How FBI Keeps Entrapping Young Muslims:
Questions Over Rezwan Ferdaus Bomb Plot Arrest
09 December 2012
By El-Hajj Mauri' Saalakhan
Assalaamu Alaikum (Greetings of Peace):
A report just came to my full attention that hurt my
heart more than usual. I literally felt pain in my
chest, and ended up taking an aspirin as a precaution
(although I know that when it's my time, it will be my
time).
A young brother by the name of Rezwan Ferdaus was
sentenced earlier this month for an alleged terrorism
conspiracy, which involved at least one "cooperating
witness" and two FBI agents posing as terrorist
functionaries. My heart goes out to his family.
I had heard about this case a few months ago, but
didn't realize I knew this young brother until I saw
his photograph in the latest online newsletter release
of the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms (
www.CivilFreedoms.org ). When I saw the photo I was
reminded immediately of the two or three conversations
I had with Ferdaus on at least two of my visits to
Massachusetts (Boston and Worcester) about a year and
a half, or so, ago.
Rezwan is a soft-spoken, highly intelligent brother
who was deeply affected (some might argue, emotionally
traumatized) by the oppressive conditions afflicting a
growing number of Muslim societies overseas -
especially as a result of the so-called "war on
terrorism." Each time he would hear me speak on the
challenges confronting Muslims (both here and abroad)
he would express his appreciation and offer a bit of
thoughtful personal analysis.
Whenever we would disagree (on what the most
appropriate response should be to these challenges) he
was always respectful. I sincerely believe that if he
and I could have had more time discussing the issues
together, this unfortunate case may not have occurred.
(ALLAH knows best.)
Rezwan Ferdaus is in his mid-20s; and as a result of
the plea agreement, he received a 17 year sentence for
what he aspired to do - with manipulation,
encouragement, and material support from ambitious,
and possibly venom-filled, undercover government
agents! Is this fair? I don't think so!
The presiding judge, U.S. District Judge Richard
Stearns, was reportedly touched by Rezwan's statement
to the court; a statement that was both philosophical
and introspective. Judge Stearns reportedly said, "You
don't need any lecture from me. Your statement
convinces me that you have the character and the
capacity to search your own soul. I'm going to leave
it to you to finish that journey."
What follows are a number of articles on the case of
Rezwan Ferdaus. These are followed by a report on a
new (alleged) terrorism conspiracy case in California
involving four Muslim men; and this is followed by a
report on the sentencing of five young non-Muslim men
who were charged with a "terrorism conspiracy" in
Cleveland.
Two things, in my humble opinion, spared the five
non-Muslim men from receiving the unreasonably heavy
handed sentence that government prosecutors were
arguing for (given the fact that this too was a
preemptive prosecution of a terrorism conspiracy that
never achieved fruition). Those two factors were: (a)
non-Muslim, and (b) skin color.
With that said, I'm glad that they were able to get a
little bit of a break....because for every accused
person justice demands that the punishment should fit
the crime!
FBI faces entrapment questions over
Rezwan Ferdaus bomb plot arrest
Sting operation to arrest physics graduate, 26,
raises concerns that US Muslims might be targeted
using entrapment techniques
• Read the affidavit filed by prosecutors (pdf)
•guardian.co.uk, Thursday 29 September 2011 15.34 EDT
Rezwan Ferdaus is accused of plotting to crash
explosive-filled miniature planes into the US Capital
and Pentagon. Photograph: AP
The dramatic arrest of a man in Massachusetts accused
of plotting to crash explosive-filled miniature
airplanes into the US Capitol and the Pentagon has
sparked fresh concerns that the FBI might be using
entrapment techniques aimed at Muslims in America.
Rezwan Ferdaus, a 26-year-old US citizen and physics
graduate who lived at home with his parents in
Ashland, near Boston, was the target of an FBI sting
in which he bought a miniature aircraft that he
planned to outfit as a flying bomb.
Ferdaus, who is being held without bail, was indicted
by a federal grand jury in Boston on Thursday. The
six-count indictment – which also covered his alleged
efforts to provide support and resources for al-Qaida
groups attacking US troops abroad – said he "planned
to commit acts of violence against the United States"
with the goal of "decapitating" the nation's military
center "and killing as many 'kafirs' [non-believers]
as possible." A detention hearing has been set for
October 3.
