From: "Rich Gauszka" 



"John Beamish"  wrote in message
news:op.td976rlzm6tn4t{at}dellblack.wlfdle.phub.net.cable.rogers.com...
> You've missed a couple of facts from the story and conjured up at least
> one:
>
> 1.  The citation I provided makes no reference to MUSLIM ... not even to
> Muslim.  If you've a url for that then perhaps you could provide it next
> time.
>
> 2.  They aren't cited MIDDLE EASTERN but, instead, as being from Texas.
>
> 3.  Why would a terrorist want 1000 cell phones, let alone 1,600 (since a
> different arrest was for someone purchasing 600 of them)?
>
> I understand your reaction but the story just doesn't support "terrorist
> activities".
>
> >
>

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2006608140340

The phones plus photographs and videos of the 5-mile-long bridge led
authorities to believe that the men -- two brothers and a cousin, all of
Middle Eastern heritage -- were targeting the iconic structure linking the
Upper and Lower peninsulas, according to a law enforcement official
familiar with details of the case.

The men's mother is in the West Bank, part of the Palestinian territories,
and their father arrived in Michigan from Texas to help them, Atah Othman
said.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060814/METRO/608140339
Federal authorities stepped up marine patrols near the Mackinac Bridge on
Sunday as three Texas men suspected of plotting a terrorist attack at the
bridge remained locked in a Caro jail in Michigan's Thumb.

Investigators remained tight-lipped Sunday and refused to discuss why they
believe the three men, who told authorities they were on a cell phone
buying spree, were targeting the 5-mile-long Mackinac Bridge, which
connects the Upper and Lower peninsulas.

A preliminary examination is scheduled Friday in Tuscola County District
Court for the three suspects, who are being held on state felony
terrorism-related charges.

The FBI is monitoring the situation, said spokeswoman Dawn Clenney, but no
federal charges have been filed.

"We're consulting with the local authorities there. We're monitoring
this," she said.

Brothers Adham Abdelhamid Othman, 21, and Louai Abdelhamied Othman, 23, of
Mesquite, Texas, and their cousin Maruan Awad Muhareb, 18, of Dallas face
felony charges of collecting material to support terrorist acts and
surveillance of a vulnerable target with intent to commit terrorism. Bond
was set at $750,000 each, and they remain at the Tuscola County Jail.

Adham Othman is a convicted sex offender in Texas.

"The targeted issue in this case was the Mackinac Bridge. That is what
we have information on," said Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Reene.

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