January 20, 2006
The long awaited moment has arrived that I can reveal some of the details of The Jawa Report's involvement in the capture of a would-be terrorist. Some of you already know some of the details as I have talked about them from time to time in a cryptic manner. I don't want to overemphasize our role in the wannabe terrorists capture, nor do I wish to claim that the man now in custody would have been able to accomplish his stated goal of building and detonating a nuclear bomb in the United States--clearly he did not have that capacity--but this website did play a role in his capture.
It is not the first time we have done some damage to a terror supporter. Longtime Jawa reader Filthy Allah helped get a terror supporter fired from an immigration law firm in Great Britain because of one of our posts. That ought to make the people of the U.K. feel slightly safer knowing that at least one less jihad supporter is in a position to help facilitate the immigration of terrorists to their country.
As satisfying as it is to help a terror supporter file for unemployment, it pales in contrast to the feeling of elation that I have knowing that I helped put a would be terrorist in jail. Even if my role was tiny, it is far more than I ever hoped for when I started this website. I simply wanted to make terrorists and their supporters mad, not help put them in jail.
This is what happened.
On March 12th of 2005 (later updated on March 14th) I wrote a post about a series of messages on the jihadi forum alm2sda.net about how to make various weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical weapons, by a poster calling himself ahmed_assalafil. I had first heard about Ahmed's messages from a website that I frequent which monitors jihad forums, Internet Haganah. Included in Ahmed's messages was the claim that the poster had information on how to make a nuclear bomb, along with some rudimentary (and erroneous) instructions on Hydrogen bomb construction. He was seeking help translating the allegedly secret materials into Arabic.
He asked fellow forum members who were part of the mujahidin to contact him so that he could help them carry out attacks with his special skills and because he was living in the U.S. Ahmed claimed to be a Palestinian living in the U.S. who was using a computer from a public library. As I noted at the time:
What is even more alarming is that the person posting the H-bomb plans is an American of Palestinian descent and posts the plans from a public library in the U.S. I suppose that the ACLU will cry bloody-murder should the FBI check the activity logs of whichever library this turns out to have come from.I would emphasize that the provision of the Patriot Act which allows Federal law-enforcement agents to look at public library records is under attack from the Democratic party. This provision is at the heart of the present stalling over Section 215 by Democrats in the Senate who wish to take away this vital tool in the fight on terror.
After reading Aaron's post over at Internet Haganah and learning that the Arab News picked up on the story, I decided to have a little fun with Ahmed. I noticed that Ahmed had left his e-mail address at the jihadi forum so that terrorists could contact him and he could join their ranks.
Not wanting to disappoint Ahmed, I dutifully reposted his e-mail address. From time to time we like to have a little fun with jihadis. We post the e-mail addresses of those running terrorist websites or those who leave pro-terror messages at them. Posting Ahmed's address was meant to be a childish prank. Nothing more. After all, what could be more fun than signing a terrorist up for a gay singles website?
That was really the extent of our involvement. We found his e-mail address, posted it, and encouraged readers to e-mail him.
After Michelle Malkin gave in to my pleas for a link, the story received a lot of attention. Most of it was debunking Ahmed's claim that he had secret H-bomb plans. What was overlooked by the debunking was that Ahmed also was talking about building other, less complicated, weapons of mass destruction. However, he certainly was no nuclear expert.
Even so, I still found it troubling that this man was in the United States and that he was trying to make contact with terrorists so he could join them.
So did one of my readers. He took my advice and e-mailed him. Instead of calling him a filthy S.O.B., though, he started up a friendly conversation with him. "Ahmed" responded. Eventually this conversation would help put him in jail.
I do not have all of the information about the story, but I do know this much from various news accounts and from other sources.
[Image grab of WAVY video courtesy of Opinion Bug ]
It turns out that "Ahmed" was really Jordanian born Mohammed Radwan Obeid. 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. Obeid was under the false impression that Vazquez was a fellow jihad supporter. Obeid, he 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.
