This week Fawzi Assi, a former engineer for Ford Motors, admitted trying to smuggle high-tech equipment to the Lebanese group Hizballah that has been identified as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government. The 48 year-old resident of Deerborne, a suburb of Detroit, claimed not to know about the group’s terrorist affiliations but knew they were involved in violent activities. Assi was trying to provide the group with night vision goggles, GPS systems, and a thermal imaging camera that he packed in his luggage when he was caught boarding a plane to Lebanon. U.S. District Judge Rosen is being pressured by prosecutors to give a 10-year prison sentence, while Assi’s lawyer is asking for consideration of a 3 or 4 year sentence, although a sentence date has yet to be set. Assi has been in custody for 3 and a half years and will get credit for time served. He is the third person who has pleaded guilty to aiding terrorism in Michigan.
Two boys were said to be responsible for spray-painting racist and lewd comments in Rochester Hills. The homeowner is of Middle Eastern descent and reported finding graffiti, sexual remarks and hate symbols, including a swastika, on his car and home. The teenagers, ages 13 and 14, were also accused of covering a home closeby with ketchup, whipped cream and eggs as well as breaking into three vehicles. Initially, nothing was taken, however there was a box of bullets found in one car, but now some golf clubs have been reported stolen. The teenagers will be tried as juveniles and charges could consist of ethnic intimidation, theft, malicious destruction of property and larceny. Hate crimes are considered to be a serious offense, and ethnic intimidation is a felony punishable with up to two years in prison. These young boys seem to be following the trend of increased cases of hate crimes becoming more apparent throughout the nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment