Unprecedented FBI Statement On SC 2

The FBI has released what's being described as an unprecedented statement calling for patience and objectivity in the case of two men charged with carrying pipe bombs near a South Carolina military facility. Sounds like a prosecutor in SC may be getting some cover ... but nothing is clear. The investigation is called "on going."

On Wednesday, the agency released a statement telling the public it's possible there's no merit to the accusations against Youssef Megahed, 21, and Ahmed A. Mohamed, 26. Both were arrested Aug. 4 in Goose Creek, S.C., on charges of possession of explosives.

"We're just making a request for everybody to be very objective at this time, very neutral," said Special Agent Dave Couvertier.

But local legal experts say there's likely more to it.

"That is a highly unusual statement from the FBI," said Tampa lawyer John Fitzgibbons, a former federal prosecutor.

Other legal experts agreed, but no one knew what to make of it.

"Well, who knows what that means?" said Ed Page, a lawyer who has experience in Tampa and Washington, D.C. "Perhaps the initial assessment that the trunk contained pipe bombs was inaccurate. That's a weird statement, I've got to tell you, to be coming out of the FBI."

Fitzgibbons saw two scenarios. First, the FBI may not have a strong case against the students. Second, the Department of Justice may require a statement of that sort in its communication with the media.

Page agreed, adding that he'd never seen such a statement from the FBI. Neither had lawyer Stephen Crawford.

"I don't think I've ever seen an FBI statement that reminds us of our civil liberties," Crawford said. "I think it shows that it's probably going to turn out that the chemicals in those kids' trunks were more fireworks than it was bomb."

Bob Ulmer, a former FBI agent in Tampa, agreed the statement was unusual, but he said it sounded more like a policy decision or a deliberate attempt to be objective than the end of an investigation.

"I would say they're just being cautious," Ulmer said. "I've never heard it worded quite that way."

The FBI declined to elaborate, saying only that the investigation continues.

Comments

[nowingker]

It means that even though the two students are still in jail, that their lives are ruined, that the internet is full of wishes for their deaths, that the family's business is probably ruined, that after tearing apart what appears to be every house the two guys ever lived in and likely attempting to tie them to the professor who pled guilty to one count of conspiracy [remember, the jury didnt' convict him on anything and leaned 11-1 for acquital on the charges they didn't acquit him of] that there is NOTHING THERE.

Nothing there.

There are not terrorists, do not have any terrorist ties, do not have any terrorist leanings, they very well may be the kind of muslims that we claim to want, law abiding, going to college, not going to the mosque, adopting American ways, going on a road trip even goodness adopting the old red neck hobby of fireworks and rockets.

Or, I guess it could mean that the FBI has now been infiltrated by the terrorists.

Yeah that's it.

But, really, Dan, PLEASE, go on your fact finding mission to South Caroilna so you can break the case wide open.

[Dan Riehl]

to South Caroilna

SC is for vaca - any facts in this case are in Tampa, assuming there are any. But if you read my posts, you'd see I stated I was leaning against this being terrorism as it developed. And guess what? Even is if isn't terrorism - if they were breaking the law, we should revoke the one's student visa and ship him home, Muslim, or not. I believe the other is a permanent resident.

[seekeronos]

Why don't we all just take an even strain with this, and wait for the facts to emerge (nowingker) ?

Presumption of innocence does not necessarily mean that the accused are truly innocent, but that their guilt in the matter must be proven.

[nowingker]

Oh Dan, who do you think you're fooling? Just because you throw in a disclaimer now and then, the fact that you KEEP ON POSTING about it, how 'interesting' all these supposed connections to the professor are and all the rest of the crap you posted is clearly designed to foster the impression that they are guilty of 'something'

Seek, dude, I am very aware what the presumption of innocence means, I believe these guys are INNOCENT, innocent of any wrong doing whatsoever, they are certainly innocent of being terrorists. The whole thing was ridiculous, $300K bail for some pipe bombs exactly the same as the rednecks got caught with yesterday.

This must be a sign that Bush hasn't totally ruined the FBI and filled it with party loyalist hacks who don't care about investigations or guilt or innocence only spouting the party line. Gonzales has probably been on the phone begging them to find some link to terrorism so Bush can go on one of his fear mongering rants.

What happens if these guys are found INNOCENT, innocent like the Duke players were, they go back home to Tampa and get beaten up or killed by some Little Green Football nutters? Whose fault is that? Do the right wing blogs who specialize in 'guilty because he's an arab' bear any responsibility?