A Federal immigration judge ordered Obeid's deportation in September. Obeid was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury in October. He pleaded guilty to the felony charge of lying to Federal investigators.
His trial is now in the sentencing phase where Federal prosecutors are using the testimony of David Vazquez, who is now a police officer in Norfolk, Virginia, to insure that Mohammad Radwan Obeid receives the maximum penalty of five years.
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:
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 more...
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January 19, 2006
Obeid now faces jail time and deportation. Like many terror suspects nabbed by the FBI, the "immigration charge" is related to terrorist activities.
Another important thing about this case is that bloggers helped put away Mr. Obeid. Specifically mentioned is Robert Spencer's Jihad Watch, but another, unnamed, website is also mentioned. It will be interesting to find out what that website was and how it was that the police officer involved in the case was able to contact Mr. Obeid.
NBC 4 [emphasis mine]:
A Jordanian living in Ohio tried to recruit a Norfolk, Va., police officer for a terrorist cause, the officer testified in a federal hearing.Dayton Daily News [emphasis mine]:David Vazquez testified Wednesday in federal court that Mohammed Radwan Obeid told him in an e-mail that he was helping to start an operation that would dwarf the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
Vazquez said he contacted Obeid through two Web sites, including jihadwatch.org, and contacted the FBI after reading Obeid's e-mails.
Obeid, who worked as a cashier in Dayton before his arrest last March on immigration fraud charges, was indicted in October after telling FBI agents that he hadn't used the e-mail account.
He pleaded guilty in December to a felony count of knowingly and willfully making false material representation. He faces a maximum of five years in prison.
Reference librarian Laura Girolamo testified Wednesday that Obeid apparently sent e-mail about gun silencers and constructing hydrogen bombs on a computer at the Troy-Miami County Public Library. She contacted the FBI as well...
A federal immigration judge ordered Obeid's deportation in September, and he has not appealed the decision, said Elaine Komis, a spokeswoman for the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Immigration officials said they believe Obeid entered the United States through marriage fraud. He married a Kansas City woman in Jordan and came to the United States in 2001, according to court papers. The marriage was annulled five months later.
While living in Miami County 10 months ago, a Jordanian citizen allegedly wrote in an e-mail that "we are starting a big operation that will make 9/11 nothing but a little bit of headache," a Virginia police officer testified Wednesday in federal court.Hat tip Jawa readers. Comments on this post are closed.David Vazquez was one of two witnesses who testified during a presentence hearing for Mohammad Radwan Obeid, who was cuffed at the ankles during the hearing and wore yellow clothing issued by the Montgomery County Jail.
The other witness, reference librarian Laura Girolamo of Troy, testified that Obeid on March 11 appeared to send e-mail about gun silencers and how to make hydrogen bombs on a public computer at the Troy-Miami County Public Library.
Concerned, Girolamo contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation....
Vazquez, a Norfolk, Va., police officer, testified that, as a citizen, he initiated contact with Obeid through two Web sites, including jihadwatch.org. He said he contacted the FBI because "I was very alarmed at the words (Obeid) was saying."
Obeid's attorney, Shawn Kelly, challenged Vazquez's assertion that Obeid had tried to recruit him for a terrorist cause. Vazquez, however, said Obeid's "meaning is very clear" in the e-mail exchanges....
At issue in Obeid's presentence hearing is whether his conduct, as alleged by witnesses, is relevant to the crime to which he pleaded guilty. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dwight Keller, who is seeking a harsher sentence for Obeid, argued that it is; Kelly said it isn't.
The FBI arrested Obeid on March 28 in Piqua on immigration violations. A federal Immigration Court judge Sept. 19 ordered his deportation, said Elaine Komis, a spokeswoman with the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
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January 11, 2006
Any one in contact with Douglas Hagman, let me know.
UPDATE: Up and working now, so Dave's explanation (in comments) might be right.
