U.S. Student Guilty Of Video Terror Plot

Former Ga. Tech Student Convicted For Videotaping Landmarks Around Washington, D.C.

(AP)  A federal judge convicted a former Georgia Tech student Wednesday of plotting to aid a terrorist group by videotaping landmarks around Washington, D.C.

U.S. District Judge Bill Duffey found 24-year-old Syed Haris Ahmed guilty of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorism in the U.S. and abroad.

Ahmed faces up to 15 years in prison. The judge delayed sentencing until after a codefendant's trial that is scheduled to begin in August.

Prosecutors based the case against Ahmed on a series of videos that he and codefendant Ehsanul Islam Sadequee shot of U.S. landmarks, including the Pentagon and the Capitol. They said Ahmed sought to use the videos to earn respect from overseas terrorist leaders and attempted to connect with terrorists in Canada and Pakistan.

But Ahmed's defense attorney Jack Martin countered during the bench trial that investigators had no evidence that Ahmed sought to act on his talk. He claimed it was boastful chatter from a misguided student who fell prey to anti-American propaganda online.

During Ahmed's four-day trial, assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McBurney said the government had to stop Ahmed before he could take action because he was "one step removed from the bomb-throwers."

Martin portrayed the allegations as "momentary ideas" from an immature student whose idea of paramilitary training was shooting paintball guns in the north Georgia woods.

"This is a silly video, amateurish video," Martin said. "It was nothing more than a childish act to achieve stature from people abroad."

Ahmed had waived his right to a jury trial so that he could deliver his own closing arguments. During a 45-minute speech last week, he said he was "misguided" but never directly addressed the charges.

Instead, the former mechanical engineering student read nine verses of the Quran in Arabic, spoke of linguistic similarities between Hebrew and Arabic, and delved into some of the shared beliefs of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

"I hope that if I deliver the message that has been revealed by Allah, the promise of protection from evil will come to me," Ahmed said.

Ahmed, wearing a white skullcap, made no comment when the verdict was read. His father, Syed Riaz Ahmed, said the judge's decision was not surprising.

"He's not guilty in the eyes of Allah, just in the U.S. law. He didn't do anything," the father said, characterizing the prosecution as overblown. "You think something and you are guilty of something."

Federal authorities said they began building a case after Ahmed and Sadequee - both U.S. citizens - took a bus to Toronto in March 2005 and met with at least three other targets of an FBI investigation.

Authorities said they brainstormed strikes against targets that ranged from military bases to oil refineries, and plotted to disrupt the Global Positioning System satellite network.

Martin contended it was just "passing talk" of using sophisticated weaponry to knock out the system, but prosecutors said the talk amounted to the beginnings of a conspiracy and that Ahmed wanted to translate his plot into action.

They said Ahmed drove his pickup truck to Washington, D.C., with Sadequee a few weeks later and made the videos of U.S. landmarks, as well as a fuel depot and a Masonic Temple in northern Virginia. The two also were accused of discussing an attack against Dobbins Air Reserve Base just outside Atlanta.

He took another step toward acting on his plot, McBurney said, when he traveled to Pakistan on a one-way ticket in July 2005 to seek out Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based group linked with attacks in the disputed state of Kashmir.

He returned to Atlanta about a month later after abandoning his attempt to join the group. But McBurney said Ahmed began to regret his decision soon after he arrived home.

"The ultimate goal was to get into a training camp," McBurney said, "and pursue violent jihad."

[babooph]

Likely guilty,BUT contrasted with the "STORY" in the US propaganda system when US "journalists" were arrested overseas photographing targets like power plants to be bombed-VERY DIFFERENT "STORY" then.[Also no 15 year sentence carried out -"deal" was made.

