He was videotaping skyscrapers. From AP:
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Federal officials have charged a Pakistani citizen with immigration violations and said Tuesday the man was detained last month after being spotted taking videotapes of downtown skyscrapers.Kamran Akhtar, 36, was arrested July 20 after being taken in for questioning by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Anthony Maglione. Charges against him were contained in indictments unsealed in federal court Tuesday.
Akhtar is charged with violating federal immigration and naturalization laws and making a materially false statement, according to a news release by U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert.
U.S. District Judge Carl Horn ordered Akhtar held in federal custody at a brief hearing Tuesday morning in federal court; he had been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
He was being held Tuesday at the Mecklenburg County Jail.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Darrell Stephens, Akhtar told Maglione at the time of his arrest that he was making videotapes for family members.
"This is one that will require more investigation, to determine just what he was doing with these tapes," Stephens said.
http://knowislam.info/forum/
http://www.secularislam.org/discussion37/Default.htm
Islam discussion forums.
We're slowly but surely shutting these lying, sneaking slobs down. If only there were a defense for Police to use stating the following: From a distance,the camera he had in his hand looked like a firearm, so I feared for my life, and blew his head off.
Muslims, go home to the land of sand while you still can, your days of fooling even the most trusting of Americans are over. And shame on you for all you've done.
Every last one of you should be embarrassed to call yourselves Muslims. To be affiliated with Islam should shame you into converting to a true religion.
You will pay for what you've done.
Your grandchildren will pee on your snowy graves.
Folks,
The Liberal Left has got to realize that the 60’s are over and we can no longer afford to “Give Peace a Chance.”
Sometimes a snake is nothing more than a snake and sometimes a group of deviants are nothing more than a group of deviants. We must accept that there is evil in the world today and commit to do something about it.
So it is with Islam.
There things about Islam that I have come to learn as ABSOLUTE truths:
1. Possessing none of the grace or compassion associated with the world’s great religions, Islam is nothing more than a deviant cult.
2. This cult places Muslims at the top of the food chain and encourages (or at least tolerates) the destruction and degradation of all others (and some of their own).
3. Morality, respect for the rights of women, respect for the rights of others, art, music, theatre, academia, science, economics, philosophy, knowledge, honor, TRUTH, the Rule of Law and civil order mean NOTHING in the face of blind faith to Islam’s demonic Allah.
4. Negotiation in good faith with Islam will not work because conciliation is seen by Islam as a sign of weakness.
5. With few exceptions, every Muslim country in the world is involved in some form of armed conflict.
6. Any crime or unspeakable horror is acceptable if it is for the furtherance of the fictional Allah.
7. The majority of Muslims world-wide either actively or passively support the madness of Bin Laden.
8. Islam will continue to blame others for the crimes it encourages its followers to commit like a petulant child that cannot accept that it has done anything wrong.
In addition, there are some personal opinions that I also hold as truths:
a) Mohammed was no profit, only a Manson-like villain with a great media machine.
b) The Koran is a detestable rule book for the ignorant that brooks no questioning and is no more the word of God than Mein Kampf was.
c) If they have them, Bin Laden and his followers will have NO RESERVATION WHATSOEVER in using Nuclear devices to obliterate everyone and everything that is good in our world.
d) There is no hope for a peaceful solution – any effort in that direction is madness.
I do see some positive signs that the West is waking up. The recent number of positive events including the daily list of captured Muslim morons causes me a great deal of
pleasure. Each new arrest opens leads to other maniacs and cowards operating in the excrement of Islam
I personally never miss a chance to spread the word about the evils of this cult and my knowledge of the war each and every one of us faces on a daily basis.
The people on this web site know the enemy and know what it is capable of. I encourage everyone of you to spread the word. Let’s wake up the majority and let’s have the guts to call a serpent a serpent.
No one should go to sleep believing the lie that “Islam is a Religion of Peace”
KNOW ISLAM – NO PEACE
Toro
So now a harmless tourist who happens to be a (gasp) Muslim will be imprisoned indefinitely and probably tortured for the heinous crime of snapping some vacation pictures to show his family. How much longer do you savages think that you can continue to abuse innocent people and subject them to your racial and religious bigotry? Truely Allah (swt) will shake the earth beneath your feet and your streets will become rivers of blood.
Your grandchildren will be Muslim.
Allahu akbar
Reza, go have a sit-down lunch with (lack of)Truth. You two have SO much in common. All of it hate-ridden.
Sorry guys, I am in a bad mood and willful ignorance gets to me.
Charlotte isn't exactly a tourist destination, unless of course this man was part of the large Pakistani muslim NASCAR fan club. Downtown Charlotte doesn't even have a remarkable skyline compared to other large cities.
What is does have, however, is a downtown full of modern skyscrapers built by U.S. banks. As one of the largest banking centers after New York, Charlotte is an obvious choice for muslim 'tourists' snapping photos for their 'families'.