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November 28, 2005
It's good to see one more terrorist propagandist has been captured. If the U.S. would take the propaganda war seriously they would close down any and all media outlets which distribute the type of propaganda made by the jihadis. Unfortunately we have seen a lack of resolve by the government in targetting jihadi forums and websites.
From an MNF-Iraq press release (hat tip to Sucram):
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Acting on multiple intelligence sources and tips from concerned citizens, Coalition forces raided a suspected Jaysh al-Mujahideen terrorist safe house in Abu Ghurayb, west of Baghdad, Oct. 23.
Captured during the raid was Ahmad NiÂ’mah Khudayyir Abbas (aka. Abu Shihab), a recently identified Jaysh al-Mujahideen lieutenant who oversaw the propaganda cell and who commanded several mortar and improvised explosive device cells.
Abu Shihab, as the propaganda chief for the Jaysh al-Mujahideen media cell operating in the Baghdad area, initially recorded videos and digitized them to compact disc for distribution to various Jaysh al-Mujahideen and al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist groups. These videos would then be downloaded to various Jihadist web sites as propaganda against Iraqi security and coalition forces.
Additionally, the videos would be used to recruit terrorists and foreign fighters, as well as to provide information on potential targets for other terrorists. As his skills and terrorist connections developed, he began directing and coordinating media operations throughout the Baghdad area for Jaysh al-Mujahideen. more...
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November 11, 2005
The website claims it is shutting down because of a "decline in credible third party information sources and a lack of translation resources."
However, sources close to The Jawa Report claim that Jihad Unspun and its publisher, Khadija Abdul Qahaarbeen, have been under criminal investigation by Canadian authorities for some time. In addition to calling for armed resistance against Canadian troops in Afghanistan the website routinely publishes content which could be construed as 'hate speech' under Canadian law.
In April the U.S. State Department posted on its Web site an article entitled, A Trio of Disinformers: Islam Memo, Muhammad Abu Nasr, and Jihad Unspun." After noting that the Web site was owned by a Canadian woman who converted to Islam the article commented, "'Jihad Unspun' has a track record of spreading very unreliable allegations." (UPI)
The website has published many inflammatory articles in the past. For instance, Jihad Unspun published an article claiming that a U.S. soldier murdered a little girl on a bet.
GOOD RIDDANCE.
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October 31, 2005
"LOOK AT U U SAY THAT WE ARE FULL OF HATRED LOOK AT URSELFS WEN THE CALIPHATE COMES INSHALLAH YOU WILL SEE THE JUSTICE IT WILL BRING WEN U LOT WAS IN THE DARK... ...how can you defeat someone who looks into the gun barrel of his enemy and see the gates of paradise open?"
Uh pull the trigger. Was this a trick question?
ibn_khattab@hotmail.com
As always if you get a reply forward to mypetjawa@gmail.com
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October 17, 2005
The AFP says this is in direct contrast to the captured letter from Ayman al-Zawahiri to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi made public last week. This is not the case though. Zawahiri defended executions, but said it was the method in which Al Qaida in Iraq has carried out these executions that is offensive and damaging to their effort. Zawahiri even said shooting a hostage is better than beheading them, a practice in which Al Qaida in Iraq has done several times over the years.
Does this then signal that despite the fact Al Qaida in Iraq has declared the letter from Zawahiri as a fake that it is heeding its advice? In the game of point and counterpoint which is the propoganda weapon of Al Qaida, it only makes sense that AQ in Iraq would deny the legitimacy of the letter because it clearly stated AQ as a whole is in trouble. Why though would AQ in Iraq change from beheadings to executions by gun after this letter was revealed but not before if the letter and the urgings by Zawahiri were not accurate?
Infovlad has the video if you so choose to see it. It is the October 18 entry.
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All of which raises the interesting and secretive prospect that American security experts are monitoring and hacking these Web sites to gather up both information and members of the insurgency and their supporters. That might explain why one of the top propaganda operatives of "al-Qaida in Iraq" was caught by the Americans and why his Web site was so quiet during the referendum.
