tourist...terrorist... close enough

IowaStatePhiPsi · #1 08-12-2004, 06:38 AM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...e/terror_trial

The Bush administration's already troubled case against an accused terror cell in Detroit is being dealt another blow with revelations that a witness came forward after the trial to undercut a key piece of video evidence presented to jurors.

Lawyers and Justice Department officials said Wednesday night that a man shown in a videotape of landmarks in New York, Las Vegas and California has told investigators the tape was an amateur film and not surveillance as prosecutors portrayed at the trial of four suspected terrorists.

swissmiss04 · #2 08-12-2004, 11:07 AM

You can't blame them for being a bit over cautious. In many countries you will have your film confiscated if you film/photograph roads, bridges, military installations, even the cop standing at the corner.

PM_Mama00 · #3 08-12-2004, 05:46 PM

I didn't read the whole article, but I would definitely not be surprised if there was a terrorist cell in Detroit. Close to the border, largest population of Middle Easterners (Dearborn/Detroit). I know that's not saying that because East Dearborn is all Arab that there are terrorists, but it'd be easy to blend in.

They need to be as careful as possible. There are many sincerely nice Muslims and Arabs in this town, but unfortunately some assholes are ruining it for them.

AlphaFrog · #4 08-13-2004, 08:27 AM

We just had a Palistinian arrested here in Charlotte for taking pics of Wachovia Bank, Bank of America (the tallest building in the city), and other such stuff.

IowaStatePhiPsi · #5 08-13-2004, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaFrog
Palistinian.

Pakistani- and it wasn't just Charlotte... http://money.cnn.com/services/ticker...0_FORTUNE5.htm

AlphaFrog · #6 08-13-2004, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
Pakistani- and it wasn't just Charlotte... http://money.cnn.com/services/ticker...0_FORTUNE5.htm

Sorry, our local news said Palistinian...ooops

KellyB369 · #7 08-13-2004, 06:49 PM

And I heard on the radio that someone related to the Pakistani man said he just likes buildings and was making the videos because of that. While that very well may be the reason, you have to know in this day and age that if you make films of large financial buildings someone is going to have a problem with it.

AlphaFrog · #8 08-13-2004, 06:53 PM

Just likes buildings???

There's more interesting buildings in Charlotte then Wachovia if he just likes buildings....

That's like saying "I just like flowers" and then going to the Botanical gardens and taking a picture of the grass.

IowaStatePhiPsi · #9 08-13-2004, 11:56 PM

*shrug*
There are people that "just like trains" and video tape a lot of what looks to us as "another freight train" but to them- they know the types of boxcars, tanker cars, etc, and thus each train is a possible "rare find". These people are getting harassed by cops as well these days. Hell- in Ames I've heard of art students getting questioned for taking pictures around town (doesnt help that last year there was a contest for a design to mask the ugliness of the Ames power plant)

Time and investigation will tell if the guy likes architecture or not.

_Opi_ · #10 08-17-2004, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PM_Mama00
I didn't read the whole article, but I would definitely not be surprised if there was a terrorist cell in Detroit. Close to the border, largest population of Middle Easterners (Dearborn/Detroit). I know that's not saying that because East Dearborn is all Arab that there are terrorists, but it'd be easy to blend in.

They need to be as careful as possible. There are many sincerely nice Muslims and Arabs in this town, but unfortunately some assholes are ruining it for them.

Uhm, Yeah dearborne has a large arab community. Doesn't mean there are terrorist cells there. Its like saying, grosse point has the militia cuz the people that live in that area are white. Or thinking that the Italian populated communities all have mafia presence.

Alpha Frog, sometimes people like things that you might not like. If he was white and like tall buildings, i bet we wouldn't be talking about in GC.

PM_Mama00 · #11 08-17-2004, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by _Opi_
Uhm, Yeah dearborne has a large arab community. Doesn't mean there are terrorist cells there. Its like saying, grosse point has the militia cuz the people that live in that area are white. Or thinking that the Italian populated communities all have mafia presence.

Alpha Frog, sometimes people like things that you might not like. If he was white and like tall buildings, i bet we wouldn't be talking about in GC.

My point was that IF there were (and weren't some arrested in Detroit?) then it'd be easy for them to blend it.

It's hard not to profile, especially when these people doin the killings could be your friendly next door neighbor. That's why I said that unfortunately these assholes are ruining it for the innocent Muslims and Arabs.

And yes, actually, if there was a bald white man running around murdering people, I'd be a little nervous every time I saw a bald white man. That'd be profiling bald white men, but that's teh way life goes.

_Opi_ · #12 08-17-2004, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PM_Mama00

And yes, actually, if there was a bald white man running around murdering people, I'd be a little nervous every time I saw a bald white man. That'd be profiling bald white men, but that's teh way life goes.

You can be nervous at who you feel like being nervous around. That's fine. But you can't simply justify arresting someone because they have a weird attraction to tall buildings. I bet the cops wouldn't arrest the "bald man" unless there was something probable cause, but laws have changed for immigrant-looking folks!

Rudey · #13 08-17-2004, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by _Opi_
You can be nervous at who you feel like being nervous around. That's fine. But you can't simply justify arresting someone because they have a weird attraction to tall buildings. I bet the cops wouldn't arrest the "bald man" unless there was something probable cause, but laws have changed for immigrant-looking folks!

Had someone been walking down the street and he was arrested because he was Arab it would be different. Had a Black man walked into a store and someone followed him that would be profiling. Had a Black man stolen something and someone followed him that would be his behavior.

If an Arab man is seen taking photos and recording public areas that are under watch and followed that is not racial profiling.

-Rudey