However, some legal organisations and Muslim groups
have questioned whether Ferdaus, whose activities were
carried out with two undercover FBI agents posing as
terrorists, would have been able to carry out such a
sophisticated plot if left to his own devices. In
numerous previous cases in the US, the FBI has been
accused of over-zealousness in its investigations and
of entrapping people into terror plots who might
otherwise not have carried out an attack.
"It deeply concerns us. It is another in a pattern of
high-profile cases. Would this person have conceived
or executed this plot without the influence of the
FBI?" said Heidi Boghosian, president of the National
Lawyers Guild.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations also
expressed its concern and wondered if more details
would later emerge at trial that showed the full scale
of the FBI involvement in setting up the sting. "There
is a big, big difference between a plot initiated by
the FBI and a plot initiated by a suspect, and it
seems this might have been initiated by the FBI," said
Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR's director of communications.
The lengthy affidavit filed by prosecutors against
Ferdaus details an elaborate plot in which he
repeatedly expressed his desire to kill Americans and
his support for Islamic jihad. The affidavit showed he
came up with a detailed plan of attack and even
scouted his targets in Washington in person. He also
built mobile phone "detonators" that he supplied to
undercover FBI agents posing as al-Qaida terrorists
and expressed his pleasure when told him they had been
used to kill American soldiers in Iraq.
However, the affidavit also raises several questions.
Few details are given as to how Ferdaus came to the
attention of the FBI. Mention is only made of a
co-operating witness, known as CW, who met Ferdaus in
December 2010 and soon began recording his
conversations.
No details are given as to CW's identity, but it is
mentioned that he or she has a criminal record and has
served time in prison. That raises the possibility
that the CW may have had some ulterior motive to bring
an alleged terror suspect to the attention of the FBI
or could be an unreliable witness.
Another potential area of concern is a meeting on 19
April 2011, when the undercover agents met with
Ferdaus and questioned the "feasibility" of his plan.
That raises the prospect that the FBI agents were
somehow goading Ferdaus into more action. "Ferdaus
responded in a defensive manner that he had made
progress," the affidavit stated.
At the same meeting the undercover agents also gave
financial assistance for Ferdaus to travel to
Washington on a scouting trip: a fact that raises the
question of whether he would have made the trip
without that financial help. The undercover agents
also supplied thousands of dollars in cash for Ferdaus
to buy the F-86 Sabre miniature plane to be used in an
attack.
Another portion of the affidavit also details
Ferdaus's enthusiasm for making mobile phone
detonation devices that he believed were being sent to
Iraq and used by terrorists. Ferdaus suggested sending
a box of 50 mobile phones to war zones where
terrorists were in need of them. He even wanted to set
up a sort of workshop to produce up to 30 of the
devices a week.
"Ferdaus indicated that he could write instructions or
make a video on how to construct the cell phone
detonation devices," the affidavit said. Such an
apparently outlandish idea that hinges on the idea
that Islamic terrorists are desperately short of cheap
mobile phones might suggest Ferdaus was, to some
extent, a fantasist rather than a genuine threat.
However, some legal experts said that the case against
Ferdaus appeared compelling, especially as he
frequently and repeatedly indicated his desire and
willingness to carry out terrorist attacks against
Americans. In trying to mount a successful defence of
entrapment it is vital to prove that a suspect has no
pre-disposition to the crime they are accused of
doing. In the Ferdaus case that would seem to be
difficult, lawyers said.
"He took the weaponry and agreed to do it. That
demonstrates a propensity and willingness to do it,"
said Anthony Barkow, a former terrorism prosecutor and
executive director of the Center on the Administration
of Criminal Law at New York University.
Barkow defended the FBI investigation and said that
the US authorities took careful steps to avoid the
issue of entrapment. "The Justice Department is very
aware of this issue," he said.
Certainly the affidavit against Ferdaus paints a
compelling picture of a man hellbent on waging jihad
in America and eager to take the guns and explosives
eventually supplied to him by the undercover FBI
agents. He repeatedly states in recorded conversations
that he is happy for Americans to die and that the
idea for the attack was his own. "That's excellent,"
Ferdaus said when told one of his phone detonators had
been used overseas and had killed Americans.
