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SOMETHING DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT...
By Michelle Malkin · May 21, 2006 10:29 AM
...with the story of the two lying Saudi men who boarded a school bus in Florida. And it is not racist to say so.
saudiriders.jpg
Just joy riders?
***scroll for updates... BAIL FOR SAUDIS REVOKED***
From Tampa Bay 10:
Two men from Saudi Arabia were arrested today after they boarded a public school bus taking students to Wharton High School, the sheriff's office reported.We have plenty of reason to be concerned about young Saudi men on student visas purportedly studying English.
Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20, both of Tampa, were charged with trespassing on school grounds as unlawful riders on a school bus.
Deputies say the two boarded the bus at a regular bus stop at Fletcher Avenue and 42nd street. Deputies said the bus driver and the students saw them and became concerned by their presence. The driver notified her supervisors who, in turn, called authorities.
A sheriff's deputy met then at Wharton High school and charged with them with trespassing.
The two men "initially told deputies they were from Morocco, but later admitted to being from Saudi Arabia," the sheriff's office said. "They told authorities they are enrolled at the English Language Institute at the University of South Florida. The defendants gave several versions of the reason they took a school bus to a high school, among those being they wanted to enroll in easier English language classes."
Investigators say the two arrived in the United States about six months ago and are required to be enrolled at the English Language Institute.
A sheriff's spokesman say they are registered students at the university.
Local, state and federal agents searched the residences of the two men and found nothing of concern.
Both men were taken to the Orient Road Jail.
We have plenty of reason to be concerned about possible terrorism operatives in south Florida.
And we have plenty of reason to be concerned about terror attacks on schoolchildren and buses.
Almanajam and Alsidran lied to Florida sheriff's officials. What else have they lied about? The State Department, JTTF, and DHS better be taking a close look at their student visa applications.
More details:
"Both defendants gave several versions of the reason they took a school bus to a high school," said Hillsborough County sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway.
"They said they wanted to go to Wharton to look around, and then they said they wanted to go there to have some fun, and then they said they wanted to enroll in the English classes there," Callaway said.
"We're not sure if this was a situation of them just being new to this country, or if they were confused or what it was," Callaway said. "We were unsure as to exactly what the final reason was, but it did cause great concern for the students on the bus and for us. One of the guys was wearing shorts with a black trench coat."
While on the bus, the men laughed and spoke in Arabic, Callaway said.
Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the men likely meant no harm and that because "they were from Saudi Arabia, that escalated the situation."
He blamed the incident on cultural differences.
"They didn't differentiate between a school bus and public transportation," he said.
Hmm.
Asking questions: Robert Spencer at Jihad Watch, American Future, more at Memeorandum.
***1pm EDT update. Bail for the Saudis has been revoked. Via TBO.com:
A judge revoked bail for two Saudi men arrested Friday for boarding a school bus and riding to Wharton High.Bond review hearing is Tuesday.
Initially, Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20, were held in Orient Road Jail on bails of $250 each on misdemeanor trespassing charges. Circuit Judge Monica Sierra decided to hold them at a court appearance Saturday so investigators could dig deeper into their pasts.
A friend of the two University of South Florida students tried to post their bail Friday night, said Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, but a jail clerk told the friend that they couldn't be released because they were under an immigration hold until a hearing Saturday morning.
At the hearing, Sierra agreed with a prosecutor that she needed to know more about them before she could feel comfortable releasing them.
The prosecutor said neither man carried identification when they were arrested at Wharton High School, and authorities haven't had an opportunity to gather background information beyond a check of state records.
Almanajam and Alsidran appeared confused by the proceedings and smiled nervously as they stood behind a public defender's table.
Hat tip: Duke and Sean O.
***
I would ask why our Saudi student admittance policies seem to be as lax as ever, but I already know the answer.
"The Saudis are our friends."
Over in Arizona, another known hotspot for al Qaeda trainees, the doors are being thrown open to Saudi students at President Bush's behest:
The UA will enroll about 100 new Saudi Arabian students this summer, which could signal the reverse of a post-Sept. 11 trend of having fewer international students in the United States, especially those from the Middle East. The students are part of a new large-scale scholarship program by the Saudi government, which will send about 6,000 students to American universities this year after just 1,442 Saudi students had visas to study in the United States in 2004.
About 80 of the students are already at the UA, enrolled in English-immersion classes before they start their academic programs in the fall. More are expected by the start of next semester as they secure visas...
