From the Boston Globe. So was Mousli planning anything, or does he simply have a very rich fantasy life?
The FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Department of Homeland Security have joined local police in investigating a Syrian national after a search of his Revere duplex uncovered flight-simulation software, pictures of Osama bin Laden, two small-caliber weapons, police scanners, and radio-jamming equipment, law enforcement and court officials said yesterday.Somerville and Revere police raided the Orvis Road home of Hammam A. Mousli, 45, at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, expecting to find computers, printers, and other equipment they believed Mousli was using in a sophisticated scheme to buy merchandise using fake UPC code stickers, said David Procopio, a spokesman for the Suffolk County district attorney's office.
But they found much more, prompting them to arrest Mousli and call in federal antiterrorism investigators, according to two law enforcement officials who both spoke on condition of anonymity.
"According to court documents, Mousli has several prior arrests for assault and battery, disorderly conduct, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, and shoplifting."
Bad police work.Any one of these, plus his expired visa, would have been sufficient to jail or deport him or both. Shame on the local prosecutor.
"Somerville and Revere police raided the Orvis Road home of Hammam A. Mousli, 45, at about 6 p.m. Wednesday, expecting to find computers, printers, and other equipment they believed Mousli was using in a sophisticated scheme to buy merchandise using fake UPC code stickers.
But they found much more, prompting them to arrest Mousli and call in federal antiterrorism investigators."
Good police work.Working on an unrelated case, they uncover further evidence and use teamwork and information sharing to bring in the Feds.
"Procopio (of the District Attorney's office)confirmed the seizure of the guns and said Mousli was arraigned yesterday on charges of possessing counterfeit notes and possession of a firearm without a state firearms identification card. Mousli was ordered held on $150,000 cash bail at the Nashua Street Jail."
Excellent prosecution strategy - don't go for the crime, go for the conviction.Without a single mention of "terrorism" he's not going anywhere for a while.And no matter what else fails...they've got him on the firearms and counterfeiting solid - he's going to do Federal time.
And notice this time there's no "we've caught a terrorist" news conference. These guys don't fall out of the sky, they have histories...and they're usually criminal. Minor crimes, but crimes nonetheless.
And all without having to whisk him away and hold him incommunicado for two years.
Wait'll they get the hard drives back! And I have a hunch, based on his choice of vendor, that our man is just corrupted enough by our decadent western values that he'll be singing like a bird by Monday.And ratting out. This could be the best bust so far, and all because a few security folks and checkout gals were doing the "What's wrong with this picture?"
A potential mass serial killer such as Mousli should not be confused with the homonymic Swiss cereal. There is nothing whole-grained and wholesome about him, though fruits and nuts do come to mind.