Update : Tuesday May 24
Foreigners Cleared In Bus Scare
TAMPA – Two Saudi men jailed last week after being accused of boarding a school bus and riding to a New Tampa high school could be released as early as today after federal and local authorities determined the pair are in this country legally and are not a security risk.
Monday, ICE Special Agent in Charge Robert Weber said investigators found Almanajam and Alsidran are here legally on student visas and that immigration holds would not be imposed.
“In a nutshell,” he said, “we determined what their status was and that it did not require any immigration detention. They are not here illegally.”
“We determined that they were apparently just confused,” Callaway said. “There is nothing else to lead us to file more criminal charges.”
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UPDATES:
Please look further down this post for the updates to this story.
Thank you, Wild Thing
…….
Saudi Men Who Rode School Bus Arrested
Published: May 20, 2006
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.
Mana Saleh Almanajam, 23, who lives in Apt. 302 in The Point apartments, and Shaker Mohsen Alsidran, 20 Monticello Gardens, Apt. 304-A, each were charged with trespassing on school property. Both remained in Orient Road Jail on Friday evening. Bail for each was set at $250.
“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.
The bus picked up the students and the men at about 7 a.m. Friday at the corner of Fletcher Avenue and 42nd Street, deputies said.
The bus driver, a substitute, reached her supervisors by telephone. They relayed the information to Wharton High resource Deputy Mike Eastman, who met the bus when it arrived at school at about 7:30 a.m., and detained the men.
The sheriff’s Homeland Security Division, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Regional Domestic Security Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI all were notified.
Almanajam and Alsidran at first told deputies they were from Morocco, but later admitted being from Saudi Arabia, deputies said. They said they were enrolled at the English Language Institute at the University of South Florida.
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.
Authorities searched the apartments of the two men and found nothing of concern, he said.
Wild Thing’s comment………
Was this deliberate to show how easy it is for possible ‘illegals up to no good’ to have access to America’s children? I wonder…. above are their photos.
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UPDATES: 5/22/06
Monday 12:05a.m.
Judge Revokes Bail For Saudi Bus Riders
Circuit Judge Monica Sierra decided to hold them at a court appearance Saturday so investigators could dig deeper into their pasts. 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.
Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations ( CAIR) 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.
Bond review hearing is Tuesday.
Wild Thing’s comment…….The two Saudi’s are supposedly enrolled in the University of South Florida, which is around 8 miles from the High School they were apprehended.
Other Blogs discussing this.
* Florida Masochist * Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler * Six Meat Buffet
* Basil’s blog
* Mudville Gazette
* Stop the ACLU
After six months here and they pull this stunt? Put them and their CAIR handlers on the next flight to the magic kingdom. Deportation and revoking their visa’s will sent a strong message to the Saudis’ that we won’t tolerate the staking out of potential attack points.
These men knew what they were doing. They also knew there would be a response. This is not a good omen.This could well be a dry run to test how easy and what the response would be in a short time frame. No folks this is not good not good at all.
Jack I agree they need to take a strong stand on this.
This happened in Tampa which is an hour away from Sarasota where I live. Tampa has a lot of terrorists cells, at least that is what has been reported since 9-11.
Jack H. I agree, it sure is very suspicious and all the lies they told one after the other.
I agree, it’s a Dry Run, no different from what the 9/11 terrorists did prior to that day.
Bob I hope the authorities don’t take this lightly. It has not been mentioned at all on the local news, only in that one article in the paper.
Secure our borders…and shoot to kill
“One of the guys was wearing shorts with a black trench coat.”
WTF? Here in Florida it’s been in the 90’s! You would no more put on a black trench coat here this time of year than you would put a bikini on in Alaska in January.
WHY are young moslem still men being allowed to come into America?? The future revolution in America may be between Hispanics and moslems over the spoils.
If there is any kind of impeachment movement just over immigration issues, I will join it.
Sierrahome that would stop them for sure. Then some idiot PC jerk would complain. ugh!
Janette, your right it has been way too hot. Good one Janette!
Tom the axis of evil apparently does not include the Muslims coming to this country, at least in this situation with these two guys. I am not sure how they are with the rest of them. amazing!
why do you let them in??? to learn english??? kick the fucking lot out before you’re overrun
We have a Cousin that is worthless…she’s about 400 pounds and agreed to marry this Saudi for $3000 and $400 a month after that plus a cell phone (basically to call if the gubment ever shows up). He does not live with her and my wife and I have called every branch of FBI to you name it and we are nothing but a pain in the ass. The Dallas Field office of the FBI ask me why I was complaining.
When your city or maybe mine blows up…remember that.
So the bus driver was a substitute and did not know that these men were not students. Glad she figured it out.
I had no idea that it would be that easy for someone who was not a student to board a school bus.
What if an American or any Westerner blundered in Riyadh and had done a similar “mistake”? The Saudi’s wouldn’t be so soft on them, neither should we? Heads would roll and there would be a Fatwa issued and that whole swarm of pissants world wide would be on the march. Deport them and revoke all Saudi student Visa’s until the Saudi’s can assure us that this will never happen again. If they are deported in a zipped up bag that would suit me just fine, quit coddling the enemy, just get them out of our society.
Paul, good question! A so called Moderate Muslim I know at work has told me several times that one day America will be more Muslim then anything else. grrrrr Of course I speak up and then he stays silent till the next time.
Sierrahome, it is so frustrating when something bad has to happen first before anyone will listen. Thanks for sharing about this and how it is.
Mike, I never did either. I really thought school bus drivers might even been taught some Homeland Security tips or something. Even untrained you and I and others would not make such a mistake.