...The program grew out of an agreement in April by President Bush and then-Crown Prince Abdullah, with the more open policy part of larger efforts at improving relations between the two nations.
From the 9/11 report:
By the summer of 2000, three of the four Hamburg cell members had arrived on the East Coast of the United States and had begun pilot training. In early 2001, a fourth future hijacker pilot, Hani Hanjour, journeyed to Arizona with another operative, Nawaf al Hazmi, and conducted his refresher pilot training there. A number of al Qaeda operatives had spent time in Arizona during the 1980s and early 1990s.
More:
There are 59 references to Arizona in the 9/11 Commission Report. But it tells only a fragment of the story when it comes to terrorists in the Grand Canyon State. A joint FBI-CIA analysis titled Arizona: Long Range Nexus for Islamic Extremists remains classified. Its existence was revealed for the first time when the 9/11 Commission released its final report this summer. But the long-standing link between Islamic terrorists and the Arizona desert has been in the public record for yearsand its centered dead on Tucson, and in particular, the Islamic Center of Tucson (ICT).
What are we doing?
***
In case you missed it, go read Nina Shea's piece in the WaPo on Saudi hate textbooks in the kingdom's public schools.
Cori Dauber weighs in.
But CAIR is helping them:Mr. P said:Boy, if this doesn't fit the "DRY RUN/ TEST" procedure, I don't know what would.
They should be held until an investigation is 100% complete. Then send em home along with their bud that was posting bail.
CAIR to the Rescue (Updated)
By Marc Schulman
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) can be counted upon to instantaneously leap forward to defend and/or excuse any words and/or deeds (with the exception of actual terrorist attacks, of course) of Muslims in the United States.
The latest example comes from Tampa:
Two Saudi men were arrested Friday after they boarded a school bus and rode to Wharton High School in New Tampa. Students on the bus became alarmed, as did the bus driver, who called ahead. Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies met the bus at the school and detained the men. No one was injured and nothing out of line occurred on the bus, deputies said.Hillsborough County sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway:
Both defendants gave several versions of the reason they took a school bus to a high school. They said they wanted to go to Wharton to look around, and then they said they wanted to go there to have some fun, and then they said they wanted to enroll in the English classes there. We're not sure if this was a situation of them just being new to this country, or if they were confused or what it was. We were unsure as to exactly what the final reason was, but it did cause great concern for the students on the bus and for us. One of the guys was wearing shorts with a black trench coat. [emphasis added]
It was nearly 90 degrees in Tampa yesterday.
Here's what CAIR said about the incident:
Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations said the men likely meant no harm and that because "they were from Saudi Arabia, that escalated the situation." He blamed the incident on cultural differences. "They didn't differentiate between a school bus and public transportation," he said.Yeah, right.
UPDATE: A judge revoked bail for two Saudi men arrested Friday for boarding a school bus and riding to Wharton High. Neither man carried identification when they were arrested at Wharton High School, and authorities haven't had an opportunity to gather background information beyond a check of state records. [emphasis added]
CAIR's Bedier called the court's decision to revoke bond an overreaction and tied to the men being Arabic and Muslim:
The only reason [this happened] is because of who they are, and that's wrong. How is it that they can say they can't find out who these kids are when they've searched their homes and found nothing? ... Thus far, it doesn't seem like they've been afforded their full rights for something as simple as getting on the wrong bus.Since when are people in their early twenties "kids?" Why didn't they have any identification?
And now the comments:May 21, 2006
The Lamestream Midiots Hit The Snooze Button, Roll Over & Go Back To Sleep
Filed under: Homeland Insecurity, Journaljizzm, Media Whores, Never Forget, Religion of Pus
Technorati Homeland Insecurity, Journaljizzm, Media Whores, Never Forget, Religion of Pus
Its been almost 48 hours since the story broke and doing a Google search AND a Yahoo! search of the news brings you a grand total of, wait for it, FIVE stories on the Beslan-in-America dry run. Not surprisingly, all FIVE stories come from THREE sources, all of which are located in the immediate Tampa Bay area. (Tampa Trib, Tampa Bays 10 and St. Pete Times)
Heres the Tribs story on the bail being revoked for the two *coughbullshitcough* culturally confused Peaceful Inner Strugglers. Well put it under the fold to save space.
TAMPA - A judge revoked bail for two Saudi men arrested Friday for boarding a school bus and riding to Wharton High.
