Terror Suspect Defiant in Mass. Court

Man Who Allegedly Conspired to Kill U.S. Politicians, Troops and Citizens Tosses Chair in Courtroom

(CBS/AP)  Updated 2:35 p.m. EDT

A pharmacy college graduate made a defiant appearance in federal court Wednesday, hours after being charged with conspiring with two other men in a terror plot to kill two prominent U.S. politicians and carry out a holy war by attacking shoppers in U.S. malls and American troops in Iraq.

Authorities say the men's plans - in which they used code words like "peanut butter and jelly" for fighting in Somalia and "culinary school" for terrorist camps - were thwarted in part when they could not find training and were unable to buy automatic weapons, authorities said.

Tarek Mehanna, 27, was arrested Wednesday morning at his parents' home in Sudbury, an upscale suburb 20 miles west of Boston, and appeared for a brief hearing later in the day. When ordered by the judge to stand to hear the charge against him, he refused. He finally did stand - tossing his chair loudly to the floor - only after his father urged him to do so.

"This really, really is a show," his father, Ahmed Mehanna, said afterward. When asked if he believed the charges against his son, he said, "No, definitely not."

Prosecutors say Tarek Mehanna worked with two men from 2001 to May 2008 on the conspiracy to "kill, kidnap, maim or injure" soldiers and two politicians who were members of the executive branch but are no longer in office. Authorities refused to identify the politicians.

Mehanna - a graduate of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in Boston, where his father is a professor - conspired with Ahmad Abousamra, who authorities say is now in Syria, and an unnamed man, who is cooperating in the investigation, according to authorities.

The three men often discussed their desire to participate in "violent jihad against American interests" and talked about "their desire to die on the battlefield," prosecutors said. But when they were unable to join terror groups in Iraq, Yemen and Pakistan, they found inspiration in the Washington-area sniper shootings and turned their interests to domestic terror pursuits while they plotted the attack on shopping malls, authorities said.

FBI Affadavits on Mass terror case
FBi agent Describes alleged plot.
More details of alleged plot.

"The indictment is curious for what it doesn’t allege," says CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen. "For example, it claims this group sought terror training in the Middle East but it doesn’t say that they actually received that training; the document alleges plenty of conversations about violence but few concrete actions designed to implement their plan.

"This is another example of the feds swooping in and busting up an alleged terror ring before many meaningful steps were taken by the alleged conspirators in furtherance of their plan. And the record shows that jurors and judges are fairly receptive when these cases come to trial."

Mehanna had "multiple conversations about obtaining automatic weapons and randomly shooting people in shopping malls," Acting U.S. Attorney Michael Loucks said. Prosecutors would not say which malls had been targeted.

Loucks said the men justified attacks because U.S. civilians pay taxes to support the U.S. government and because they are "nonbelievers."

The mall plan was abandoned after the men failed to track down automatic weapons, Loucks said.

Mehanna's attorney, J.W. Carney Jr., would not comment on the allegations. Mehanna is being held until his next court appearance on Oct. 30.

Court documents filed by the government say that in 2002 or 2003, Abousamra became frustrated after repeatedly being rejected to join terror groups in Pakistan - first Lashkar e Tayyiba, then the Taliban.

"Because Abousamra was an Arab (not Pakistani) the LeT camp would not accept him, and because of Abousamra's lack of experience, the Taliban camp would not accept him," Williams wrote in the affidavit.

Mehanna and Abousamra traveled to Yemen in 2004 in an attempt to join a terrorist training camp.

Mehanna allegedly told a friend, the third conspirator who is now cooperating with authorities, that their trip was a failure because they were unable to reach people affiliated with the camps. The men, who had allegedly received tips on whom to meet from a person identified in court documents as "Individual A," said half the people they wanted to see were on "hajj," referring to the pilgrimage to Mecca in Islam, and half were in jail.

"They traveled all over the country looking for the people Individual A told them to meet," authorities allege in the criminal complaint.

Abousamra was rejected by a terror group when he sought training in Iraq because he was American, authorities said.

