Marines On Unexcused Leave Accused Of Plotting To Use Bomb At Camp Lejeune

WRAL-TV ^ | February 9, 2003 | WRAL/AP

[mykdsmom]

TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. -- Two Marines on unexcused leave from Camp Lejeune, N.C., were in a Pennsylvania jail Saturday night, accused of threatening to use a bomb at Camp Lejeune.

According to Pennsylvania State police, the Marines and a third person downloaded bomb-making information from the Internet and threatened to use the explosives at the base.

[mykdsmom]

NC Ping!

[wimpycat]

I doubt they could have set off a bomb on base, but they could have set off a bomb in Jacksonville in a busy area frequented by Marines and their families.

It will be interesting to see what the ideological motivation is behind these morons' plot.

[wimpycat]

This is eery! I had found the article on WRAL and was doing a FR search in preparation of posting the article myself, and you were just a few minutes ahead of me!

[genefromjersey]

Can you say BRIG TIME - BIG TIME ???

[OldFriend]

I am rather sickened by the fact that the person reporting on the arrests NAMED the person who turned them in.

For the safety of that person, it is my opinion, no name should have been given until it is clear they were acting alone.

[wimpycat]

Here is an article from the Jacksonville Daily News. I'm thinking this isn't related to Islamic terrorism.

Three held in Lejeune bomb threat
By STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Two men thought to be disgruntled Camp Lejeune Marines and a Richlands woman were arrested by Pennsylvania state police Saturday on charges they planned to make a bomb and explode it on base.

According to a press release issued Saturday by state police in Tunkhannock, Pa., about 135 miles northwest of Philadelphia, the three downloaded bomb-making information from the Internet and threatened to use the explosives at Camp Lejeune.

A witness contacted police about the plan.

“A concerned citizen came to us with information that these things were being talked about, and ... brought us items that had been printed out (on) how to make various incendiary devices,” Wyoming County District Attorney George Skumanick said.

Richard D. Morrison Jr., 21, of Tunkhannock, Pa., Richard Thomas Medders, 22 of Trussville, Ala., and Janna Rebecca Lynn Smith, 27, of Richlands, were arraigned Saturday on charges of criminal conspiracy to cause or risk a catastrophe, a felony, terroristic threats and bomb threats, both misdemeanors, according to Pennsylvania police. The ranks of the Marines were not available.

Each was being held on $100,000 bond, Skumanick said.

Police said the three remained in custody at the Wyoming County Correctional Center Saturday evening.

A preliminary hearing is set for Feb. 18.

Pennsylvania officials say Morrison and Medders left Camp Lejeune about two weeks ago and were on unexcused leave.

A Camp Lejeune spokesman could not confirm that Saturday.

Staff Sgt. Jay Connolly of the Camp Lejeune public affairs office said he could not determine the men were stationed at Camp Lejeune or even that they are Marines. Connolly said the two did not appear in an initial check of base records.

Further information about the pair’s status with the Marine Corps likely would not be available until Monday, Connolly said.

Skumanick, however, said Pennsylvania police had been in touch with Camp Lejeune officials and had reason to believe the men were stationed there.

Skumanick told The Daily News a relative of one of the men said the two were disgruntled with the Marine Corps and left Camp Lejeune several days ago.

“They were unhappy in the Marine Corps and wanted out of the Marine Corps,” Skumanick said Saturday night. “But obviously it’s not that easy to do.”

Skumanick said police found no bomb-making materials at Morrison’s family home, where the three had been staying since leaving Camp Lejeune. But he said the bombs the three had researched on the Internet could be constructed with household items.

Skumanick said the three might also face federal charges in connection with the incident.

Representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Pennsylvania are scheduled to meet with Wyoming County officials Monday, Skumanick said.

 

[mykdsmom]

It will be interesting to see what the ideological motivation is behind these morons' plot.

When I read something like this I always wonder if Richard Morrison, Richard Medders and Janna Smith are their "pre-conversion" names. The press is SO PC these days I just kind of suspect these things.

MKM

[csvset]

Another Scranton, PA. area "bomb" related news story.