Initially, Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20, were held in Orient Road Jail on bails of $250 each on misdemeanor trespassing charges. Circuit Judge Monica Sierra decided to hold them at a court appearance Saturday so investigators could dig deeper into their pasts.
A friend of the two University of South Florida students tried to post their bail Friday night, said Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, but a jail clerk told the friend that they couldnt be released because they were under an immigration hold until a hearing Saturday morning.
At the hearing, Sierra agreed with a prosecutor that she needed to know more about them before she could feel comfortable releasing them.
The prosecutor said neither man carried identification when they were arrested at Wharton High School, and authorities havent had an opportunity to gather background information beyond a check of state records.
Almanajam and Alsidran appeared confused by the proceedings and smiled nervously as they stood behind a public defenders table.
Investigators say the men boarded a school bus at Fletcher Avenue and 42nd Street, sat down and began speaking in Arabic. Their behavior concerned the driver, a substitute, who alerted the school district.
The bus was met at Wharton High School by a swarm of officers from the sheriffs Homeland Security Division, the Florida Department of Law Enforcements Regional Domestic Security Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI.
Bedier called the courts decision to revoke bail an overreaction and tied to the men being Arabic and Muslim.
The only reason [this happened] is because of who they are, and thats wrong, he said. How is it that they can say they cant find out who these kids are when theyve searched their homes and found nothing? Thus far, it doesnt seem like theyve been afforded their full rights for something as simple as getting on the wrong bus.
He questioned why the driver didnt tell them not to board if their appearance was suspicious.
Officials who questioned the men Friday said they at first said they were from Morocco but later admitted being from Saudi Arabia. Both arrived in the country six months ago and are enrolled at the English Language Institute at USF. Their reasons for getting on the bus ranged from wanting to enroll in easier English classes to having some fun.
Bedier said the men got on the bus out of a cultural misunderstanding.
They dont have yellow school buses just for children in their home country, he said.
The judge scheduled a bail review hearing for Tuesday and asked that an Arabic interpreter be present. There was no interpreter Saturday.
Judge Sierra gets a toast and a big ol round of applause for her moment of Clue.
Ahmed Bedier, as always, gets the Bullshit Flag thrown on him, is penalized half the distance to the goal with a loss of down and big, heartfelt FUCK YOU, ASSHOLE!.
...there's more at site.F.E.T.E.
Posted by B.C., Imperial Torturer @ 10:06 am |
29 Comments - Now we are talking!
1. Comment by LC Guido Cabrone
Damn A Floridazed judge with a clue?^grin^
Dont tell me, let me guess. Judge Sierra is an import, right?
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:16 am Using Firefox Firefox 1.0.6 on Windows Windows XP
2. Comment by Radical Redneck
BC, as a dad in the Tampa area why dont you write the editors of the parent companies of these papers (Gannett, Knight-Ridder?) and demand they give it some national coverage? If nothing else theyll know the story even exists.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:16 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
3. Comment by Deathknyte
The only reason [this happened] is because of who they are, and thats wrong,
No, not really.
How is it that they can say they cant find out who these kids are when theyve searched their homes and found nothing? Thus far, it doesnt seem like theyve been afforded their full rights for something as simple as getting on the wrong bus.
One, they are not kids. Two, its awful hard to misidentify a YELLOW schoolbus with logoed public transportation. After six months, I think you would have noticed that the yellow ones usually have only ONE adult on them.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:19 am Using Firefox Firefox 1.5.0.3 on Windows Windows XP
4. Comment by LC Guido Cabrone
Question?
asked that an Arabic interpreter be present.
Hold it a second, didnt we see this?
Both arrived in the United States about six months ago and have student visas that require them to be enrolled at the English Language Institute, Callaway said.
So tell me, other than keeping these steaming shitpiles from carrying on a conversation that others in the room may be unable to understand, why the FUCK do they need an interpreter?
If, after six months in a language immersion program, (the only kind that really works!), why wouldnt they be able to simply ask for explanations of terms they do not understand?
It would be different if they had not been here six months studying the language, but it seems to be that being enrolled in the English Language Institute should give a sufficient command of the language to allow these idjits to understand what is going on.
Secondly, why are they not separated?
If you and a buddy are arrested for trespassing, and you try claiming it was just a misunderstanding, and start changing your stories every two minutes, you are most definately NOT going to be kept together so that you can coordinate your stories.