The men later decided they were not going to be able to get terror training in Pakistan and "began exploring other options, including terrorist acts in the United States," the affidavit said.

Mehanna, a U.S. citizen, was arrested in November and charged with lying to the FBI in December 2006 when asked the whereabouts of Daniel Maldonado, who is now serving a 10-year prison sentence for training with al Qaeda to overthrow the Somali government.

Mehanna told the FBI that Maldonado was living in Egypt and working for a Web site. But authorities said Maldonado had called Mehanna from Somalia urging him to join him in "training for jihad."

Authorities said Wednesday that Mehanna and his conspirators had contacted Maldonado about getting automatic weapons for their planned mall attacks.

Carney, who represented Mehanna in the previous case, said at the time: "If this is the FBI's idea of a terrorist, they are using a net that is designed to catch minnows instead of sharks."

After his arrest, Mehanna developed a cult following among Muslim civil rights groups and Web sites that believed Mehanna was wrongly arrested. Web sites like the London-based cageprisoners.com, a human rights group that advocates for prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other detainees as part of the U.S. war on terror, asked supporters to write Mehanna in prison to keep up his spirits.

The site MuslimMatters.org asked supporters to pray for his release and published a letter they said Mehanna wrote from prison.

In the letter, Mehanna thanked supporters and said he was being treated well.

"I can only think of the countless imprisoned Muslims in the jails of tyrants around the globe and hope that if it is not Allah's Decree to free them in the near future, that they taste the sweetness that Allah has placed them in prison to taste," Mehanna wrote.

He signed the letter, "Your brother in the green jumpsuit."

[sean58x]

Ahmed Mehanna is a mindless baboon. He and Tarek should be behind iron bars and on a vegetarian diet. His allies in Waziristan are finished. Those apes will eat bullets or bread and water.

[winstrv]

If he is guilty, put a bullet in the back of his head. I have no sympathy for traitors/terrorists.

[mawskrat]

the religion of peace strikes again!

[wdh3007]

Terror Suspect Defiant in Court yeah so was Saddam and they ended up hanging him

[mikejacobskc]

Our immigration policy is a joke. We don't even know who is here illegally or legally anymore. I would propose a 5 year moratorium on legal immigration and start rooting out and deporting those here illegally. I don't care if they are from Mexico, Iceland, or Australia, we need to stop people from coming here who intend to cause harm, and then we need to couple that with the people who are already here and get rid of them back to where they came from.

I love America and think the CIA and FBI are trying to protect us, that is an antiquated notion among the Obama people, but it still rings true with me. We must continue to be aggressive against these terrorists, we can not let up or become passive. They want to kill us, that is an undeniable fact.

[bobnjersey]

[They want to kill us, that is an undeniable fact. ]

why do they want to kill us? does this matter to you at all?

[stuart-johns2]

And who says that democrats won't be tough on terrorism? It was strange when after 9/11, there were no democrats, no republicans but only Americans...Americans all united in one purpose - to kill Bin Laden.

At that time, George Bush probably the highest approval rating of any president in history. It was like 86% or something. I don't know if it was the highest, but my point stands never-the-less.

[Questionews]

Are you sure you guys don't want to reconsider your opposition to waterboarding??

[skyk-2009]

Questionews, why would we want to be like our enemy? We CAN do things morally and get them done, especially since we have elected a Leader who can actually THINK for himself.

[bobnjersey]

[Are you sure you guys don't want to reconsider your opposition to waterboarding?? ]

how would waterboarding have helped here? they had someone already providing the inside info on their 'plans' ... these guys apparently couldn't buy their way into 'training' ... they didn't know they could get the automatic weapons at a gun show ... and they couldn't find the 'how to wage jihad' info on the internet.

[stuart-johns2]

They should have tased this guy in the heart. Is'nt that what cops do?

[legionofwolves]

i suggest everyone read George Orwell's "1984". it is becoming true, but it started in 9/11/2001.

[stuart-johns2]

I read it back in 1984.

