Portland bomber planned to leave country
Oregon Faith News Note:
Mohamed Mohamud planned to flee to Yemen after he detonated a 1,800-pound bomb at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square during the 2010 Christmas tree lighting ceremony, government prosecutors allege. Thankfully, the bomb never exploded, and Mohamud was arrested for attempting to detonate a weapon of mass destruction. In his pocket, FBI agents found an email that contained an address and phone number in Yemen from suspected terrorist Amro Alali.
The bomb that Mohamud tried to detonate by dialing a cell phone number never exploded because it was a fake supplied by FBI undercover agents who developed a relationship with Mohamud, posing as terrorists.
Prosecutors say that Mohamud planned to travel to Yemen to pursue holy war and that he was predisposed to becoming a violent jihadist. The federal prosecutors’ trial memorandum quotes Mohamud as saying about 9-11, “I thought that was awesome. I want to see that [referring to body parts and blood], that’s what I want for these people [the people attending the tree lighting ceremony]. I want whoever is attending that event to . . . leave either dead or injured.”
The defense claims that Mohamud was a victim of the FBI’s entrapment. He is quoted as saying that he is now “humiliated and ashamed” of his actions.
Mohamud’s trial is scheduled to begin Jan. 15.
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