The prosecution case also reveals how Ferdaus ordered
the plane and rented a storage facility in which to
keep it and then took delivery from the FBI agents of
25 pounds of C-4 explosives, three grenades and six
AK-47 rifles. It also shows Ferdaus explaining how he
had become convinced that he needed to attack America
after viewing jihadist websites online. "I just can't
stop; there is no other choice for me," he said of his
decision to launch the attacks.
Prosecutors have staunchly defended the FBI operation.
"Our top priority is to protect our nation from
terrorism and national security threats," said US
attorney Carmen Ortiz.
FBI officials have also said the investigation was
carried out responsibly and to head off a real threat.
"We have an obligation to take action to protect the
public whenever an individual expresses a desire to
commit violence. A committed individual, even one with
no direct connections to, or formal training from, an
international terrorist organization, can pose a
serious danger to the community," said Richard
DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's
Boston Division.
--------------------
BULL!!! This is nothing but cold, calculated,
deliberate entrapment. And as was done in the Newburgh
4 case (and a number of other cases around the country
involving young Muslim males) the feds - operating
through a despicable "cooperating witness" with a
criminal record, and two undercover agents posing as
terrorists (agents-provocateurs all) - saw the
existence of mental illness as an opportunity they
just couldn't pass up!
How long are Muslim "leaders" and "major Muslim
organizations" in the U.S. going to continue to
willfully cooperate with government agencies that are
determined to continue mistreating the Muslim
community in this horrendous manner? We had better
start taking a more principled stand on these
challenging issues before it's too late!
The Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) reportedly
said:
"By The One in Who's Hand rests my soul, you must
surely enjoin the good and forbid the evil; otherwise
it is expected that ALLAH will send a punishment
against you, and you will supplicate Him, but your
supplications will not be answered."
---------------------------------------------
The following report, from the dedicated website for
Rezwan Ferdaus, confirmed a feeling that I had about
the young brother the first time we met in Worcester.
I sensed that he (while highly intelligent) might be a
little emotionally or psychologically unstable. I pray
that something can be done to insure that this
vulnerability will not be used as an additional
unconstitutional punishment in the months and years
ahead. May ALLAH protect him. - MS
Rezwan Ferdaus was under Psychiatric care at the time
of his arrest.
His mental illness was obviously visible to his family
and friends since late 2009. The FBI knew about his
mental issues at least since October 21st of 2010,
when they came to his house to ask questions about
another person who went to a gun shop, and still went
ahead with targeting him knowing that he is an easy
prey.
FBI sent 'gangster' and 'heroin addict' informant,
whom they called Collaborating Witness (CW), to the
Worcester Islamic Center (WIC) Mosque to entrap Rezwan.
The informant, a non-Muslim, hanged out in the mosque
pretending to be a Muslim, and identified himself as
Khalil from Connecticut of Egyptian descent. The
informant's record as established in court and
reported by the Boston News Station WBUR on November
8th, 2011, is: "two convictions for selling drugs,
unlawful restraint, a robbery conviction whose
eight-year sentence he cut down to three by
cooperating as a government witness elsewhere."
Every Friday since middle of 2008, Rezwan went to WIC
Mosque along with his father for Friday 'Jummah'
Prayer and this is where at the end of 2010, the FBI
orchestrated and facilitated a plan to entrap Rezwan.
---------------------------------------------
Rezwan Ferdaus Guilty Plea Expected In Pentagon
Remote-Control Plane Bomb Plot
BOSTON — A Massachusetts man charged with plotting to
fly remote-controlled model planes packed with
explosives into the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol will
plead guilty to two charges, his lawyers and
prosecutors said in a plea agreement filed in federal
court Tuesday....
Rezwan Ferdaus of Ashland sentenced to 17 years in
terror plot
A 26-year-old Ashland man was sentenced Thursday
morning in federal court to 17 years in prison for
planning to crash explosives-laden model airplanes
into the Pentagon and US Capitol and rigging
cellphones to detonate improvised explosive devices to
kill American troops.
Rezwan Ferdaus, who grew up in Massachusetts and has a
physics degree from Northeastern University, began
planning a holy war against the United States in 2010
after becoming convinced by seeing jihadi websites and
videos that America is evil. He later approached a
federal informant and met with undercover agents to
discuss a plot.
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