[ToolMangler1]

I read it in 1949, ,56, 70, 84 and 2001.
It gets clearer every time I read it

[bobnjersey]

[i suggest everyone read George Orwell's "1984". it is becoming true, but it started in 9/11/2001.]

the cell phone, computer, embedded gps in car, and all your economic data in relational databases are the modern day telescreen.

the ignorance of the american electorate guarantees the means for redefining history ... for which winston would be so proud.

the constant war mindset rounds it all out and makes a fifty year old novel come to life.

[michaelm07]

I think this guy and his friends are punks but they sound more like the idiots, who are Muslims but yet they didn't consider the Hajj when they travelled there, duh!

Potential terrorists yes BUT, they didn't do anything yet. What is this, Tom Cruise's Dept of Pre-Crime in Minority Report. If the Feds would have held back longer and watched them they might have caught them once they had actually bought automatic weapons or, actually attended a terror school. But then again, with all the technology the Feds have available they also seem to lose track of a lot of people they are watching i.e. Timothy McVeigh, etc. So while these wannabe terrorists are dim bulbs, the Feds watching them aren't much sharper. I HATE Muslim extremists and think they should all get a bullet BUT, arresting an prosecuting people for what they might do, but haven't done, is dangerous and one day they might be arresting American's for what they government thinks they 'might' do. That is one very slippery slope so don't celebrate too much about this particular case.

[finkfust]

by ToolMangler1 October 21, 2009 7:03 PM EDT
I read it in 1949, ,56, 70, 84 and 2001.
It gets clearer every time I read it
----------------------------
That's EXACTLY my feeling too! (though I only first read it in the 70's)

[stuart-johns2]

by BeckieBest October 21, 2009 2:59 PM EDT
I give up, who put the security in place. Did your hero Bush create the FBI and local police? No? Did he find the WMD's? How about Bin Laden? No?

So why did we invade Iraq? How did that make us more secure?
===================

Good response Beckie.

[stuart-johns2]

by Robert4229 October 21, 2009 11:18 AM EDT

The radicalization of U.S. citizens is increasing. Britain's MI-5 has thwarted dozens of attacks inside their country. Should the CIA and other U.S. Intelligence Agencies conduct domestic surveillance before it's too late? Robert
www.declassifiedsecrets.blogspot.com/
-----------------

The FBI has a better handle on this than you think. The FBI DOES domestic surveillance already. Even this web site is monitored. They have more citizens on their radar than you imagine.

I don't readily know what Britians MI-5 program is but I can tell you the FBI does a pretty good job intercepting these potential terror plots and those planning them. The news has been full of these stories for some time now.

I personally believe the Patriot Act was a good thing for this nations security. Sure my rights are violated. The FBI may even have me on radar for all I know. But I don't care. I have nothing to hide.

I believe the Act protects Americans and their country so it's worth it and I have never heard of a case yet wherein the Patriot Act caused anyone a problem except those who deserved it.

And you're right. The USA is becoming more radicalized each day. More reason we need the Patriot Act. The republican extremists don't like it because the FBI has everyone of their white supremist groups and their militia web sites under surveillance. And rightly so!

So we don't really need the MI-5 program I guess. It seems our FBI is doing just fine with whatever programs they employ.

[stuart-johns2]

by Biggest_Rick October 21, 2009 1:26 PM EDT
It looks like the Patriot Act that Bush first put into place and then was renewed at the urging of President Obama really worked in this case. Where else would the intelligence that caught this guy have come from? Too bad I can't see all the leftists choking on their Cokes as they read my post and realize I'm right.
----------------

Well I'm an independent who admittedly leans to the left on some social issues, but not this one. I happen to agree with you. And I suspect that many "leftists" would agree to. Of course some won't and some "rightist" don't. What are ya gonna do?

[BeckieBest]

Didn't this terrorist read the neocon memo that said we're fighting them over there so that we don't have to fight them here?

Another moronic right wing slogan destroyed.

[Marc_1986]

Another moronic post by Beckie.

Bush implemented the Patriot Act specifically to fight homegrown terrorists...