Great comment Jack, I agree!!!
Just 2 more subhuman arabs attempting to murder our children and attack the US. We will only acheive peace when the last arab man, woman, and child has been slaughtered.
The entire arab race must be eradicated or America will always be in danger.
God Bless America
Thanks for commenting USA Patriot.
Wild Thing: I wish you would post the IP of the fraud “USA Patriot.”
These lefty troublemakers are so easy to spot. They think we are all as dumb as they are.
I find that thinly veiled attempt to equate American patriotism with genocide very offensive.
And it usually turns out that it is the left which winks and nods at the evil ghouls committing genocide around the world. As long as those goons also profess a hatred for the United States, which is the only nation with the force to stop it. And we have the will to do so as well, when we are not constrained by the idiots on the left.
Anyway: back to the subject.
Tampa Bay Online reports that the two men have been cleared and will be released shortly.
But this event did raise some troubling questions. What kind of security do schools have in place to prevent a hostage taking on a bus or worse? Or do the politically correct, multiculturalists that phony USA Patriot no doubt supports think that students who accidentally carry a butter knife or draw a picture of a gun represent the bigger threat.
I linked to you in my update on this story and include a link to a memorial to the students who died at the school in Beslan, Russia in September 2004:
http://mikesamerica.blogspot.com/2006/05/arabs-arrested-after-boarding-tampa.html
Those students were brutally murdered. Yet, neither they, nor their country were supporters of the Iraq war, Israel or George W. Bush.
Incidents like the one in Beslan, and that portrayed in the excellent film “UNITED 93” remind us that we are all targets. Young old, rich or poor, Republican or Democrat.
It’s just a shame that phony fools parading as patriots wouldn’t invest their time in supporting effective measures to seriously address the issue.
Mike thank you for lettin me know!!! I hate it when I get taken in like that. I did not want to respond to the post so that is why I only said, thank you for commenting.
I am at work right now on my lap top and all the past posts are at home on my other computer. I will get the ip when I get home later today and post it. Thank you soooo much Mike!!!!
And thank you for being here and for the link.
lighten up “white” america. your ignorance and unacceptance of anyone outside of your narrow “whiteness” is your downfall.
Hey folks let us not forget a lil’ young guy named Timothy McVey. .We have known terrorist living among us. Don’t fall into a trap of grouping all of a certain culture, religion, race. .etc. as being the ones to watch.
People who want to do America harm come in all shapes, colors, and backgrounds. We as a Nation have to band together and keep our eyes and minds open. We complain when something happens and complain when Homeland Security wants to monitor our phones. I say what ever proactive means necessary to protect freedom and this country.
Thanks, Fred. But knowing as much as you do about this issue, why don’t you stick around and tell us what you mean.
Det.Duke…..“Don’t fall into a trap of grouping all of a certain culture, religion, race. .etc. as being the ones to watch.”
I know what you mean but there are all kinds of people that can terrorize us and attack us. But I do know one needs to be carfeful not to call Islam a religion it is not, and a religion of peace which it is not either. And 95-98% of all conflicts in the world are brought to us by Muslims following their “religion” to the letter.
I am glad Homeland Security monitors phones and ask questions of those that look like trouble. If I was a Muslim, living in America , an American citizen, and as they want us to think there are good ones (prove it to me) then as a Muslim that is good I would be fine with being stopped and asked questions. I would want Amereica protected as an American.
I agree with you that I want America protected in all ways necessary to protect our freedoms and security. I appreciate what our police, Homeland Security and our troops do for us every day to keep us safe.
Thank you for commenting.
Thank you Ahmed Bedier, Tampa director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations for assuring us that there is nothing to fear from anyone here on a legal student visa. I’m sure that if any Westerner would have blundered into an off limits area anywhere in Saudi Arabia that all would be forgiven and the blundering individual would have been immediately released with a thousand pardons, perhaps you’ll throw open the gates to Mecca for us too. Hospitality, freedom and benevolence is the nature of the Saudi People and Islam.(*spit*)
Jack ditto to what you said. I agree!!
Det. Duke:
I’m not sure what your point is, but you seem to be right in two ways. Distinctions among people aren’t, by themselves, indications of anything except differences.
But I don’t think the assumptions underlying the detention of the Saudis was racism. Had they been confused Hungarians, we might have assumed they were sex offenders. Who knows?
Det. Duke, yes, but there is only one religion that I know of where martyrdom and the killing of infidels is a fast track ticket to heaven. The problem is the followers of this religion truly believe what they are taught and follow it to the letter.
If you truly believed with your whole heart, mind, and soul the teachings of your religion on what you must do to achieve heaven, then you probably would be leading a different life than what you are now. The Islamists truly believe what they are taught and live it.
Besides, can you think of any mass atrocities that have taken place in the world in the past 30 years that didn’t involve Muslims?
And about Tim McVeigh, don’t forget her was also a Decorated Combat Veteran having been awarded the Bronze Star. So, just because some Congressman or Senator served, don’t assume the have America at heart.
I feel sorry for people who suffer from such ignorance!! If any of you knew anything about Islam you would know that Terrorism is a SIN!! Before you start stereotyping people of a certain race or religion do a little bit of research. PLEASE!! Believe it or not, but cultural differences do exist. Perhaps stepping out of the small bubble that some of you seem to live in would be beneficial.
Unless everyone who has posted is in here Native American, then your very own relatives immigrated to the U.S. in search of a better life. What gives you the right to deny that option to others?? How “un-american!”