'Bring it down' was about a car, students' lawyer says (Florida-Georgia "terrorist hoax")

CNN ^ | September 15, 2002 Posted: 8:49 PM EDT (0049 GMT) | no byline

[weegee]

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A car, not a building, was what three Muslim medical students were talking about "bringing down" in a restaurant conversation that triggered the daylong closure of a Florida highway, lawyers for the students said Sunday.

"Our conversation at Shoney's had nothing to do with terrorism or 9/11 or 9/13," said Kambiz Butt, one of the three students. "We were basically sitting down having a regular conversation about our trip, the experience we were about to face in Miami, we were talking about school and friends."

[weegee]

1 would be "enough" to bring a car down to Florida, I should think.

The email campaign to the university was not inspired over "hatred" of the "terrorists" but rather their attitude through the whole situation. I did not write any email to the school but I did see comments from other posters indicating that they would raise issue with the students.

They've gone from calling her a "liar" (and their family members calling her a "racist") to backing down and saying that she was doing what she thought was right.

[drlevy88]

To be a fly on the wall of their attorneys' office right now. Surely they know that they don't need to volunteer any information at all (5th amendment)???

[Ruth A.]

All this informatin is coming out later, rather than sooner. That in itself dilutes credibility and good will.

[Ruth A.]

BTW, I thought it was supposed to be a 3 day conference. Kind of late to think of bringing a car down, it seems.

[weegee]

One of the lawyers sez that the full story will come out in a couple of days. How long do we have to wait? A week after the initial incident?

[kcvl]

They're still working on the story. lol!

CNN didn't report the truth either...SURPIRSE!

Eunice Stone, said she was certain that meant the men wanted "to blow up something."

She NEVER said that "she was certain" of anything.

[Bobby777]

here's my take on what happened ... from what I've read and seen (this is a guess of course) ... they were probably getting some looks ... as they have since 9/11 ... they probably decided to "mess with" people nearby ... not a smart choice ... since they picked the wrong lady to mess with ...

I 'spect the boys will be a lot more careful what they talk about in the future ... and any terrorists will stay a loooooong ways away from them because they have highlighted themselves ...

if they were potential terrorists ... haha ... if they weren't but thought they were being funny, they picked the wrong subject in the wrong country at the wrong time ... we won't allow dancing in the street in this country ... (well, maybe in Berkeley, *they* would allow it ...)

[kcvl]

I think you have the real story solved. I don't think they expected Eunice to stand up to them either. Moral of the story... don't mess with Southern women! lol!

[Bobby777]

yeah ... I think that's why the story went from a "misunderstanding" to a "joke" to now a "car" ... since they now realize that given their background, a "joke" is potentially very bad ... especially in Florida ... duh ...

[piasa]

It takes tiome to make up a lie which will hold up in court and which will make hay for CAIR.

[Ulysses]

Yeah, which is it, guys? First, you said Ms. Stone was lying. Now you say it was a misunderstanding? Hmmm...methinks there's a little more than meets the eye to this story after all.

[kcvl]

If they had ONLY said "I'm sorry"! That would have gone a LONG way to getting this over. I don't think we're in the MOOD for a bunch of LIES! They must think that we are all stupid enough to believe that crap. Four lawyers and two days later they come up with this excuse. I don't think so...

[weegee]

So let's see them produce this other car. Or have they decided against having it sent down now? Yes I realize that they can get any friend to bring down any car, but who would surrender their vehicle for a week or more to support the story if false?

[PaulJ]

Well, the students' whole story smells.
First they claim they didn't say anything at all like what Ms. Stone reported. Now they say they did say, "bring it down", meaning a car. (And , by the way, who says, "I have contacts" ? Wouldn't you say, "I have friends", or "I know someone"?)

Then they also claimed that both cars paid the toll. It has since been confirmed that the first car actually did not. So they lied about that as well.

I believe they are snot nosed punks who attempted to scare the woman, felt no need to pay tolls and received treatment that they brought on themselves and rightly deserved. I just hope they learned their lesson.

[dennisw]

They have a lawyer now and can co-ordinate their stories. It's their word against her and maybe hers son's. And why has the son been silent? It's a new ballgame and the wannabe med students are on the offensive.

My opinion is they played with the woman's mind and are culpable for the whole chain of events.

[snippy_about_it]

I'm not buying this story. I was going to discuss why but I really don't want to give them any help as they make up the rest.

[kcvl]

Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, DC 20003

Tel: 202-488-8787
Fax: 202-488-0833
Email: cair@cair-net.org

[dread78645]

I thought it was supposed to be a 3 day conference.

My understanding was a 9 week semester w/ hands-on clinical training.

But I still think this story needs to cook some more; If you know what I mean ?

[GRRRRR]

On FOX, they told us the three fellas were going to attend a 9 week internship...

[dennisw]

Next step CAIR will be bullying the hospital in Miami to take them on as originally planned