Cellphone Buyers Were Possibly Targeting Major Bridge

In an update to the story from Friday regarding the Pakistanis who had purchased 1,000 cellphones, information today suggests that the guys were up to no good (as suspected) and had a big target in mind:

CARO - The U.S. Coast Guard has increased patrols near the Mackinac Bridge after prosecutors said they believe three Palestinian-American men from Texas now jailed on terrorism-related charges were targeting the 5-mile-long span.

The men were arrested Friday outside a Wal-Mart Stores Inc. outlet in Caro in the state’s Thumb region after employees became suspicious about their purchase of 80 cell phones. Authorities say the men had about 1,000 cell phones in their van.

Maruan Awad Muhareb of Mesquite, Texas; Adham Abdelhamid Othman of Dallas; and Louai Abdelhamied Othman of Mesquite were charged with collecting or providing materials for terrorist acts and surveillance of a vulnerable target for terrorist purposes.

Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Reene said that investigators believe the men were targeting the Mackinac Bridge.

The Detroit Free Press, citing a law enforcement official familiar with the case who it didn’t name, reported today that the phones plus photographs and videos of the bridge led authorities to believe the men were targeting the structure.

Authorities contacted the office of Gov. Jennifer Granholm about the men, The Detroit News reported. Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said: “At this point, there is no credible evidence of a terrorist activity” against the bridge.

More info from DebbieSchlussel.com:

Sources say the plot was uncovered because law enforcement personnel observed two or more other men videotaping the Mackinac Bridge.

Sources also say that it is very unlikely the men could have succeeded in blowing up the Mackinac Bridge—even with the chips from 1,000 phones for 1,000 bombs—as it is several miles long (it’s the world’s third longest suspension bridge). At a total length of 26,372 feet, the steel structure can support 38,486 tons of weight and is very, very strong and fortified. The sources say that, likely, the plan would have succeeded in bombing cars driving on the bridge, but not bringing the structure down.

Perhaps this is what they were really after:

One theory is that the men weren't targeting solely the bridge itself but the people on it. The Annual Labor Day Bridge Walk has drawn over 60,000 people in the past few years. In 2000 there was an estimated 65,000 people who participated in the Annual Bridge Walk.

A target-rich environment, for sure. I believe I read somewhere this weekend that this plan was broken up by a sharp-eyed Wal-Mart employee who thought the actions of these guys just didn't look right and reported it. That's good advice for all of us.

UPDATE: More Middle Eastern men buying cellphones, this time in Arizona:

Law enforcement sources confirm to News 4 that Tucson Police have issued an "attempt to locate" on two Middle Eastern men in their 20's who purchased nearly 50 phones from Sam's Club and Wal-Mart in Tucson.

Sources say the men made the purchases on Saturday and Sunday.

Maybe it's time to pull these off the shelves for a little while, at least until we understand what's going on.