Saudis Report Plot To Assassinate Obama
Updated at 3 a.m. Eastern, April 7, 2009:
Turkish officials have told the U.S. the man in custody is a "known fabricator" who has made various unsubstantiated claims in the past.
U.S. officials tell CBS News, "There was never a serious plot or threat against the President."
Turkish authorities told American officials the man never actually obtained an Al Jazeera credential, never gained access to any Presidential venue, and was in custody before Mr. Obama arrived in the country.
Original story:
The Saudi Arabian newspaper al-Watan reported today that Turkish security services have arrested a man of Syrian origins Friday in connection with a plot to assassinate President Barack Obama during his current visit to Turkey.
The man, who was carrying an Al-Jazeera TV ID card in the name of M.G., confessed after his arrest that he was planning on stabbing the U.S. president with a knife during the Alliance of Civilizations summit held in Istanbul, adding that he had three other accomplices to help him execute his plan.
According to the paper, Turkish investigators were trying to verify whether the Qatari-based Arab TV channel has truly issued the ID card produced by the man, or if it’s a forged copy.
The suspect, a permanent resident of Istanbul, has been regularly attending all conferences and events relating to the Middle East held in the city.
Al-Watan contacted Al-Jazeera's bureau chief in Ankara, Yucef al-Sharif, who said that news of the suspect came as a complete surprise to Al-Jazeera staff in Turkey, who all claimed that they knew nothing about the man.
"We learned that he (the suspect) claimed to be working for our bureau … if that has been the case then he most certainly forged our ID card,” al-Sharif told al-Watan in a phone call from Ankara.
Al-Sharif said that Turkish security services know everyone who worked in Al-Jazeera's offices in Ankara.
Khaled Wassef monitors Arabic language media and jihadi Web content for CBS News.
Turkish officials have told the U.S. the man in custody is a "known fabricator" who has made various unsubstantiated claims in the past.
U.S. officials tell CBS News, "There was never a serious plot or threat against the President."
Turkish authorities told American officials the man never actually obtained an Al Jazeera credential, never gained access to any Presidential venue, and was in custody before Mr. Obama arrived in the country.
Original story:
The Saudi Arabian newspaper al-Watan reported today that Turkish security services have arrested a man of Syrian origins Friday in connection with a plot to assassinate President Barack Obama during his current visit to Turkey.
The man, who was carrying an Al-Jazeera TV ID card in the name of M.G., confessed after his arrest that he was planning on stabbing the U.S. president with a knife during the Alliance of Civilizations summit held in Istanbul, adding that he had three other accomplices to help him execute his plan.
According to the paper, Turkish investigators were trying to verify whether the Qatari-based Arab TV channel has truly issued the ID card produced by the man, or if it’s a forged copy.
The suspect, a permanent resident of Istanbul, has been regularly attending all conferences and events relating to the Middle East held in the city.
Al-Watan contacted Al-Jazeera's bureau chief in Ankara, Yucef al-Sharif, who said that news of the suspect came as a complete surprise to Al-Jazeera staff in Turkey, who all claimed that they knew nothing about the man.
"We learned that he (the suspect) claimed to be working for our bureau … if that has been the case then he most certainly forged our ID card,” al-Sharif told al-Watan in a phone call from Ankara.
Al-Sharif said that Turkish security services know everyone who worked in Al-Jazeera's offices in Ankara.
Khaled Wassef monitors Arabic language media and jihadi Web content for CBS News.
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See all 25 CommentsPosted by guyfrompa50 at 11:29 AM : Apr 6, 2009
Nobody thinks what terrorists do is ok. Were have you ever heard anyone say that? This country does not torture. If we stoop to torturing then we become that which we dispise. Either you act just like them or you decide you can behave better. We are better than that.
Posted by CLoverNYC1 at 1:20 PM : Apr 6, 2009
Yeah!! ME!!!! But that aside, he is a lot better Pres than the last one.
Wow.. you mean there's actually a person in the world who doesn't believe President Obama is a god?
Posted by endeaver-2009 at 10:24 AM : Apr 6, 2009
Yes, it is fortunate that they are to stupid to realize that their ideas are moribund. Their values and morals distorted by fear of a very small group of criminals.
They are willing to renounce the Constitution and give up freedoms without even a fight. George Washington. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin would be ashamed of them. As we all are.
And why they arrested the guy? He would have done us a favor.
Posted by BaghdadsHere_ at 10:17 AM : Apr 6, 2009
This guy is a perfect example of republian morality. You know the Christian, Family Values group. The same ones that shouted Kill Him at their SS rallies.
And they claim to be the Real Americans. We ran them out, now we need to vote more of them out into the street with the rest of the mongrels.
Posted by Rowdy104 at 10:00 AM : Apr 6, 2009
Don't be foolish, it was never necessary before, it is not necessary now.
Everyone in the world who has studied the use of torture says it DOESN'T WORK. No one is protected.
What is brave about tying a man up and torturing him?
You have a distorted sense of right and wrong. You are morally bankrupt.
Posted by ghwab1949 at 10:05 AM : Apr 6, 2009
WOW
Very nifty bit of reasoning. Doesn't make any sense at all, but it certainly is very republican of you.
Posted by ddaryl1 at 9:57 AM
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Do this means republicans are very selfish individuals?
Ewe libs should be in an uproar about them forcing this man to tell all about the plot..
Posted by cornbiker at 9:27 AM : Apr 6, 2009
Have you noticed that even though we had George Bush who was a blantant criminal for President, Liberals never advocated his death.
cornpiker is a good example of republican morality.
I am sure that cornpiker can put on clothes and walk through his day pretending that he is a human being. But his comment reveals that he has the morals of a dog.
A true republican.
Americans actually care, republicans hope for failure, enjoy war and wish death upon their own president.
Ewe libs should be in an uproar about them forcing this man to tell all about the plot..
Posted by cornbiker at 9:27 AM : Apr 6, 2009
I agree with John McCain that torture doesn't work.
Only cowards advocate torture.
Prior to George Bush, there was never even the slightest hint that torture was OK. Now every simpleton in the republican party thinks it is the thing to do.
Brave and moral men do not torture other men. Only cowards and republicans do that.
Where's it say that happened?
Which hate group do you belong to?
Posted by cranialnerves at 8:57 AM : Apr 6, 2009
The name of his hate group is the republican party
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