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Southeast Asia
American arrested in the Philippines to be deported
2003-12-30
Two Americans will be deported from the Philippines after being arrested on suspicion of involvement with groups with alleged links to the al-Qaeda terror network. Brothers Jamil Daud Mujahid, 56 and Michael Ray Stubbs, 55, were presented to the media at the Philippine Navy headquarters where Mujahid angrily rejected the allegations of links with local allies of al-Qaeda.
Then why'd you name yourself "Mujahid"? It's kind of a "kick me here" name if you're not a wannabe krazed killer...
"It’s not true. We’re Americans. I have a wife, I have a kid. These are all fabricated lies.
"The wife and kid are fabricated, too!"
"I don’t know any Muslims in the Philippines," Mujahid said. Mujahid, formerly known as James Stubbs, acknowledged that he was a Muslim convert but insisted his brother was a Christian.
"Well, he used to be a Christian, anyway. But he's an Episcopalian, so now he might be a homosexual. I haven't checked."
The two were whisked out of the navy headquarters room before they could say more.
"They can say no more!"
"Mmmph!"
The two were detained in Tanza town, south of Manila, on December 13 following intelligence reports that they had met with "known leaders of various terrorist cells in the country with links to al-Qaeda," the immigration bureau said. Immigration chief Andrea Domingo said that the two had shown support for "terrorist activities" by meeting with members of the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping group and the Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Maybe they just came to attend one of the camps?
To work on their macrame skills, and make a few potholders...
However she declined to elaborate on the contacts with these two groups, saying this might jeopardize the continuing operations against suspected terror groups.
"I can say no more, either."
Philippine Marine commander, Major General Manuel Teodosio said that Navy intelligence had monitored communications between the two and the Abu Sayyaf and MILF. The two Americans had been in and out of the country since February 2002 and Mujahid had married a local woman, the navy said. Domingo said it was up to the US government to take any action against the brothers after they are deported. She did not say when they would leave the country. US State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli confirmed in Washington that the two had been arrested, saying they were "currently being detained on immigration violations."
Posted by:Dan Darling

#5  Steve, your post about Lawrence Livermore security reminded me of something...Clinton's first Energy Secretary, Hazel O'Leary:

During the Clinton Administration, national energy policy took a backseat to political correctness. Clinton’s first DOE Secretary, Hazel O’Leary, was certainly no shining light for the Clinton Legacy. One of her first moves was to question why some DOE security badges were blue, whereas others were brown. Security men tried to explain the difference between high-level clearances that allowed scientists’ access to top-secret facilities, versus low-level staffers or custodians whose presence represented a threat to national security. She would have none of it. According to my sources, Ms. O’Leary issued orders to make all building passes the same color so that some employees would not feel badly about their “lesser” status.

Note that the end of Stubbs' employment roughly coincided with the end of the Clinton administration.

For more on Clinton's energy policy, see this link.
Posted by: seafarious   2003-12-30 5:08:03 PM  

#4  Here's a few more tidbits from the Indystar:
The men were reared in Indianapolis, where they attended high school before moving to California in the early 1980s, said their sister, Pamela Thornton, who lives in Indianapolis. Thornton said her brother James has radical political ideas, but neither of the brothers is a terrorist.

"He's a good boy, just a little wild."

They were in the Philippines visiting their wives, who are Filipino, she said.

My wife likes me to live in the same country that she does, she's old-fashioned about things like that.

A convert to Islam, James Stubbs, 56, was previously questioned by the FBI in the 1960s, when he was a Black Panther, Thornton said.

Now what was that story about how old terrorists are new again?

Thornton said her brother Michael, 55, worked as a heating and air conditioning technician at a major nuclear weapons lab near San Francisco.
FBI officials are investigating whether he had access to sensitive information.


Bet he could walk into any lab with a step ladder and a toolbox and nobody would even see him. Maintenance troops blend into the woodwork.

Thornton said she also worked at the lab.

Isn't that "interesting"? Expect a visit from the men in black.

She said her brother is aware that the activity at the lab is top secret and would not divulge information if he had any.

Now where have I heard that one before?

Posted by: Steve   2003-12-30 3:22:37 PM  

#3  I expect they were trying to get decent quality Buri furniture at a rock bottom price.... or perhaps it was the lure of the monkey-pod accessories. I doubt we'll ever know.
Posted by: Shipman   2003-12-30 2:58:02 PM  

#2  deport em to Bagram. We don't want this trash back
Posted by: Frank G   2003-12-30 10:52:16 AM  

#1  Additional:
One of the men, Michael Ray Stubbs, worked as a heating and air conditioning technician at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory — a major nuclear weapons lab outside San Francisco — for about 10 years ending in 2000. Officials said the FBI was looking into whether he had access to sensitive information.

If Lawrence Livermore has the same security procedures as Los Alamos, I wouldn't be surprised if they found a nuke in his toolbox.

The two had tourist visas but also carried documents indicating they were soliciting funds for the construction of Muslim schools and mosques, Domingo said. She said there was no evidence linking the two to any past or planned terrorist plots, but said James Stubbs allegedly called for the overthrow of the U.S. government in statements to local authorities.

So he's a Howard Dean supporter?

James Stubbs said he has a Filipino wife and was in the Philippines because she was pregnant.

Visiting the folks to share the happy news or because of the good pre-natal care?

A naval intelligence officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. officials were concerned that Michael Ray Stubbs may have passed sensitive information from Livermore to his brother. Susan Houghton, a spokeswoman for the Livermore lab, confirmed that Michael Ray Stubbs used to work there for about 10 years until 2000.
"We are aware of what the Philippines officials did," she said. "We have been working closely with the FBI on this issue since he was arrested in the Philippines a few weeks ago." She said Stubbs' clearance was terminated after he left on medical leave in March 2000.


Ok, Livermore is in full CYA mode.

The U.S. Embassy declined to comment on the allegations. Spokeswoman Karen Kelley said she understood the brothers retained legal council to address the charges. According to Philippine military intelligence reports, James Stubbs left his job as a teacher in California to study Arabic in Sudan.

Sudan being well known for its Arabic studies program.

He met in May with several charity groups suspected of being al-Qaida fronts and founded by Mahmoud Afif Abdeljalil — believed to be a close associate of Osama bin Laden's brother-in-law. The charities were not immediately identified, but the immigration bureau said they were used to channel funds to al-Qaida cells in the Philippines.

Sounds like they have some explaining to do.
Posted by: Steve   2003-12-30 10:32:09 AM  

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