Ohio trucker joined al Qaeda jihad

CNN.com (OLD ARTICLE) ^ | June 19, 2003 | N/A

[doctorhugo]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Ohio trucker has admitted to helping plan al Qaeda attacks in the United States after meeting terror chief Osama bin Laden at an Afghanistan terror training camp.

Iyman Faris, 34, checked out the chances of destroying a New York bridge and tried to buy equipment for proposed al Qaeda attacks while appearing to be a law-abiding trucker, according to documents unsealed Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Virginia.

Faris pleaded guilty May 1 to providing material support to al Qaeda and to conspiring to do so, according to the documents. The charges together carry as much as 20 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.

Sources told CNN that al Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is in U.S. custody, told his interrogators the target was the 116-year-old Brooklyn Bridge.

New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told reporters that Faris is believed to have received instructions directly from senior al Qaeda leaders, including Shaikh Mohammed.

Born in Kashmir in June 1969, Faris entered the United States in May 1994 and became a U.S. citizen in December 1999, working as a truck driver from his home in Columbus, Ohio.

"On any given day, Iyman Faris appeared to be a hard-working, independent truck driver," Attorney General John Ashcroft told a news conference Thursday. "But Faris led a secret double life."

Ashcroft said: "[Faris] worked in concert with al Qaeda, our enemies, to plot potential attacks against America and our citizens here in his adopted homeland."

[doctorhugo]

IMPORTANT: This is admittedly an old piece of news; however, I've pulled it up as it pertains to what the President and Justice Dept are now engaged in doing, which is the very best they can at protecting this country against terrorists.

Despite the alarm raised by those of ulterior and some of sincere motivation this indicates that al qaeda is knowledgeable enough to exploit our weaknesses and one of them is our inherent concern for constitutional protection in all things.

If you cut and paste the source of this article, http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/06/19/alqaeda.plea/ , into your browser window and read the entire article it will become obvious that the selective tapping of international phone calls by American citizens or not when made to known contact numbers for terrorists is mandatory for our protection. This is just one instance I had recalled and researched to bring up and make that point. There are THOSE SELECTIVE INSTANCES when the FISA restrictions/time concerns to process such requests, make going around it MANDATORY and in the best interest of our national security. We cannot fall into the trap of allowing constitutional what if? and maybe... concerns to jeopardize that security. It's a fine line we must walk, but walk it we must understand is what MUST be done.

YOU'VE GOT TO ASK YOURSELF...Why did he go to the trouble to obtain US citizenship? ANSWER: To hide behind OUR CONSTITUTION FOR PROTECTION!

[frogjerk]

You mean this:

In communications to al Qaeda, Faris was told to refer to gas cutters, which would be used to burn through the bridge cables, as "gas stations" and tools for the derailing as "mechanics shops."

Faris researched the bridge on the Internet and asked a friend about how to obtain the gas cutters. He also traveled to New York to check out the bridge and evaluate the chances of a successful attack.

In coded messages, sent to his al Qaeda handlers via an unnamed third party in the United States, Faris said he was still trying to obtain "gas stations" and "mechanics shops" -- or he was still working on the project.

[RichInOC]

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!...
"I don't give a damn for the whole Great Satan,
"The whole Great Satan,
"The whole Great Satan,
"I don't give a damn for the whole Great Satan,
"I'm from O-Hi-O.

"I'm from O-Hi-O (O! H!),
"I'm from O-Hi-O (I! OHHHHHHHHHHHHH!)...
"I don't give a damn for the whole Great Satan,
"The whole Great Satan,
"The whole Great Satan,
"I don't give a damn for the whole Great Satan,
"I'm from O-Hi-OOOOOOOOO!!!"

[wallcrawlr]

thanks for researching this:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/wonkette/20051227/en_wonkette/becarefulwhatyouwishfor

In the wake of the disclosure that the Bush administration had been conducting surveillance on American citizens without legal authority, defenders of the practice actually had one plank in its argument that wasn't spurious on its face. Rolling the dice that no with standing would try, they shrugged and said, "So sue us!"

Well, as luck would have it, the only known-by-name target of the extralegal wiretap program, Iyman Faris, is reported to be considering taking the President to court.

Faris, who pled guilty to working with al-Qaeda in a plot to destroy the Brooklyn Bridge in October 2003, is lawyer-shopping with the help of his criminal defense attorney in the hopes he may get his charges overturned.

[yldstrk]

Stupid slob.

[norraad]

Stupid slob!

Good title, most of these animals seems to be just that.

[txhurl]

Overturned.

Speechless here

[theDentist]

No soap-on-a-rope for you!

[armydawg1]

Is there no possibility in this country of being charged with treason?

[doctorhugo]

Hang on to your hat! The last case of treason brought to court in the US was 56..count 'em..FIFTY- SIX years ago. One would think that a law with a rather straightforward definition and the only law set down and documented in our constitution would carry more weight with our courts.

Apparently not!

[doctorhugo]

I'll give 8 to 5 that Ramsey Clark offers to become part of his legal team. Your follow-up information indicates just how far the lefties have corrupted the meaning of "individual rights".

[doctorhugo]

You bet! I mean precisely that. This is one of many cases that shows how wrong those are that criticize Bush's efforts. Even if you confront them with this the left-leaning weenies squirm and weasel their way out of accepting responsibility for what is ongoing here. After all, that's what they are all about:

ALL RIGHTS, NO RESPONSIBILITIES

[Cementjungle]

I hope there weren't any wiretaps involved, otherwise the MSM will have a new poster boy "victim".

[ridesthemiles]

Overturned???

I will overturn things for him at the end of my shotgun.

[doctorhugo]

Here's the Happy Bast__d today, having been informed that his lawyer has sent out an all-points bulletin looking for liberal, shyster lawyers and constitutional scholars to join in a suit against President Bush!

THANKS RATS!

There's somethin' bad rotten in this country and it's spelled d-e-m-o-n-RATS

[festus]

Shouldn't having met with Osama and not have informed the US FBI/CIA/DIA etc. either before or immediately after be punishable by death ?

[doctorhugo]

Guess you'd have to get the politicians to remake some laws a bit more specific. LOTS 'O LUCK! Generally speaking, they are part of the problem and don't appear to want to be part of the solution.

[Czar]

Some people just need killin'...

[doctorhugo]

TRUE! It struck me as I looked at that basta_d's smiling face that a well-placed 230gr Hollowpoint .45ACP round with an entry point of the middle of that mustache would instantly convert the smiling hairy head to a...

BIG HAIRY HOLE!

[Jet Jaguar]

Good post.