There is no god named allah, and mohammed was a liar...
the borg master said “So now a harmless tourist who happens to be a (gasp) Muslim will be imprisoned indefinitely and probably tortured for the heinous crime of snapping some vacation pictures to show his family. How much longer do you savages think that you can continue to abuse innocent people and subject them to your racial and religious bigotry? Truely Allah (sob) will shake the earth beneath your feet and your streets will become rivers of blood.
Your grandchildren will be Muslim.
Allahu akbutt”
Does everyone in the holy sandbox talk like that reza?? Are you worried about some scuzzy little muslim ending up in the American gulag? I’m not… maybe they will get the idea not to come here anymore. As far as allah shaking the earth … the only time allah did that was when he hit the ground at mecca and someone pick him up and decided to worship him. Not a bad life for a black rock. Rivers of blood?…. I hear the Marines are getting kill ratios of between 80 and 100. Where is that black rock now?
“YOUR grandchildren will be buried by cats in the hold sandbox.”
Caught some other guy last night with 6 pipe bombs in his car?
We are Winning to War Remember the 3Ws !!!
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Strength,Wisdom and Courage to stay the course to Victory Amen
So now a harmless tourist who happens to be a (gasp) Muslim will be imprisoned indefinitely and probably tortured for the heinous crime of snapping some vacation pictures to show his family. How much longer do you savages think that you can continue to abuse innocent people and subject them to your racial and religious bigotry?
Posted by: Reza at August 10, 2004 02:45 PM
LOL! harmless tourist shoulda bought a post card.....haaaaaa
They should stop coming to America, then they won't have to worry about being tossed in the clink.......
Fake Muzzie Raisin......Your grandchildren, will most likely walk to school with your great grandchildren, since they'll all be in the same grade.......haahaaaahaa
PS-Have a nice day
Allah hates you Reza. He has been hating you for a long time now. Allah demonstrated that he hated you in Spain in 1492. Allah showed that he hated you at Lepanto in 1571. Allah said, "I hate you" at Vienna in 1683. Allah showed that he hated you in 1699 when the Habsburgs recovered Hungary. Allah demonstrated he hated you again in 1770 when the Russians destroyed the Ottoman fleet at Cesme. 1771 - Allah gives Crimea to the Russians. Allah gives Serbia and Greece back to the Serbs and Greeks in 1829. Allah gives Crete away - 1908. Allah gives Bulgaria back to the Bulgarians - 1909. Allah gives Bosnia-Herzegovina away - 1909. Allah gives Montenegro away - 1910. ALLAH DISBANDS THE MUSLIM CALIPHATE - 1924. Why would he do that, pray tell? 1948 - Allah creates Israel. Do you understand yet, Reza? ALLAH HATES YOU. Allah loves Western civilization.
Akhtar is charged with violating federal immigration and naturalization laws and making a materially false statement, according to a news release by U.S. Attorney Gretchen Shappert.
Say it isn't so.....Another Muslim telling untruths?
reza
The only earth-shaking I have seen is in mulsum countrys ? Iran Turkey,Malaisa and the blood did run in the streets!!!
So if I were you[which thank GOD I am not] Watch what you ask for because you are cursed you follow YELLOW MEN! And this hate you have for the west comes back to you 10 fold!
You send people to kill the Iraqi people and your people suffer?
Iraq will be FREE and kick Irans ass!!!
Part of the American Tribe
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and All who Fight with her give them Strength,Wisdom and Courage to stay the course to Victory Amen
Also you let 300,000 Iraqis be killed by saddam this is also added to your curse!!
This PAKISTANI was arrested on Immigration charges,RIGHT! I mean it's just coincidence he 'was videotaping skyscrapers'......an illegal immigrant has all the time in the world to do this
when he should be looking for work or roof over his head......Jeez, how stupid do they think we are??
Anyone that travels to the U.S. today should know better than to photograph or videotape skyscrapers and other sensitive landmarks or areas. All of this has been sufficiently in the news overseas and in our papers. Thus, someone caught doing so is either extremely foolish or up to no good.
I know that life as a muslim is miserable & boring as shit, but c'mon now - do you really expect us to believe that you all sit around with your 400 relatives & watch home movies of tall buildings????????? You muslims really are pathetic.
“How much longer do you savages think that you can continue to abuse innocent people and subject them to your racial and religious bigotry?”
Reza don’t pee in our pot and call it soup.
You don’t know the meaning of the term “rational argument”.
I cannot abide your stupidity.
Don't hate Islam, Loathe it
Toro
Looks like this "harmless tourist was up to no good...
Suspected terrorist appears in court
Updated: 8/10/2004 2:19 PM
By: News 14 Carolina and Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Pakistani citizen with suspected terrorist ties appeared in federal court in Charlotte on two immigration violations Tuesday after local police detained him for questioning several weeks ago when they saw him videotaping uptown landmarks.