'Bomb' Package at Federal Building Is Pornography

BY DAVID FALCHEK THE SUNDAY TIMES

02/09/2003

With the nation on high alert against a terrorist attack, the discovery of a mysterious package at Scranton's federal courthouse brought out the city's bomb squad and closed several downtown blocks Saturday night.

The package turned out to be harmless.

The briefcase-sized box, wrapped in what appeared to be a green garbage bag and left at the entrance of the William J. Nealon Federal Building in the 200 block of North Washington Avenue, was full of pornographic magazines and videos. A note on the package was addressed to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft.

City police Sgt. Dave Benway found little humor in the act. In fact, he said, a post-Sept. 11 law makes such hoaxes -- "facsimiles of weapons of mass destruction" -- a third-degree felony.

"This has just begun," Sgt. Benway said. "There will be a full investigation and I expect charges will be filed."

Police declined to discuss specifically what the note said, but Sgt. Benway said the note's contents suggested the package was dangerous.

A federal marshal making his rounds outside of the building saw the package just before 5 p.m. near the main door and called the Scranton Police Department. Police initially closed off only the block of North Washington in front of the building.

Members of the bomb crew were hesitant to discuss what they were doing. Sgt. Benway said those who respond to terrorist acts do not want to make their methods or procedures widely known.

Bomb crews examined the package from the inside the building, pointing an X-ray machine through the glass. The X-ray showed metal screws. The screws would later be identified as parts of the videocassettes, but at the time, squad members thought they might have been part of an explosive device.

"We determined we would continue to treat this with the utmost caution," said bomb squad member Robert Martin.

After a decision was made to blow up the package, police broadened the street closure. North Washington was closed from Spruce to Mulberry streets, and Linden Street was closed from Forest Court to Adams Avenue.

"This is not like the movies," said Sgt. Benway. "We don't mess around with blue wires and white wires while a counter is counting down."

A bomb squad member fastened a rope around the box and dragged it down the steps and into the middle of North Washington. A water cannon, which uses a charge and water to tear apart and detonate a potential bomb, was placed under the package.

Law enforcement officials crouched behind vehicles and around building corners. A bomb squad member shouted, "Fire in the hole!" and the package popped in the air, its glossy contents scattering.

Despite the national terrorism alert, bomb squad members said they handled the situation the same way they would have three years ago.

©Scranton Times Tribune 2003

[mykdsmom]

“They were unhappy in the Marine Corps and wanted out of the Marine Corps,” Skumanick said Saturday night. “But obviously it’s not that easy to do.”

Looks like they got their wish. Hopefully they'll spend a LONG time in a cell wishing to be back in the Marines.

MKM

[End Times Sentinel]

I am rather sickened by the fact that the person reporting on the arrests NAMED the person who turned them in.

 

I don't see where the person who turned them in is mentioned in the above article.  There were two (AWOL) marines and a third accomplice, but I think the informer is not referred to by name.

 

Owl_Eagle

”Guns Before Butter.”

[Constitution Day]

Hopefully they'll spend a LONG time in a cell wishing to be back in the Marines.

Where do idiots like this get sent? Leavenworth?

[mykdsmom]

We can only hope.

MKM

[Clay Moore]

"was full of pornographic magazines and videos."

Yea that won't find any DNA evidence on that!

[Movemout]

Unexcused leave? We used call it being AWOL, 29 days later it is called desertion.

[csvset]

A local Scranton TV station, WNEP, stated;

Morrison was turned in by his sister and a friend who had heard them talking about this and then produced for us the items that were downloaded and printed out... about how to make various explosive devices and other incendiaries.

[ErnBatavia]

Unexcused leave? We used call it being AWOL, 29 days later it is called desertion.

And in the 60's (USMC) is was "he's gone over the hill....."'UA'" (Unauthorized Absence)

[null and void]

When I read something like this I always wonder if Richard Morrison, Richard Medders and Janna Smith are their "pre-conversion" names. The press is SO PC these days I just kind of suspect these things.

Me too...

[txradioguy]

These morons will be turning big rocks into little rocks at Leavenworth for a LONG time.