Fuck this politically correct kid glove shit.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:26 am Using Firefox Firefox 1.0.6 on Windows Windows XP
5. Comment by LC HJ Caveman82952
Ask the prisoners in jail with them to profer some gentle inquiries .you know, the same prisoners whose kids would be riding that school bus .
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:28 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
6. Comment by CiSSnarl5.7
Bedier called the courts decision to revoke bail an overreaction and tied to the men being Arabic and Muslim.
The only reason [this happened] is because of who they are, and thats wrong, he said. How is it that they can say they cant find out who these kids are when theyve searched their homes and found nothing? Thus far, it doesnt seem like theyve been afforded their full rights for something as simple as getting on the wrong bus.
Yer GOT DAMND Right on that point Beider of the pointy head clan
1. 19 Highjackers 15 directly from Saudi.
2. Osama Bin fucking a goat in a cave Laden..Saudi
3. 45-50 % of insurgents in Iraq Saudi
4. Immans proven thru vast documentation time and time again to preach hatered and call for the total destruction of Isreal and the West .Saudi..
Ok lets tally the points////Saudi, Saudi, Saudi, Saudi does anyone other them the ass hats mewling about the only reason this happened see a patteren here??
Co-INK-A-Dink I thinks not!!
SNARL
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:32 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
7. Comment by L.C. DUEX
Their reasons for getting on the bus ranged from wanting to enroll in easier English classes to having some fun.
I hope they are about to find out how funny American parents find people who mess with their children.
Nobody should be able to suggest with a straight face that these two took the wrong bus by mistake. The yellow school bus is as American as apple pie. Id like to propose that some school buses are equipped with armed drivers to cut down on the possibility of any future misunderstandings of this sort.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:40 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
8. Comment by WayneB
Yes, one would think that someone in this country, after 9/11, from the Middle East, would be a little more circumspect than laughing and talking in Arabic, while on public transportation of any kind. THAT is what makes it the most suspicious to me, because they appear to be testing the waters to see how much reaction they get from the most suspicious activities they can come up with.
I would have suggested 6 cop cars and a helicopter, with guns drawn. Even if the guns may have frightened the children, they would be able to look back and see that they were being protected with something more than just going through the motions, as the original bail sounded like.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:46 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
9. Comment by CiSSnarl5.7
And ANOTHER thing
How is it that they can say they cant find out who these kids are when theyve searched their homes and found nothing? Thus far, it doesnt seem like theyve been afforded their full rights for something as simple as getting on the wrong bus.
Mr. Beider of the pointy head clan
Ever heard of a lessons learned? environment?
9/11 Happens..The Bumble Fucks in D.C leap into action
They find numerous records, and documents of the 9/11 highjackers, which leads to Bin Ladin and Al Quida being hunted like the fucking rats they are.
Lets jump forward a few years, because of the paper trail found after 9/11 the WOT is now in full swing and giving the bumble fucks in D.C. thier just due Life is pretty fucking glum for a jihadi for the most part, especially a high profile one, they cant so much as breathe in most places with out getting a hell fire shoved up thier asses
Now lets see Im a Al Quida leader or for that matter just any ol run of the mill terrorist leader..
Im gonna look at that real hard and say You know what? we need to do a better job of concealling our paths next time..
So you teach your two operatives to tread very carefully..Other than a visa to enter for study..there will be no paper work, no history, no credit card recipets nothing nada .makes it much fucking harder for the U.S. to go after someone after the fact and thats whats so scary about this situation
So does it surprise me that they found nothing
Nope..not a bit.
SNARL
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:47 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
10. Pingback by Thoughts By Seawitch » Alarm Bells
[ ] If you would be alarmed at this, then read The Anti-Idioterians post about what happened in Tampa. [ ]
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:50 am Using WordPress WordPress 2.0.2
11. Comment by THANOS
Ciss prety much summed it all up perfectly and beat me to it. Muslims are the ones commiting terrorism all over the planet, there is proof of this every single frickin day. What more does the liberal/leftist press need?
Even the leaders and clerics of Muslim countries have said it loud and clear what they have planned for the planet and the MSM willingly chooses to ignore what they say and either doesnt print their words or tells people that what the luntaics said what taken out of context and they really dont mean it when the Muslims say that want to enslave us all. Naaawwwww, its just their culture, we dont understand them.
