Suspect Pleads Guilty in Ohio Mall Plot

[Eugene]

Source: Associated Press

Suspect Pleads Guilty in Ohio Mall Plot

Wednesday August 1, 2007 12:46 AM

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS

Associated Press Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A Somali immigrant the government
says plotted to blow up an Ohio shopping mall pleaded guilty
Tuesday to conspiring to provide material support to terrorists.

Nuradin Abdi, 35, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge
Algenon Marbley a week before his trial had been expected to
start Aug. 6.

“In this climate an American jury, we felt, could potentially
find him guilty because of all this negative stuff that's coming
in, and if they found him guilty he was looking at spending the
rest of his life in custody,” said Abdi's attorney, Mahir Sherif.
“The government came back with another offer, so he decided
to take it.”

Under a plea deal, Abdi is expected to receive a 10-year
sentence on the count, which carries a maximum penalty of 15
years. Three other charges were dropped and he will be
deported after serving his sentence.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6819016,00.html

[Kutjara]

1. What a fucking triumph of American Justice.

We are truly a beacon to the world.

What was he convicted of? Lets read it word by word: conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. So, he wasn't a terrorist. He didn't provide material support to someone who might be a terrorist. He "conspired" to provide some unspecified "material support" to someone who may or may not be a "terrorist." And that'll probably get him ten years.

Heads up, people. If this guy can get ten years for a crime that could be as benign as putting an "Al Qaeda Rocks!" bumper sticker on their car, people like us won't be far behind.

[Eugene]

3. The rest of the article covers the details behind the charges.

The government charged Abdi with plotting an act of terror,
blowing up a shopping center. The government also said Abdi
provided stolen credit card numbers to finance the equipment
purchases for terror and lied to immigration officials about
a planned visit to a training camp. The charges, relating
to serious and specific criminal acts, were reduced after
a plea bargain.

[spag68]

2. In some states

thats still a better deal then pot smokers get.