U.S. informant in terror probes disappears

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1141205961140360.xml&coll=2

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

...

And when the brothers at Masjid at-Tawfeeq wanted to build a new mosque, he connected them with leaders he said he knew at KindHearts, a Toledo-based Muslim charity that hands out about $4 million a year.

Now, three of those brothers are jailed on terrorism charges, KindHearts is closed amid allegations that it supports Hamas, and Bilal - nicknamed "the Trainer" in a federal indictment - has disappeared.

Bilal, 39, of Toledo, was working undercover for the U.S. government in terrorism probes that reached into both the small storefront mosque and the headquarters of KindHearts, which is supported by contributions from Muslims throughout the United States...

Hartman and Charles Sallah, who represents Mazloum, question whether Bilal entrapped their clients. "I want to know how big a role he played in creating the conspiracy. Was he really the main criminal?" Sallah said...


Muslim charities targeted, group says
Coalition seeks talks with Treasury chief

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/NEWS08/603010506/-1/NEWS

An American Muslim coalition is seeking to meet with Treasury Secretary John Snow to discuss the padlocking of the Toledo-based charity, KindHearts, and "the continued targeting of Muslim charities without due process of law."

Federal agents, using the power of an executive order, closed KindHearts' West Toledo headquarters on Feb. 19 and froze its assets while authorities investigate the Muslim charity for alleged support of Hamas terrorists in the Middle East.

The funds, which KindHearts said were more than $1 million, were frozen "to prevent asset flight" while the federal investigation is under way, according to Stuart Levey, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.

Yesterday, the American Muslim Taskforce on Civil Rights and Elections, a Washington-based coalition of Muslim organizations, sent a letter to Secretary Snow about KindHearts, which technically is "blocked" and not closed, and the permanent closures of three U.S. Muslim charities that were shut down after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington...



Toledo terrorism suspect is denied bail
Prosecutor argues accused is flight risk

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/NEWS02/603010371/-1/NEWS


CLEVELAND - One of the three Toledo area men arrested last week after being accused of plotting to kill and help kill U.S. soldiers overseas was ordered held without bail yesterday during a hearing in U.S. District Court here.

Mohammad Zaki Amawi, 26, sat quietly as U.S. Magistrate Kenneth S. McHargh ordered Mr. Amawi detained following a hearing that lasted a little over an hour.

Mr. Amawi's court-appointed attorney, Dennis Terez, of Cleveland, passionately argued for bond and a supervised release.

Dressed in a blue prison pullover shirt and pants with a chain around his waist attached to his handcuffed hands, Mr. Amawi did not speak during the hearing...


http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060228/NEWS02/302280004/-1/NEWS

Article published Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Third Toledo-area terrorist suspect appears in federal court in Cleveland


A federal judge in Cleveland has ordered that a Toledo-area terrorist suspect, Mohammad Zaki Amawi, 26, should be held in custody without bond pending a future trial.

Magistrate Judge Kenneth S. McHargh issued the ruling this morning in U.S. District Court in Cleveland where Mr. Amawi appeared for a detention hearing.

Mr. Amawi, a Jordanian citizen who was living in Toledo at 4 Chelmsley Ct., was arrested in Jordan and flown to Cleveland, where he pleaded not guilty last week to charges of conspiring to kill or injure people in the Middle East and with providing “support and resources” to do so. He’s also faces two counts of making verbal threats to kill the President.

Two other men, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, 43, and Wassim I. Mazloum, 24, face the conspiracy and support charges...


Article published Wednesday, March 1, 2006

Why create paranoia, fear in Ohio?

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060301/OPINION03/603010348

It was disturbing to read the Feb. 23 article and the comments of Ken Morckel, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, calling Ohio a user-friendly place for plotting terrorist attacks...

"See Something, Say Something" encourages citizens to spy on each other and report "suspicious behavior" to police. These types of programs only encourage racial profiling and lessen the effectiveness of police by flooding them with false leads. No evidence has shown such programs are effective in combating terrorism...

Christine Link

Executive Director
ACLU of Ohio
Cleveland


Don't forgo liberty for false security


It is nothing new for politicians to spread fear in order to promote their agenda, suspend laws, and chip away at civil liberties.

In the World War II era a man said if we can convince the people that their security is threatened and create fear, then we can control the people and do with them whatever we want. The man who said this was Hermann Goering, the Reichsmarshal of Germany and Adolf Hitler's right-hand man. This is an example in the extreme...

Jack Colboth

Homerdale Avenue

bushco using extreme tactics to sweep up people regardless of whether there is any wrong doing.

one needs only the appearence of wrong doing for this admin to throw them on the terror heap.

i've come to hate the word ''terror''.

it doesn't mean anything any more.

Simple algebra of life

...one needs only the appearence of wrong doing for this admin to throw them on the terror heap...

Interesting contrast.

Wonder if the "informant" was threatened with Gitmo if he failed to cooperate.

Wonder whether charges of "conspiracy to commit jihad" are gonna' stick.

This whole persecution,...er,...prosecution is very curious.