Posted on 08/10/2006 9:12:57 AM PDT by WmShirerAdmirer
Airport security information and airline manifests were among the items seized from two Michigan men arrested Tuesday in Marietta, now being held on felony terrorism charges.
Federal authorities were working Wednesday evening to determine the significance of the documents.
“We also found instructions detailing how to access certain airline databases,” said Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks. “We passed all that information along to the FBI, and they’re reviewing it as we speak.”
Although the findings have caused authorities some concern, the documents do not relate to terrorism charges filed Wednesday in Marietta Municipal Court against Osama Sabhi Abulhassan, 20, and Ali Houssaiky, 20, both of Dearborn, Mich. Those charges surround the purchase of TracFones the men were said to be buying in bulk across the mid-Atlantic states.
Authorities say terrorist groups are illegally modifying the pre-paid cell phones to place untraceable international calls. Microchips in some of the phones are being shipped overseas for the production of roadside bombs.
The men were arrested Tuesday after purchasing several phones at a Marietta business. Police said employees at the store called and reported being concerned by the suspicious purchase and the demeanor of the men. Officers responded and stopped Abulhassan and Houssaiky after observing a minor traffic violation, according to court records.
A search of their vehicle led to the discovery of several phones and more than $11,000 in cash.
Mincks said the men first told police the phones were for a family construction business. He said Abulhassan and Houssaiky later admitted they were taking the microchips from the phones and selling them to an individual in Dearborn. That individual, whose name was not released, is the target of an ongoing FBI terrorist investigation, Mincks said.
Dearborn is a known location of several terrorist cells and most recently has been the site of rallies in support of the Islamic terrorist group, Hezbollah.
A Dearborn police sergeant said he was not aware of any reports or investigations surrounding TracFones.
According to court records, this is the first time the men have been charged with a serious crime.
Mincks said Abulhassan and Houssaiky admitted to buying more than 600 of the phones in Ohio over the past few weeks.
In their vehicle were maps detailing the location of stores where the phones can be purchased from Michigan, through Ohio and as far south as the Carolinas.
Each phone costs about $20.
“We know these cell phone chips are being used as a means for detonating roadside bombs and that people from Dearborn, Mich., are coming to this area to buy them,” Mincks said. “They’ve bought between 600 and 1,000 of these phones and they’ve giving phony names, had people poised as lookouts at businesses when they were buying them, and were evasive and lied when they were questioned about it by our officers. I think we can say for certain that something isn’t exactly right.”
Abulhassan and Houssaiky are being held in the Washington County Jail on $200,000 bond, each charged with fourth-degree felony money laundering in support of terrorism. A bond hearing and arraignment is scheduled for 1 p.m. today in Marietta Municipal Court.
Each man faces up to 18 months in jail and $5,000 in fines, if convicted.
During an initial court appearance Wednesday, Abulhassan was made aware of the terrorism charges. Initially, the men were only being held on misdemeanor charges of obstructing official business. Those charges were dismissed when the felonies were filed.
“I was told I was being held on obstruction,” Abulhassan said. “Is there a bond?”
Houssaiky had already been served with the new charges by the time he appeared. He briefly answered questions about his legal residence and education, and did not question the new charges.
The men have been held separately since their 2 p.m. Tuesday arrest.
Both men claimed to be life-long residents of Michigan and said they are enrolled in college. Abulhassan said he is a junior at the University of Michigan and Houssaiky claimed to be a student at Wayne State University.
Assistant Washington County Prosecutor Susan Vessels called the men flight risks and asked Dyar-Welch to set a high bond.
“These men are linked to terrorist activity and are an extreme flight risk,” Vessels argued. “I would ask bond be set at $1 million. Ideally, the state would prefer no bond be issued.”
Vessels declined to elaborate further on her terror allegations, saying her case is still in its infancy.
Marietta Municipal Court Judge Janet Dyar-Welch said she would revisit bond at today’s hearing and that she expected more evidence from the state in order to keep a higher bond set in the case.
Abulhassan and Houssaiky each requested the court-appointed public defenders.
Brad Bauer, bbauer@mariettatimes.com
That's pretty dumb.
They could have just bought the microchips in China and cut out the middleman.
When does the next flight leave for Guantanemo?
My sentiments exactly. Put them in Gitmo.
Put anyone, especially the ACLU legal rep, who asks question pertaining to them, in Gitmo and throw away the key.
Great! And 9/11 pilots went to colleges too....to learn to fly the big ones.
Have y'all seen this? Osama Sabhi Abulhassan was once lauded as an All American Boy Next Door.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681225/posts
"Each man faces up to 18 months in jail and $5,000 in fines, if convicted."
This is b*llsh*t. These guys are buying phones that are going to be used to set off IEDs in Iraq, and they are looking at 18 months and a fine? And they are 20 years old, with at least another 30 good years of jihadism ahead of them? B*LLSH*T! We need to start declaring these people "illegal combatants" and subjecting them to whatever tribunals we decide to come up with and penalizing them with death by firing squad. England too. Israel especially. We need to take Robocop as our model: "I'm not arresting you anymore."
Cool screen name btw Admirer!
May God forgive me for the evil ideas I have running through my mind right now...
Is there an update on the judge's decision to raise or not raise the bond. Sounds like these home grown terrorists are just waiting for the bond to be set and they're outta here never to been seen again.
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