[michaelm07]

BeckienotBest, your heart might be in the right place but your logic is non-existent. Blaming Bush this long after the election is stupid. If you notice the policies are the same under this President, s it was with the last. Bush screwed things up and Obama is even worse. I voted for Bush but as a conservative he was a failure. Just because someone quotes the bible and clings to religion does not make them a conservative. Bush and other politicians say one thing and yet always do something else. It was that way with Bush and it is absolutely this way with Obama. I think Iraq was justified but the reasons (WMDs) were not the right rationale. But Obama is worse and thus far a total failure on the foreign policy front. So we went from bad, to worse Bush and now Obama. I mean really, do you see much of a difference between the two parties anymore. Until we flush the toilet that is Washinton and vote out all of them in both parties, nothing will change.

[GTR5]

He should be jailed and his family should be deported. They are all a threat to our national security.

[moonbeam91]

Totally, agree. Minnnows grow to be sharks & frankly any virus should be quelched as early as possible. I LOVE & RESPECT our FBI!!!!! Good going! A million thanks to you!

[Biggest_Rick]

It looks like the Patriot Act that Bush first put into place and then was renewed at the urging of President Obama really worked in this case. Where else would the intelligence that caught this guy have come from? Too bad I can't see all the leftists choking on their Cokes as they read my post and realize I'm right.

[displeased]

You can't see them choking because there are none. Do you think people really care that much about your opinion?

[bajajohn1]

Learn one thing grasshopper: Idiots will alwyas have idiotic opinions. If the shoe fits, wear it!

[chi-11]

How is it that you know it was because of the Patriot Act that permitted this arrest? Perhaps the Feds played by the original rules - you know, FISA courts, etc?

[BeckieBest]

Wow, you mean we stopped a terrorist without invading a country?

Looks like fighting real terrorists is about good intelligence and police work.

So why did we invade Iraq?

[BeckieBest]

I give up, who put the security in place. Did your hero Bush create the FBI and local police? No? Did he find the WMD's? How about Bin Laden? No?

So why did we invade Iraq? How did that make us more secure?

[USA_is_back]

hey Beckie, don't pick on guyfrompa2009. It's just not fair. You're fighting a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent. LOL

[Marc_1986]

@BeckieBest

This article has jack, 0, nada to do with Iraq yet you bring it up anyway.

Typical liberal attempt to deflect from the real issue: a terrorist was caught at home.

[legionofwolves]

What terrorist, he reportiadly couldnt buy a gun, or get training or get accepted into a organization any in the middle east!

[dwilson59]

Can we just shoot him now?

Cost of Trial 750,000.00
Prison per year 48,526.00 x 25 years =1,213,150.00

Lets save the US economy 1,963,150.00

Lets put him on a plane to Iraq for 1,500 what a deal.

[ghwab1949]

This 27-year-old moron apparently did not know that Americans, whom he hated so much, last November elected different people to fill the executive branch. I don't think any of these Islamic terrorists understand that people and countries can, and do, change their minds. They still think we are all medieval Crusaders, to the extent they are rational at all.

[excop1949]

Mass. Man Charged for Alleged Terror Plot

IT'S NOT PC TO SAY "TERROR" ANY MORE, IS IT?

[wyodutch]

Ah yes... another evil image and scary story to keep the people frightened and docile.
.
According to the article.. he committed the unspeakably dangerous act of "Lying to the government" nearly 4 years ago. Evidently, they kept him on ice for the opportune time to use him to keep the fright level at a high point.
.
Yes... focus on the threat of "terrorism"...
Disregard the fact that America is a nation in decline... Ignore our perpetual wars of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan... Don't think about the fact that over 50% of America's young adults are on the unemployment line.
.
We're at war with Eurasia...
We'll always be at war with Eurasia...
Eurasia hates us because we're free...
The chocolate ration has been increased form 5 grams to 3 grams.
Long Live Big Brother!
.

[docpeter1953]

He looks guilty, he is guilty.

Lets try him in Texas.

We'll execute him.

[jwesel1]

He's not a redneck, why send him to Texas

[legionofwolves]

not all texans are rednecks, ******