[charles]

congratulations on your first post in this thread winky, it's an incredibly accurate portrayal of a basement ranting keyboard warrior with a spittle flecked monitor sitting in a pair of filthy drawers, i'll bet your family is very proud

i give it a nine out of a possible ten

credit where credit's due and all that

[chris]

All I know is that those evil muslims out by Laguardia Airport need to be deported. Charles' wife was victimized by them. How many more victims will there be before our PRESIDENT acts????

[charles]

hi bobinkelvininchrisindonnieinstamford

coming down to nyc anytime soon? let me know ahead of time if you are, it would be gratifying to meet you in person, you've got to be one of the vilest and most creepy individuals on the internet,

i could also introduce you to some of my muslim friends while you're here, they just loves them some homos, i've always got to remind them to knock off the horseplay, but do they listen,,,,,,nah

do small children start spontaneously crying and crapping their diapers in your honor when you enter a room? or do their parents knowingly and preemptively remove them from your prescence?

tell me, do you ever experience any guilt from gleefully enjoying the salafists wholesale slaughter of innocents?

if the moon was made of bbq spareribs would ya eat it?

cause i know i would

here's some caps for you,,,, FOAD - TIA

[bloodrage bob]

aaaaand, right on schedule, the CAIR tools start in. "these muslims don't appear to be baddies - never mind the padilla decision! - so we should just always trust ALL muslims every time!!" "it's *wrong* to judge a barbaric pseudoreligion/death cult by their words & actions!!"

how come we didn't hear from you losers in re the "hamas kiddie TV show abuses kittycat" article? were you busy that day?

[chris]

Oh heavens, such anger. Such contempt! Homos? Threats? Is that any way for a 'gnostic' to act? I hope that you aren't so angry and threatening when you come home from a challenging day of trade booth assembly to a woman that smells of goat and hummus. Remember, for better or for worse!

[IslamoLlama]

"Why don't we all just take an even strain with this, and wait for the facts to emerge (nowingker) ?"

Or we could throw them all in Gitmo for five years and waterboard confessions out of them. Why don't more conservatives take this line of reasoning? If its good enough for brown people...

[charles]

not very perceptive of you to mistake my amusement for anger, i thought my invitation was very polite, and i even offered to defend you from the scary "brown" people it's just a tiny shame you won't take me up on it

tell me, where does your reference to trade show assembly come from?, i'm curious because i wouldn't want your internet stalking to continue in such an uninformed manner

[charles]

"Such contempt"

well you are contemptible

if the shoe fits etc,,,,

[bloodrage bob]

hmmm. STILL no comment from the muslim apologist brigade about the brave hamas asswipes teaching impressionable muslim kids to abuse animals in their kiddy TV show. you know, as a break from the cartoons teaching them to become good little suicide bombers and jew-killers. i wonder why? they pop up quick like bunnies whenever a story portraying the barbaric bloodthirsty pseudoreligion/death cult in a negative light hits .... but no comment re torturing kittycat. whattsamatta, girls? can't argue with video? cat got your tongues?

[irish19]

Hey is that chris(tine) the drive-by troll who used to sometimes infest The Pugil Stick blog? Sounds just like him/her.

[crosspatch]

My gut instinct was that these guys were just engineering students doing what Engineering students do. They were caught headed towards US 17 which is the coastal route up to NC and VA. I don't know why they were on that road unless they decided to "cut the corner" from Charleston up to 17 instead of staying on the Interstate which would have taken them further West before it intersected with 17.

Putting myself in their position, I could understand why they might no immediately be able to say exactly what they were doing there because they might not have been "doing" anything. They might have just been passing through.

Many engineering students build things that burn and blow up for fun. I myself started playing with sugar-based pyrotechnics (mostly saltpeter/sugar smoke bombs) before I was age 12. I can understand a South Carlonia deputy sheriff being concerned but I think many people have jumped to conclusions and are convinced of the "guilt" of these guys before all the facts are in.

[Fred Beloit]

What's needed for a solid opinion on these men is more facts to be released. The emotional argument of nowinkie is useless (Oh these poor children are destroyed along with their families, girlfriends, employers, professors and their progeny for millenia to come, TIME cries and lets you care booohoooo).

[Aaron]

Well, if the FBI thinks the charges are false, it should just let the guys go free.