When Charlotte-Mecklenburg police interviewed Kamran Akhtar, 36, on July 20, they found videotapes showing the Bank of America building and former Wachovia building that now houses Charlotte's FBI offices. He also had footage of buildings in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans and several transit systems in those cities.
During Tuesday's hearing, the charges against Akhtar – alleging he violated federal immigration and naturalization laws and made a materially false statement – were unsealed.
Kamran Akhtar is being held on immigration violations. U.S. District Judge Carl Horn declared Akhtar should be held in the Mecklenburg County jail until his detention hearing Friday. During the hearing, Akhtar told Horn that he had recently transferred $60,000 into his wife's account, and another $50,000 into the accounts of his children, giving the judge cause to order him to provide his own attorney.
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, along with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Darrel Stephens and Officer Danny Maglione, announced Akhtar's arrest during a news conference Tuesday morning.
Maglione said he was driving through uptown in his patrol car when he noticed Akhtar filming the bank towers and grew suspicious.
"Once I slowed down to take a closer look at him, he started to act a little irrational," he said. "He turned away from me, trying to be kind of evasive."
Along with this police mug shot, the suspect's name was listed as Kamran Shaikh and said he was from Elmhurst, NY. When Maglione stopped his vehicle, Akhtar began walking away.
"That's when I got out and addressed him," the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer said.
He told Maglione he was making the videotapes for family members. But a federal affidavit by immigration agent John Scott Sherrill was unsealed Tuesday, revealing the footage was primarily directed at the buildings, and sometimes zoomed in on street signs.
Police did not release many details regarding the federal investigation. They said once they brought Akhtar in for questioning and watched the videotapes, they forwarded him to the joint terrorism task force.
After reviewing his immigration file, authorities found that Akhtar did not have a green card and was in the country illegally. He had told Charlotte-Mecklenburg police that he received a green card in 1997, that he was born in Pakistan and crossed into the U.S. from Mexico illegally in 1991.
Officer Danny Maglione noticed Akhtar videotaping uptown's bank buildings on July 20. Court documents showed he applied for political asylum in 1992 and was denied in 1997.
Asked why police kept the arrest a secret until Tuesday, Stephens said, "It was business as usual. He was observed engaged in unusual activity by a police officer and he was arrested."
Stephens said police did not publicize the arrest while they tried to determine whether Akhtar was simply a tourist.
Last week, federal officials issued urgent terror warnings, saying they had uncovered information in Pakistan that indicated five financial institutions in New York, Washington and Newark, N.J., were potential targets.
On Tuesday, McCrory said Charlotte residents and workers in the city's busy financial district should not alter their routine.
"People working in the Center City should continue to go to work and go on with their everyday actions," the mayor said.
In a statement, Bank of America said it "continues to conduct business as usual.
"All necessary security measures are being taken and our company continues to work closely with appropriate national and local authorities to monitor this situation."
Wachovia said in a statement that it was assessing the information about the videotape. The bank also said that it has "robust security procedures in place and have taken measures to enhance security at all of our facilities over the last several years.
Why is it that I think that "Reza" doesn't really exist -- except as a kind of red-herring that is thrown out to see what effect if any results?
It seems that there exists a familiar pattern running through most of these threads -- someone signs-in as "Reza" and spouts off nonsense like "...rivers of blood...," "...shaking the earth ...," "...your grandchildren...," and then the entity cuts and runs to another thread.
I am beginning to suspect that "Reza" is just a straw person someone invented to stir things up.
One other observation, I have found nothing of real substance behind any of the posts attributed to this "Reza."
I could be wrong, but I think "Reza" is about to be unmasked -- very soon.
Witness
You are probably right. No one could be that damned stupid unless they were a far right winger trying to stir things up a little
Toro
My, hasn't this illegal immigrant done well! So that he can afford to RECENTLY put $60,000 in his wife's account and another $50,000 in children's account.... You don't get this sort of money washing dishes. But a RECENT PAYMENT into Kamal Aktar's bank accounts by an Al Quaeda funding group makes SENSE.
Witness,
Thats a brillant theory of your's?
Reza is really an Israel spy from the Mossad and Robert Spencer is an undercover terrorist for Al Qaeda.
If you have any other brain storms, please do not hesitate to make them known.
The webmasters know where Reza's posts are originating from >>"let us guess" Autrailia?
We know you Reza, lol... dont worry your alias's dont mean nutthin, aint nuthin but a thang.
And they "could actually track this person down , But that would be counter-productive for these threads.
Reza's inane posts do serve a porpouse...er dolphin?,..... never mind, fergetit, just keep relpying.
It would be nice if Reza was steel to sharpen the steel of these posters, but a stone sharpens too.
I tend to agree with Witness. I believe raisin, twinkie et al, exist only to stir the pot. They never respond to direct inquiry. Perhaps a copy and paste from a muslim site? I don't know. I just ignore the ranting and move on.
Robert,
Wonderful site-Thank you