[jc80013-01]

This is a non-negotiable wrong. No matter what this guy said, what he thought, he broke no laws and is convicted for being a mouthy Muslim. You are now guilty before taking action?
Posted by wwudiver


Conspiracy:

1. the act of conspiring.
2. an evil, unlawful, treacherous, or surreptitious plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
3. a combination of persons for a secret, unlawful, or evil purpose: He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.
4. Law. an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.
5. any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.


People go to jail for this all the time.

[SugrDaddy]

The case is based on videos of U.S. land marks? Uh, most "land marks" have plenty of free pictures, videos, etc. out there on the web, not to mention Google Earth, Maps, etc.
I don't think some home made videos would earn the respect of anybody.
This doesn't make sense on so many levels.

[bajajohn1]

What? Next to thing you know, we are all going to have registered cameras. Really folks, what was the charge? Conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, perhaps? Who knows, the story does not say.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

28
Im done with you.
Im not argueing in this thread anymore I feel like I just dropped 10 IQ points.
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


BTW, if you are the epitomy of what 28 yr olds think (after I just graduated my 18 year old from school last week), then I commend you on educating me on how to step up the training of my 18 year old on HOW NOT TO BE......

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Ok BOY. I never posted what I believed you make. I am just stating that IT people dont make much, your an IT person, and probably (that is the keyword there little guy) dont make much. Your comprehension level is very low isn't it?

No, I don't know what you actually DO. I never claimed I DID. I mean you can write menial scripts, or set up networking stuff. IT is very broad. Besides, I am just stating a fact (you can't handle facts, I keep forgetting, you only believe lies), that programmers and software developers look down on the whole IT field. Tough, go take it out on a programmer.

And again, I voted for Ron Paul, but of course, in your world its either black or white. So if it wasn't McCain, it was Obama right?

Oh, and for someone thats life 50 yrs old, and that has 4 kids, a wife working as an escort, or walmart employee, you should like, grow up some.

What a d0uche NOW I am done with you.
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


Now wait a minute Anti-Zionist, you said that as an IT guy, I didnt make that much. Didnt you?

How much do I make? I dont expect for you to answer that because you dont know how much I make. But, here's my point.....dont make accusasiont of which you know nothing about. In the IT world, there are more than programmers and code writers that make a hell of a lot of money for doing what they do.

You're an idiot in need of an IT education. If you're not in the IT ream, then I dont hold that against you..........but, since you threw it out there, you dont know what you're talking about.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Im almost done with you boy. You might be like 50 or something, but you act like your 15.
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101

Actually, I'm 42. How old are you?

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Walking_Talking_GOO, and good money is NOT what IT people make unless you are the director of the IT department in some massive giant corporation. Other than that you guys are over worked, underpaid pee-ons <ouch>
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


Do you know that for sure? How much do I make? I'll give you a clue: I live in Maryland which is one of the most expensive states in the union. My wife also makes good money, and we have 4 kids to support.

I live in a very nice house and expensive too. So, I ask you again, how much do you think I make Mr. Know it all????

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Typical retard response. Ask the same question to the person asking you the question and throw in some HAHA or LOL. So lame.

I am a conservative because:

I am strong morals and family values.
I am pro-life.
I am anti-gay.
I favor small (very small) government.
I favor fiscal responsibility.
I favor the government stop taking my money to give to poor ghetto hood rats, so they can buy clothes and get their hair done (a non welfare state/society).

Those are why I label my self a conservative, and not a liberal.
Again, can you please tell me what YOUR definition of a conservative is?
Or are you just calling yourself a conservative because you are a hypocritical Christian?
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


Retard response? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

You are of strong moral family values but yet, you support Obama
You are fiscally responsible, but yet, you support Obama
You are pro-life, but yet, you support Obama
You are anti-gay, but yet, you support Obama

and on and on and on.....you're an Obama (the big eared purple lipped idiot) supporter...

Just admit it.......

