around the world who struggle in Allah’s path will soon see Sheikh Osama Bin-Laden again,” Abu-Gheith said, adding “the war has only begun.”

[cyncooper]

At the time of their release, authorities called the incident a prank by the men, but officials were backing off that theory a few hours later.

"I think it's premature at this point in time to call it a prank or a hoax," said Carlos Alvarez, the director of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

What to make of this? They didn't have enough to keep holding them, but are not accepting whatever story they got from these three?

[alnick]

Did he say he was joking, or did the news report it was a joke? All of the sudden the authorities decided to back off these three in a big way. I think that is indicative of something.

The media reported that the men claimed to be joking.

There's nothing all of a sudden about releasing the men after holding them for 19 hours. They talked about releasing them for a couple of hours at least before actually releasing them. The authorities announced that this is not the end of this when they released them. They are still investigating, and considering charges against them for their little joke.

[kayak]

I've seen parts of interviews with LEOs ...... and they've maintained that these guys were "uncooperative" from beginning to end ...... and I'm sure they weren't being asked for 16 hours, over and over again, "May we search your car?"

[Utah Girl]

Yes, I would let the police search my car. I have nothing to hide. Was this lady just supposed to ignore those men's remarks? Were the police just supposed to say "Oh sorry to have bothered you" when the men refused to have their car searched? Three of the 911 hijackers received speeding tickets on the morning of 911, one other hijacker was pulled over, he was on a list of some sort, but wasn't checked out thoroughly enough. Sorry, right now, we cooperate with the police in what they have to do. I know some FReepers think that this is a big encroachment on civil liberties, but where do you draw the line. What do you take seriously?

[MacDorcha]

of course, them running straight through the barricade had nothing to say about how guilty they were

[NeoCaveman]

From what I've heard, these men were NOT cooperative with the police. All they had to say was that they were joking, but they didn't.

Of course not. If they had they wouldn't of tied up I-75 for 16 hours, bringing commerce to a hault. Even if joking these son's of Mohammed are terrorists. They disrupted our way of life and are trying to use our right to free speach angainst us.

[Liberty Teeth]

They should get the Jose Padilla treatment for their little prank.

[nopardons]

The " more to the story " , is probably that these young men are either part of a sleeper cell, or that they love and agree with what the terrorists did. They WANTED to be overheard. They WANTED the " EVIL " Americans to be afraid, by what they heard them say.

Give me one GOOD reason why Eunice would make all of this up. What did she have to gain ? Fame ? No one needs that kind of " fame ". Money ? She hasn't gotten one red cent.

[bootless]

No kidding. The best defense is a blatant offense.

Correction: I incorrectly stated that Eunice Stone was a waitress. I was wrong - she is a nurse who was seated in the next booth.

[HangThemHigh]

I don't understand what it is with the cops backing off, but I think if this was a joke or hoax, the men should be liable for expenses for the officials' time and equipment used in the incident. I think the ragheads realized or were told this and changed their story.

[CharacterCounts]

They deprived Americans of 16 hours on the I-75 Interstate highway paid for by American's taxpayer's dollars.

If they were joking, they certainly did. Every cop I know, would look for something to pin on these three just for all of the trouble they caused....if the three said what Eunice said the said.

[bootless]

This woman is a nurse who was having breakfast with her son. She is not a waitress.

Yeah, I know. I just saw that. Thanks. (blush)

[Lucas1]

Well the searching the car thing...goes either way. I don't have a problem with someone letting the police search their car. BUT I see both sides...you would most likely agree with this?

I don't know HOW much they cooroperated...again we don't have the whole story.

We don't know the truth...but I am trying to point out a few things that seems to be lost in all of this. They could be innocent...and it is very easy for someone to just make a call and wham...we see what happens. I do not know if there really is a solution to some of these problems. We are on HIGH alert...so I guess everyone involved should understand? I don't know...again it is a touchy issue. I feel sorry for them if they are innocent. Surely you would agree? Regardless of where they are from...they still have rights. Anyway...let's see what new information comes out.

I agree with another poster...the feds might have told the local police to back off. That could explain A LOT! :)