Is this an isolated incident?

Update:

A judge in Tampa ruled today that two Egyptian college students facing federal explosives charges after they were arrested in South Carolina will be tried together.

Defendant Youssef Samir Megahed asked U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to sever the cases. Merryday didn't comment on his order.

Megahed and fellow USF student Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed were arrested in August in Goose Creek. Authorities say they found explosive materials in the car's trunk.

The students claimed they were on their way to a North Carolina beach and that they were looking for cheap gas.

Both men have pleaded not guilty. They remain in jail until their trial, expected sometime next year.
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Explosives Arrest - News - Charleston, SC
 
This seem very important. their names alone bug the hell out of me.:pissed:
 
Update:

Third USF student arrested in connection with terrorism case

By: Dave Balut

Tampa, Florida - On the University of South Florida campus, some students were concerned to hear the FBI has now arrested a third Muslim student, connected to a terrorism case against two other USF students.

"It does make me a little nervous about what kind of kids are around here on campus and I do live on campus," said USF student Allie Hayes.

"It doesn't sound good for USF. It's just giving yourself a bad reputation," said USF student Mina Tawfik.

Karim Moussaoui was arrested at the Magnolia residence hall Thursday morning on a federal weapons charge in connection with the explosives case against Youssef Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed. The two USF students were arrested in South Carolina in August.

"As far as Mr. Moussaoui goes, we don't know what the story is, we don't know if in fact he's guilty of anything, charges have been brought," said Ken Gullette, USF Director of Media Relations.

Gullette says university officials are still trying to learn more about the charges against Moussaoui.

The federal complaint says Moussaoui entered the Shoot Straight Gun and Archery Range on U.S. 301 in Hillsborough County with Megahed and Mohamed in July.

An FBI agent says Moussaoui told them he did not fire any weapons, but pictures on Megahed's computer allegedly showed Moussaoui at a firing lane with a gun.

"We're Americans and we wouldn't tolerate anything to harm this country any more than anybody would so of course we're concerned any time something like this would come up," said Gullette

Gullette confirmed Moussaoui is a computer engineering major from Morocco who is scheduled to graduate Saturday.

Moussaoui was released from federal custody Thursday afternoon on a $50,000 signature bond.

The judge ordered he remain in the country with home detention and electronic monitoring. His attorney Stephen Crawford says Moussaoui is still planning to attend his graduation ceremony Saturday.
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tampabays10.com - Tampa Bay's 10 News - WTSP
 
Byrdie714 said:
What is in South Carolina that a terrorist would be interested in?

The magnolias? :giggle:
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They were within a couple of miles of the Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek (north of Charleston). It is the home of the Naval Nuclear Training Command, where they train sailors in nuclear propulsion for submarines and surface ships. The advanced school on the base also has two nuclear powered submarines moored in the river. Also nearby is the Navy Consolidated Brig, where enemy combatants are held.

The Charleston Air Force Base (nearby) is also the largest C-17 squadron to supply the troops overseas.
 
Reba said:
They were within a couple of miles of the Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek (north of Charleston). It is the home of the Naval Nuclear Training Command, where they train sailors in nuclear propulsion for submarines and surface ships. The advanced school on the base also has two nuclear powered submarines moored in the river. Also nearby is the Navy Consolidated Brig, where enemy combatants are held.

The Charleston Air Force Base (nearby) is also the largest C-17 squadron to supply the troops overseas.
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That is frightening if the terrorists are hanging out near this base.
 
Reba said:
They were within a couple of miles of the Naval Weapons Station in Goose Creek (north of Charleston). It is the home of the Naval Nuclear Training Command, where they train sailors in nuclear propulsion for submarines and surface ships. The advanced school on the base also has two nuclear powered submarines moored in the river. Also nearby is the Navy Consolidated Brig, where enemy combatants are held.

The Charleston Air Force Base (nearby) is also the largest C-17 squadron to supply the troops overseas.
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Ahh...interesting.
 
Byrdie714 said:
Ahh...interesting.
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They were pulled over near the weapons station. I drive that area often, so I'm familiar with it. There is no reason to be on that road except to go to the weapons station. It's not a short cut to any thing.
 
In my opinion, definitely an ongoing threat. There are numerous unknown cells , whether foreign or domestic terrorists, the U.S. is trying to deal with. The area you described should have lethal enough security to prevent even a shrew from trespassing.
 
