Terror in Tampa Update: Iraqi Terror Angle

In addition to the following news posted below, let me clarify something a source told me: that Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed were probably not planning to commit acts of terror within the United States, but that they actively helping promote violent jihad outside the US--specifically in Iraq.

Specifically that they were trying to come up with easy ways for would-be jihadis around the world to make bombs. In other words, they were experimenting.

Oh, and did I mention that at least one of the two may have been on his way to Iraq? And not to fight for the good guys......

This SP Times report seems to back that assertion up:

When federal agents searched the men's car, a Toyota Camry registered to Megahed's brother, Yahia Megahed, they found the stuffed pipes wrapped in plastic bags in the trunk alongside a 5-gallon container of gasoline.

Explosives experts categorized the items in the trunk as incomplete pipe bombs, each large enough to blow out windows in a room but not strong enough to destroy a house. Potassium nitrate is a low-grade explosive otherwise used as fertilizer. Kitty litter bound the ingredients while syrup could add fuel....

Agents also found a box of bullets underneath the front passenger seat, where Megahed sat. On a laptop hastily unplugged, agents discovered sites that concerned them, including searches of Qassam rockets, weapons developed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, often made with steel pipe, liquid sugar and potassium nitrate....

In July, Mohamed posted a video on YouTube that explained how to transform a toy remote controlled car into a detonator, Hoffer said. The 12-minute video is narrated by a man speaking Arabic with an Egyptian accent. It shows no face, only hands.

"Mohamed admitted he made and uploaded it," Hoffer said.

The video's narrator says it's meant "to save one who wants to be a martyr for another day in battle," Hoffer said. The narrator also mentions a previous example that used a remote controlled toy boat. Federal agents searched the New Tampa home of Megahed's family and found a remote controlled toy boat, Hoffer said.

Also, it looks like CAIR knows something. They defend Megahed, but...and this may be a first for CAIR....have harsh words for Mohammed.

Ahmed Bedier, director of the Central Florida office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, was quick to distinguish between Megahed and Mohamed.

"It's obvious there are two separate individuals with different charges and different allegations," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if the two individuals end up having separate cases altogether."

He defended Megahed, saying it appeared he "just happened to be in the car." But he had harsher words for Mohamed.

If he could talk to Mohamed, Bedier said, "I'd say, 'Wake up!' "

It seems that CAIR ought to head those same words. Wake up CAIR!

Hat tip: allahakchew

Posted by: Rusty at 04:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 481 words, total size 3 kb.