The more i look around for information concerning islam and muslims, and go to other blogs ands try to engage liberals/leftists in intelligent and rational conversations, the more i realize its just a waste of my breath to even try and that the time is coming to kick their sorry asses. We really dont have a choice,as they refuse, refuse, refuse to listen and try to act like intelligent and sane humans and instead choose to act like angry teenagers full of angst and hormones.
And yet they call us warmongers,neocons, wingnuts and chickenhawks. All i can call them, and its the truth, is idiots.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:59 am Using Netscape Netscape 8.1 on Windows Windows XP
12. Pingback by Its A Matter Of Opinion » Blog Archive » Alarm Bells
[ ] If you would be alarmed at this, then read The Anti-Idioterians post about what happened in Tampa. [ ]
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 10:59 am Using WordPress WordPress 2.0.2
13. Comment by LC Wes, Imperial Mohel
You realize, of course, that the same US media outlets that have been ignoring this story - just as they largely ignored the original Beslan atrocity - will be angrily demanding to know why the dots werent connected when the terrorists actually do hit a school.
As BC is fond of saying: F.E.T.E.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:22 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows 2000
14. Comment by Beth* A.
And yet they call us warmongers,neocons, wingnuts and chickenhawks. All i can call them, and its the truth, is idiots.
And its a potentially lethal form of idiocy.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:32 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
15. Comment by Beth* A.
And its a potentially lethal form of idiocy.
I shouldve added: lethal to US as well as them.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:34 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
16. Comment by Talon
Florida judge with a clue but it aint rubbin off on nearby N.O. How can they re-elect that a**hole after what he did NOT do for them. Guess choclate city likes saving that school bus gas money while their dumbasses are waiting for the free ride out.
Is that thunder I hear? Nagan better be Noah next time.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:38 am Using Firefox Firefox 1.5.0.3 on Windows Windows XP
17. Comment by CiSSnarl5.7
warmonger? you betcha sweet ass I wear it with much pride and diginty
Been there done that got the T-Shirt several of em as a matter of fact Libya, Balklans, Kuwait etc etc LOL
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:48 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
18. Comment by kwongdzu
So how long are they holding these yahoos, do they have them in separate cells, and what the fuck kind of background check did they do on these people before issuing them student visas in the first place?
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 11:55 am Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
19. Comment by B.C., Imperial Torturer
Kwongdzu asked a very pertinent question:
and what the fuck kind of background check did they do on these people before issuing them student visas in the first place?
Well, my friend, this is most likely your answer.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 12:16 pm Using Firefox Firefox 1.5.0.3 on Windows Windows XP
20. Comment by CiSSnarl5.7
and what the fuck kind of background check did they do on these people before issuing them student visas in the first place
I can give you a pretty good hint .proabably starts with N ends in E and has ON in-between..
There was a little quid pro quo thing happen with several of our allies in the M.E. region a while back.
Basically it amounts to you dont hassel a U.S. Ctizen entering your country we wont do it to yours.
As a U.S. Citzen you can enter Kuwait for up to 90 days, no questions asked
And the reverse holds true
Does it apply to Saudi? Im not sure, but from talking to some it is childs play to get a student visa to enter the U.S. In fact the diplo-dunks at State have furiously waged a propaganda war over here to let the Arabs know what a great place the U.S. is and how we welcome them with open arms
Not sure if that applies to Saudi but since Al-Bushka holds the Saudis in such high regard it wouldnt surprise me a bit
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 12:17 pm Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
21. Comment by Cheryl
The two kids, Shaker and Yo Mamar, took their cue from the arrogance of their mejicano brethren. Thats why the giggling and pretend confusion.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 12:19 pm Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
22. Comment by Blackiswhite, Imperial Agent Provocateur
So they smiled and seemed confused during the hearing. I thought to myself, what could make these yeahoos act that way? HHHHHmMMMMM. What is the best waepon you can use when you dont give a shit about your own life, and you very well may get caught? Maybe some of our medically inclined can discuss things that are awful, with high mortality rates, and have longer incubation periods.
I really, really, really hope that I am just following in the footsteps of St Garibaldi, and only dreaming dark, rather than showing any prescience.
Posted on May 21, 2006 @ 12:20 pm Using Internet Explorer Internet Explorer 6.0 on Windows Windows XP
Kathianne said:
Kathianne said:Gee, I wish some of the comment posters were USMB members:
http://www.nicedoggie.net/2006/?p=726
And now the comments: ...there's more at site.