[ayatoldya]

"He's not guilty in the eyes of Allah, just in the U.S. law. He didn't do anything," the father said, "

Now how does his father know what Allah thinks of his son's actions? That's allah I want to know.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Oh, so conservatives that actually think are false prophets? Really? I am interested to know what your idea or definition of a conservative is.
Please, you're a moron. You change keyboards out for a living. You couldn't graduate from a real school, so you went to a tech school, but hey I guess in your family that as smart as they come?
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


Just like the typical liberal that you are and trying to pass yourself off as a conservative. HAHAHAHAHAHA. I make good money homey......what you just said doesnt make no nevermind to me.

Try again, idiot. In fact, please tell us why you are a "Conservative"???? HAHAHAHHA

[wwudiver]

" wwudiver- In fact let me rephrase that. You make idiots look smart... There that's better." - USASTILL ONTOP

Of course the argument against the person is the last vestige of those without argument. I wont return the favor but I will however help you understand the virtues that you profess. The argument could easily be made, and has been made, that every gun owner is much more likely to to become a homegrown terrorist or has taken steps towards committing a crime. A charge that I resent as a firearm owner. I certainly lack any intent. Under the conservative value system there are chances of being hurt. "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.-Ben Franklin."

The truth is that in order to exert our rights, we do take risks when we extend them to others. I have lost dear friends in this conflict, in combat. I firmly believe that America achieves victory by being itself, we are spur jangling disparate folks who come up with really bad ideas and really good ones, the market will decide which work and which do not. You cannot have an overbearing executive, judicial and legislative branch and allow people to develop to their natural highest by competition and choice. The thought police will come for you as well someday. Are you angry while reading this? Do you have thoughts of damaging me? Are you guilty of murdering me, did you think of it? Be careful what you admit in a forum, the foolish things you say may actually be tantamount to a crime.

[USASTILLONTOP]

Anti-Zionist_101 - And after all she married you so she must be a moron.

[USASTILLONTOP]

Anti-Zionist_101 - Nice try ,however i happen know many software developers that can't get out of their own way and I;m sure one is your wife.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

Tell that to the families of the "Columbine Massacre"........

You liberals are destroying my country with your stupid thought processes.....
Posted by Walking_Talking_GOO at 10:08 AM : Jun 10, 2009
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lets see, Columbine Massacre actually happened.
This didn't. Whats he supposed to tell the Columbine Massacre people again?
Besides you do know that the people who did Columbine were WHITE right?

Besides, it's your thought process that sucks. My wife just classified you and the rest of the "IT" World" as a bunch of pee-ons. She's a software developer, real computer nerds frown upon fake computer nerds like you and the rest of the IT gang.

Don't you have a mouse to replace or something?
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101


Point being dummy, is that if the Columbine idiots were being monitored, it could have been prevented. But, since you dummy liberals dont want terrorist Muslims monitored, they wreak havoc. Fortunately, these two clowns (Muslims) WERE being monitored and now they are paying the price. And do you want to know what's funny? YOU DONT LIKE IT....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Too bad *********...they are going away and you cant do anything about it.....

[USASTILLONTOP]

wwudiver- In fact let me rephrase that. You make idiots look smart... There that's better.

[USASTILLONTOP]

Hang him.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

God you sound so retarded. Do you think terrorist care who is running Washington? Do you think they care if it was George W. Bush or Barack Obama? They obviously don't genius, its the our foreign policy they hate.

Besides, wasn't this guy planning his stuff DURING George W. Bush's term in office? Isn't he a conservative?

*GASP*
<rolls eyes>
Posted by Anti-Zionist_101

Read my above statement....dummy.

[Walking_Talking_GOO]

This is a non-negotiable wrong. No matter what this guy said, what he thought, he broke no laws and is convicted for being a mouthy Muslim. You are now guilty before taking action?
Posted by wwudiver

Tell that to the families of the "Columbine Massacre"........

You liberals are destroying my country with your stupid thought processes.....

[USASTILLONTOP]

wwudiver- Oh please, give me break.