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British pair arrested in U.S. on terror charges over Twitter jokes
Mail Online ^ | 30th January 2012 | Richard Hartley-Parkinson

Posted on 01/30/2012 11:40:27 AM PST by billybudd

Two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'.

Leigh Van Bryan, 26, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting.

The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?'

After making their way through passport control at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) last Monday afternoon the pair were detained by armed guards.

Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated.

Leigh was also quizzed about another tweet which quoted hit US comedy Family Guy which read: '3 weeks today, we're totally in LA p****** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up!

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: british; britishterrorists; marilynmonroe; terrorism; tweets; twitter
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To: WayneS

After hours at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, KS. I shared with some baboons and the ungrateful bass-turds refused to join-in when I began singing the national anthem.
In fact they bared their teeth at me. Disloyal apes. I regret not reporting them to the proper authorities.


21 posted on 01/30/2012 12:20:48 PM PST by tumblindice ("ghetto masses" Cloward-Piven)
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To: billybudd

Well, my buddy’s being doing it right. He tweets everytime “Obama is a douchebag” but at least he doesn’t tweet “I hope Obama d***”.


22 posted on 01/30/2012 12:23:23 PM PST by max americana (Buttcrack Obama is an idiot)
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To: WMarshal

wonder what the Israel Border Police would do if they showed up at Ben Gurion having tweeted about “destroying Israel”. I think it would result in a similar fate befalling these two genii.


23 posted on 01/30/2012 12:25:40 PM PST by RitchieAprile
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To: DustyMoment

Spoken like a good German.


24 posted on 01/30/2012 12:26:47 PM PST by achilles2000 ("I'll agree to save the whales as long as we can deport the liberals")
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To: DustyMoment

I’m thrilled that two stupid, snarky, low-brow Brits got nailed for humorlessly tweeting “I’m going to destroy America.” Apparently, “destroy” is slang for “having a good time” and the brats are annoyed that no one at Homeland Security understood that or knew much about the sitcom “Family Guy.” And they say American teens are dumb!


25 posted on 01/30/2012 12:27:05 PM PST by miss marmelstein
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To: DustyMoment
So, Sheriff, if a bunch of cowboys want to "paint the town red", you're going to arrest them for conspiracy to vandalize public property?

What nonsensical wusses we've become in this country.

26 posted on 01/30/2012 12:28:51 PM PST by AnTiw1
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To: billybudd

I am utterly amazed at how many Freepers are making light of this. People who have no qualms supporting our best and finest to fight and die for our right to say what we please, have no problem with people getting thrown in jail by an ever freedom-encroaching and tyrannical Administration over a harmless tweet.

We should be throwing in jail the real people that are now actively and truly DESTROYING this country who actually LIVE HERE and call themselves AMERICAN CITIZENS!!!


27 posted on 01/30/2012 12:33:46 PM PST by LibFreeUSA (Pick Your Poison)
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To: billybudd

He should have some funny stories to tell his buddies at home about his trip to America.

“...and then this big burly dude with TSA says, ‘Bend over and spread, funny man.’ Then I got to spend some time with an Engish speaking Mexican who had been framed for smuggling heroin in to the US via his digestive track....”


28 posted on 01/30/2012 12:34:38 PM PST by Tenacious 1
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To: LibFreeUSA

And how were the agents to know the tweet was “harmless”? Did you read the article that has photos of the tweet? Didn’t look particularly harmless to me. In fact, it looked ominous.

Most freepers were thrilled that Alec Baldwin got arrested for not turning off his cell phone on a plane but these two brats are innocent victims?! Get real.


29 posted on 01/30/2012 12:42:55 PM PST by miss marmelstein
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To: billybudd

All your Tweets are belong to us!


30 posted on 01/30/2012 12:43:30 PM PST by TexasCajun
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To: billybudd

They should have said that they were Muslims and that they were being discriminated against.

Like the Secret Service, DHS does not have a sense of humor.

What bothers me is how an obscure Twitter post (what exactly is the purpose of Twitter?) was flagged and connected to these two. So, I assume every communication including phone calls are being examined by the NSA’s colossal computer network??? Rather scary.


