Saturday, September 17, 2005

al Qaeda in my hometown?

We've seen al Qaeda strike New York, PA, and DC. Now, it appears disturbingly close to home for me in that the good guys (for those of you in blue states, that would be us, the U.S.A.) have now nabbed a possible al Qaeda terrorist-in-training in Memphis. Thanks to Michelle Malkin for the heads-up:
A federal magistrate has ordered a University of Memphis student held until trial.

Prosecutors say F-B-I agents found an airline pilot's uniform, a chart of Memphis International Airport and instructional D-V-D's. One was titled "How an Airline Captain Should Look and Act."

Mahmoud Maawad is charged with wire fraud and fraudulent use of a Social Security number.

Describing what agents found, Assistant U-S Attorney Steve Parker argued yesterday against releasing Maawad, saying the acts and circumstance of the case are "scary."

Parker said Maawad -- a 29-year-old Egyptian -- has been in the country illegally since 1999 and had used a phony Social Security number to enroll in schools and open a bank account.
Fortunately, we can always resort to the Boston Globe's idea of negotiating with al al Qaeda. What a relief!