SCBassist said:
In my opinion, definitely an ongoing threat. There are numerous unknown cells, whether foreign or domestic terrorists, the U.S. is trying to deal with. The area you described should have lethal enough security to prevent even a shrew from trespassing.
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It's true that no one can just force their way thru in a car. The secured areas at the Air Force and Navy bases have armed guards (not just side arms), and pop-up vehicle stoppers. Some of the gates have been reconfigured so no one can drive a quick straight line thru the gate; they slowly zigzag now. Even those of us with military decals on our cars have to also show our ID's. Trucks get sniffed and checked with undercarriage mirrors.

Nothing is 100 percent perfect but the security is good.
 
The truth is - terrorists are everywhere...not just from the Middle East. Some were Americans born and raised in the United States. SCBassist is right - it is an ongoing national, state, and local level threat. There are thousands and thousands of incidents like this one that we just don't know about. Frankly, I don't want to know. I'm thankful for the men and women who dedicate their lives every day to keep us safe so we can drink our overpriced Starbucks coffee in the mornings, gripe about work, and come home to watch TV. How lucky are we? How many people in this world do not have that safety net?
 
Update:

Egyptian student to plead guilty

TAMPA, Fla. — An Egyptian college student who videotaped himself showing how to turn remote-controlled cars into bomb detonators has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of providing material support to terrorists, according to a plea agreement filed Friday.

Ahmed Mohamed, one of two students arrested after a traffic stop in Goose Creek in August, will enter the plea at a hearing next week in federal court in Tampa, said his attorney Linda Moreno.

Berkeley County deputies said they found explosives in the trunk of the car Mohamed was driving, but defense attorneys have claimed they were merely ingredients for homemade fireworks.

Under the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors have agreed to dismiss other charges against Mohamed, 26.

Mohamed stated that his purpose in producing and uploading the video to YouTube was to teach "martyrdoms" and "suiciders" how to save themselves so they could continue to fight the U.S. military in Arab countries, the plea agreement said.

In the 12-minute video, Mohamed speaks in Arabic and shows how to dismantle and rewire a remote-controlled toy car to make a detonator, the document said.

"Instead of the brethren going to, to carry out martyrdom operations, no, may God bless him, he can use the explosion tools from distance and preserve his life ... for the real battles," Mohamed states during the video, according to the document.

Mohamed faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and as many as three years of supervised release.

Moreno said her client decided to plead guilty "after a very long and agonizing decision and with the support of his family."

She said he could have risked life in prison, if convicted.

A telephone message left for the U.S. Attorney's Office was not returned Friday.

The plea agreement said that after Mohamed's arrest he was interviewed about the video.

"His statements constitute admissions that his intention in producing and distributing the recording was to support attempts by terrorists to murder employees of the United States, including members of the uniformed services," the agreement said.

The other former University of South Florida student, Youssef Megahed, is charged with illegally transporting explosives and possession of a destructive device. Mohamed faced those charges plus terrorism-related counts stemming from the how-to video.

They have claimed they were on a sightseeing trip and using GPS to find gas stations where they could buy cheap gas with gift cards.

A search of the car uncovered bullets and items in the trunk of the car that authorities described as pipe bombs, authorities said. Attorneys for the students said the items were four PVC pipes containing a mixture of sugar, potassium nitrate and cat litter, which along with fuses would be used for homemade, low-grade fireworks.

An FBI laboratory analysis determined the items were a "pyrotechnic mixture" that burned but didn't explode in tests.

Megahed, 22, was scheduled to be tried separately starting in May, but the trial was delayed after prosecutors appealed a judge's ruling to exclude some evidence. A judge released Megahed on $200,000 bail. It wasn't clear when the trial would start.

Copyright © 1997 - 2007 the Evening Post Publishing Co.
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Egyptian student to plead guilty
 
SCBassist said:
In my opinion, definitely an ongoing threat. There are numerous unknown cells , whether foreign or domestic terrorists, the U.S. is trying to deal with. The area you described should have lethal enough security to prevent even a shrew from trespassing.
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w0rd. Im frankly shocked nothings happened yet.

And its too bad they didnt blow themselves up.
 
oh well. now i can sleep easily tonite :cool2:
 
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