31 posted on 01/30/2012 12:44:53 PM PST by Lx (Do you like it, do you like it. Scott? I call it Mr. and Mrs. Tennerman chili.)
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To: LibFreeUSA

Totally agree. Chilling. I would say more but who knows, on my next flight back home I may get detained and disappear.


32 posted on 01/30/2012 12:49:59 PM PST by ccc_jr (Don't Tread on Me)
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To: LibFreeUSA

Totally agree. Chilling. I would say more but who knows, on my next flight back home I may get detained and disappear.


33 posted on 01/30/2012 12:50:32 PM PST by ccc_jr (Don't Tread on Me)
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To: miss marmelstein
-"And how were the agents to know the tweet was “harmless”? Did you read the article that has photos of the tweet? Didn’t look particularly harmless to me. In fact, it looked ominous. Most freepers were thrilled that Alec Baldwin got arrested for not turning off his cell phone on a plane but these two brats are innocent victims?! Get real."

I will not hold back on this. Not one minute. This issue is too important. If this is not important, then nothing else is, because it goes to the core of our ability to survive in our country - BASIC FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION! Go to CUBA and see how well they're doing! So, I don't give a crap who I 'offend'.

Get Real???

You get real. I know law enforcement. They have untold data base from which to gather information to quickly validate any threat or potential threat from any individual. Your comments show your complete lack of understanding of law-enforcement. So, best to comment - but please comment INTELLIGENTLY, or else you do more harm than good to the cause.

34 posted on 01/30/2012 1:14:44 PM PST by LibFreeUSA (Pick Your Poison)
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To: miss marmelstein
-"Most freepers were thrilled that Alec Baldwin got arrested for not turning off his cell phone on a plane but these two brats are innocent victims?!"

Two completely different issues. One has to do with "speech" and one has to do with "technical" operation of the aircraft to avoid any disruption in communications that may jeopardized the safety of the aircraft. If you don't know the difference between the two issues, then our country is in much worse shape than I even want to imagine, because thinking like yours is going to embolden the government into encroaching on our freedoms even more.

35 posted on 01/30/2012 1:19:59 PM PST by LibFreeUSA (Pick Your Poison)
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To: LibFreeUSA

Oh, calm down. 2 brats from England get nailed and you’re ready to go to war. The brats were thrown in jail for less than 24 hours and sent packing to England. We haven’t exactly turned into Iran.

I still don’t think you’ve read the original article. Not that you would change your mind, I fear...


36 posted on 01/30/2012 1:22:22 PM PST by miss marmelstein
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To: billybudd

They said that they were searched for shovels? This sounds bogus, since Marilyn Monroe is in a crypt. I’m sure the DHS would know that.


37 posted on 01/30/2012 1:23:11 PM PST by World'sGoneInsane
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To: LibFreeUSA

So, you think that the tweet “I’m going to destroy America,” isn’t a red flag?

Why do I think if that brat had committed an evil act on American soil (or within the aircraft), you’d be the first to complain?

And no need to get personal.


38 posted on 01/30/2012 1:28:14 PM PST by miss marmelstein
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To: AnTiw1
So, Sheriff, if a bunch of cowboys want to "paint the town red", you're going to arrest them for conspiracy to vandalize public property?

Not me, but someone will.

What nonsensical wusses we've become in this country.

I agree. But this is the state that we have allowed our LEGISLATORS to create for us!! It isn't MY idea, it is the Congress, the DHS and the Terrorists who have brought this upon us. It also Norman Minetta who was Bush 43's Transportation Secretary and decreed that we would NOT profile the people who want to kill us!!

Thank all of them.

39 posted on 01/30/2012 1:35:01 PM PST by DustyMoment (Congress - Another name for white collar criminals!!)
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To: billybudd

If this is a warning as to what will merit a homeland security detention, we are all screwed. The Gestapo is upon us.


40 posted on 01/30/2012 1:35:58 PM PST by JimSEA
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