They're here..
FROM TODAY:
ST. LOUIS — A St. Charles man accused of buying automatic weapons and a Claymore mine and bargaining for grenades was indicted this week on four federal machine gun charges.
Mousa M. Abuelawi, 22, of Franjoe Court, was originally arrested Dec. 29 and charged with three counts of illegal possession or distribution of a machine gun and conspiracy to violate machine gun statutes.
The case was sealed from public view and nothing happened for weeks, until U.S. Magistrate Judge Audrey Fleissig told prosecutors on Jan. 27 that they had 30 days to indict Abuelawi or she would dismiss the charges.
Abuelawi was indicted Thursday and accused of receiving, transferring and possessing a machine gun, according to federal court documents made public Friday. An affidavit filed with the court by FBI Special Agent Stephen M. Smith laid out the alleged weapons purchases this way:
During November and December, Abuelawi bought two M-16s, a Heckler & Koch MP-5 fully automatic submachine gun and a Claymore mine from a government informer, not knowing they had been rigged not to work.
He also negotiated to buy a box of 30 grenades and said he wanted any guns the informer could get, "big or small." The grenades were never delivered.
The men met several times in the 5700 block of West Florissant Avenue, where Abuelawi worked. One of Abuelawi's co-workers, Thaed Abde Sumad, met with the men once, according to the indictment, and "stated he wants to buy as many explosives as possible because, 'we're going to war.'" In an interview earlier this month, Sumad said he didn't remember the comment and suggested it may have been a joke.
Sumad said the purchases were intended as a money-making venture supplying St. Louis street gangs in a turf war. Sumad said he had no role in handling the weapons and was not involved in the negotiations. Sumad said he has been interviewed by FBI agents.
Abuelawi, who is a Palestinian immigrant, is single and has no children and no assets, court documents state. He was fired by the gas station, co-workers said earlier this month.
Scott Rosenblum, one of Abuelawi's lawyers, had no comment about the indictment...."
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
02/24/2007ST. LOUIS — A St. Charles man accused of buying automatic weapons and a Claymore mine and bargaining for grenades was indicted this week on four federal machine gun charges.
Mousa M. Abuelawi, 22, of Franjoe Court, was originally arrested Dec. 29 and charged with three counts of illegal possession or distribution of a machine gun and conspiracy to violate machine gun statutes.
The case was sealed from public view and nothing happened for weeks, until U.S. Magistrate Judge Audrey Fleissig told prosecutors on Jan. 27 that they had 30 days to indict Abuelawi or she would dismiss the charges.
Abuelawi was indicted Thursday and accused of receiving, transferring and possessing a machine gun, according to federal court documents made public Friday. An affidavit filed with the court by FBI Special Agent Stephen M. Smith laid out the alleged weapons purchases this way:
During November and December, Abuelawi bought two M-16s, a Heckler & Koch MP-5 fully automatic submachine gun and a Claymore mine from a government informer, not knowing they had been rigged not to work.
He also negotiated to buy a box of 30 grenades and said he wanted any guns the informer could get, "big or small." The grenades were never delivered.
The men met several times in the 5700 block of West Florissant Avenue, where Abuelawi worked. One of Abuelawi's co-workers, Thaed Abde Sumad, met with the men once, according to the indictment, and "stated he wants to buy as many explosives as possible because, 'we're going to war.'" In an interview earlier this month, Sumad said he didn't remember the comment and suggested it may have been a joke.
Sumad said the purchases were intended as a money-making venture supplying St. Louis street gangs in a turf war. Sumad said he had no role in handling the weapons and was not involved in the negotiations. Sumad said he has been interviewed by FBI agents.
Abuelawi, who is a Palestinian immigrant, is single and has no children and no assets, court documents state. He was fired by the gas station, co-workers said earlier this month.
Scott Rosenblum, one of Abuelawi's lawyers, had no comment about the indictment...."
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9:56 PM
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