The Jawa Report has been both calling for the removal of these web sites as well as using the content of them to expose the true nature of our enemy. The web is a critcal tool for the terrorists. For us good news just doesn't get much better.
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September 27, 2005
Shore was nice a'him to leave his email address, tweren't it?
He shore does lahk dat Eye-ran place, even tho's he's done holed up in dat place where they talk English funny.
UPDATE:
Is this what I'm dealing with? Dunno, could be. I have neither the time nor the iinclination to figure out just how many "Armin Shams" live in the U.K.
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On September 23rd the Islamic Media Front released a 16 minute news video on the internet called 'Sout al-Khalifa' or 'Voice of the Caliphate'. In recent months, al Qaeda in Iraq has accused al Jazeera of being too pro-Western. The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video. Images from it are posted below. Clips from the video can be seen at MEMRI TV (about 4 minutes). If you need a copy of the entire video, please e-mail.
WAPO:
An Internet video newscast called the Voice of the Caliphate was broadcast for the first time on Monday, purporting to be a production of al Qaeda and featuring an anchorman who wore a black ski mask and an ammunition belt.More on the Global Islamic Media Front from our archives.The anchorman, who said the report would appear once a week, presented news about the Gaza Strip and Iraq and expressed happiness about recent hurricanes in the United States. A copy of the Koran, the Muslim holy book, was placed by his right hand and a rifle affixed to a tripod was pointed at the camera....
The lead segment recounted Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, which the narrator proclaimed as a "great victory," while showing Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia walking and talking among celebrating compatriots.
That was followed by a repeat of a pledge on Sept. 14 by Abu Musab Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, to wage all-out war on Iraq's Shiite Muslims. An image of Zarqawi, a Jordanian-born Sunni Muslim, remained on the screen for about half the broadcast.
The masked announcer also reported that a group called the Islamic Army in Iraq claimed to have launched chemical-armed rockets at American forces in Baghdad. A video clip showed five rockets fired in succession from behind a sand berm as an off-screen voice yelled "God is great" in Arabic. The Islamic Army asserted responsibility last year for the killing of Enzo Baldoni, an Italian journalist who had been kidnapped in Iraq.
A commercial break of sorts followed, which previewed a movie, "Total Jihad," directed by Mousslim Mouwaheed. The ad was in English, suggesting that the target audience might be Muslims living in Britain and the United States.
The final segment was about Hurricane Katrina. "The whole Muslim world was filled with joy" at the disaster, the anchorman said. He went on to say that President Bush was "completely humiliated by his obvious incapacity to face the wrath of God, who battered New Orleans, city of homosexuals." Hurricane Ophelia's brush with North Carolina was also mentioned.
Others: Captain Ed, James Joyner.
Images from the video below.
more...
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September 14, 2005
Afghanistan was invaded.There's more. more...It had to be done.
It had to be done, and it was not enough.
So it is with the Internet.
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August 20, 2005
News 24 via Robert Spencer and Charles Johnson:
An al-Qaeda linked-group has launched what it calls a media jihad, or holy war, to "terrorise" United States-led forces in Iraq and their families by bombarding them with e-mails and by posting gruesome photos online.I have seen the Top Ten film reported in the article. You can download the video here (see August 17th).The group, calling itself the "Brigade of Media Jihad", called on its militants to "post terrifying pictures on the internet in order to terrorise the enemy", said a statement on an Islamist website whose authenticity could not be verified.
"Our objective is to undermine the morale of our enemies, dash their hopes and dreams and reveal the truth of what is happening in Iraq. The media war is an integral part of the war on the ground," said the statement.....
The online statements are often accompanied by video to provide proof of bombings, kidnappings and killings.
The brigade claims to be part of the "World Islamic Media Front", which has uploaded on to Internet sites footage of military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and other places where Islamist militants operate.
