July 09, 2006

Mohammed Radwan Obeid Sentenced

Mohammed Radwan Obeid has been sentenced to a year in prison for lying to FBI investigators. Thanks to Dibs for bringing this to my otherwise vacationing attention. They have the story here.

You may remember Mohammed Radwan Obeid's name from the small part that The Jawa Report had in aiding his conviction.

Obeid had fraudulently immigrated to the United States by marrying an American woman, and then having the marriage annuled. Obeid was working as a cashier in Dayton, Ohio last year and living with his girlfriend in a nearby town. It was from the Troy branch of the Miami (Ohio) County public library that he began to seek out fellow jihadis.

Obeid's posts at jihadi forums was noticed by more than those anti-terrorist crusaders who monitor them. Obeid's posts about nuclear weapons and gun silencers was somehow noticed by reference librarian Laura Girolamo. Ms. Girolamo contacted the FBI who, using their newly found powers under the Patriot Act, were able to confirm the librarians suspicions.

At about the same time a Jawa Report reader from Virginia, David Vazquez, began e-mailing Obeid after we posted his address. Obeid was under the false impression that Vazquez was a fellow jihad supporter. Obeid, Vasquez says, was now trying to recruit him for a terrorist cause.

Obeid told David Vazquez in e-mails that "we are starting a big operation that will make 9/11 nothing but a little bit of headache."

According to Vazquez, "I was very alarmed at the words (Obeid) was saying." He contacted the FBI.

Armed with the knowlege provided them by their ability under the Patriot Act to monitor public library computers, and by David Vazquez's saved e-mail conversations, the FBI picked up Obeid on March 28th for 'immigration violations'.

When asked about whether or not the e-mails were his, Obeid denied that they were. Since he was asked under oath, Obeid's denials amounted to knowingly and willfully making a false material representation.

Like many other terror related cases prosecuted after 9/11, Obeid was charged first with immigration violations and then with lying to investigators. However, the content of those seemingly minor violations should not be overlooked. What was it that Obeid had lied about? About the fact that he was attempting to form a terror cell within the United States.

Perhaps Obeid would never have succeeded, but that misses the point. A Jordanian immigrant was hoping to start or join a terror cell in the U.S. He hoped to carry out terror attacks here on our soil. He dreamt that his act of terrorism would make the 9/11 attacks seem mild. Seems like kind of a big deal to me.

The Jawa Report played a small part in his arrest. For that, I am extremely proud. It's a kind of good that I never expected to play a role in. Thank you David Vazquez for helping nab this enemy of the United States and for allowing me a minor role.

Resources on the Mohammad Radwan Obeid case:
*Jawa Report Helps Nab Would-be Terrorist
*The Jawa Report: Nuke Bomb Plans Posted by American at Terrorist Website *Patriot Act's Controversial Library Provision Puts Ohio Terror Suspect Away (Blogs help too)
*Jawa Report To Terrorist Supporters: "You're Fired!"
*E-mail an al Qaeda Fan! (Updated with more e-mails)
*Internet Haganah: How to build your own H-Bomb at home
*Michelle Malkin: [JOKE] H-BOMB PLANS POSTED ON WEB SITE
*Arab News: Terrorist Website Drops Dirty Bomb
*Jihad Watch: Norfolk Officer Says Man Tried to Recruit Him for Terrorist Cause