Last week, it posted a film, Top Ten, in which it showed a selection of attacks on US troops carried out by the Islamic Army in Iraq and the al-Qaeda organisation in the Land of Two Rivers, the group of al-Qaeda frontman Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
SITE:
The Jihad Information Brigade issued their second statement today, August 19, 2005, claiming that they disseminated their propaganda about the “reality of the defeat facing Allah’s enemies in Iraq,” to approximately 1,600 websites and e-mails, including more than 60,000 people in the military, including their families, and “some of the public figures.” Further, the group alleges that the people in receipt of their messages were “frightened” by the news of the “reality which their sons are living in.”Also see Chad at In the Bullpen.The Brigade states that their goal is to unveil the reality of the situation in Iraq, which is allegedly covered up by the “conspiracies prepared by the infidel countries.” On March 7, 2005, the Jihad Information Brigade issued their first statement, boasting of sending similar messages to soldiers and their families in a variety of languages, with the goal of demoralizing the soldiers and “break the grasp of the Jews over the media.”
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July 17, 2005
This is my kinda guy! How come I'm not on your blogroll, man? It would be kinda like getting a fatwa by association or something. And as the proud owner of the Flush the Koran blog and the originator of the Karnival of the Koran Krapping let me say how disappointed I am that no one invited me to join Team Infidel!! For that, I issue a fatwa on you Chris Byrne. A fatwa on all of you Team Infidel!!
Hat tip: Gaijin Biker, Ryan, and David Gulliver for caring enough about my fatwa obsession to e-mail me this.
On a related note I just received the following e-mail from CAIR. It looks like it will be another 8-10 weeks before I can desecrate the Koran again...... more...
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July 11, 2005
The first video features images from the blast results and what appears to be footage on a moving bus with audio of jihadi sermons. The second video features images from the blasts results juxtaposed with casualties of the Afghanistan and Iraq war suggesting that the bombings were just retribution--a song popular in al Qaeda movies is playing in the background. Osam bin Laden is also shown preaching in the second video.
Images below. more...
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June 28, 2005
Are the American people so blinded as to who it is we are fighting now in Iraq? The propaganda of the mainstream media is to call these people insurgents and rebels and for the Left to think of them as the resistance.
E-mail a terrorist supporter: mojahid_mouslim@yahoo.com
(If terror supporter responds, please forward e-mail to me ASAP)
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June 09, 2005
UPDATE: One of our friends who wishes to remain anonymous does some digging and comes up with the following e-mails for members of the al Qaeda Yahoo group:
abo0jehad@yahoo.com
kashmirmujahideen@yahoo.com
mahmood_aljaboori@yahoo.com
mullahxxx@yahoo.it
tamim7007@yahoo.com
fasadalsaud@hotmail.com
alqa3edaah@yahoogroups.com
Try to keep track of who you e-mail. Filthy Allah has been going back and forth with one particular vile piece of scum lately and for the likes of us we can't figure out which terrorist supporting organization he belongs to.
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June 03, 2005
It's also quite funny. Below are a series of vidcaps I pulled off from it. The quality is bad, due to poor lighting in the video, but trust me these are beyond funny. more...
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12:52 PM
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June 02, 2005
ROBERT SPENCER, the director of Jihad Watch, is a writer and researcher...E-mail a terrorist sympathizer: muslimcreed@hotmail.comI believe he's already on the hit list, nothing new..
UPDATE: Site is down. Thanks to Jawa, Ace-o-Spades, Internet Hagganah, and LGF readers for e-mailing complaints (and for signing terrorist up for gay-singles and Jewish wisdom of the day spam!) more...
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May 25, 2005
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May 15, 2005
What is disturing about this video, though it should not surprise anyone, is that they drag out dead and injured bodies into a pile and then shoot them. There is not any footage of Saito nor his capture therefore I presume they are saving that footage for later as that is their method.
You should notice two white splotches in the video which were not added by myself or Ian. They were included in the original video. What do they conceal? My guess is these splotches cover up the vehicles used by the terrorists or another distinguishing characteristic of some of the terrorists and/or methods. This is the first I've seen in a terrorist video where they have intenionally blotted out something.
You can download the video here.
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