FBI Raids Middle Eastern Owned Convenience Stores and Service Stations

[Moloch]

Police sources tell TV 8 News the raids target possible money laundering and counterfeiting in connection with suspected domestic terrorist activity. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is said to be taking part in the investigation. TV 8 News will have details at 5, 6, and 10.

http://www.knoe.com/fullstory.php?id=1253

[CJCRANE]

1. And now begins the distraction. nt

[anotherdrew]

22. If only they were called Gas Ports instead of Gas stations they'd be OK

Well, who wants to bet nothing comes of this?

[ThoughtCriminal]

2. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K

Circle K = dangerous Ports = Don't Question Us

[Newsjock]

3. Allegedly selling day-old donuts as "new"

Bioterra!

[alcibiades_mystery]

15. LOL

Well done Thought S. Criminal, Esquire

[Just Me]

24. Yep. You hit it square on.

Good grief!! :eyes:

[htuttle]

4. Oh No! Apu!

I'm sure many of those agents think India is in the Middle East! Be Careful!

Seriously, this sounds like xenophobia gone wild. 'Possible money laundering and conterfeiting' in connection with 'suspected domestic terrorist activity'? There's a LOT of qualifiers in that sentence. Sounds like they're fishing, and don't have squat but hope to find something. How much you want to bet that there's a good chance they get whisked off to Guantanamo with no trials?

on edit: Speling

[ixion]

5. there's that phrase again: "domestic terrorist"

that's one to watch, because it's the next phase of 'enemy combatant', IMO.

[M155Y_A1CH]

21. Fifth column, too

The catch phrases just keep coming.
It sounds like they are leveling their guns on a new target.
We all better duck and cover because the new enemy is among us.

What am I saying, the new enemy is us.

[benburch]

6. Poor Apu!!!

[seemunkee]

8. Did they use the camera in the hat trick?

Apu: Well, time to replenish the hot dog roller. La, la -- oops
Oh, no -- it is encrusted with filth. it off] Oh well, let's sell it anyway. Now this is just between
me and you...smashed hat. Hee hee --

[mikeytherat]

23. "It is also the policy of Qwik-e-Mart to blame any problems

on a scapegoat or sacrificial lamb."

"And if I can obtain for you these animals?"

mikey_the_rat

[jus_the_facts]

7. Yep...this is happening right here in my town and surrounding area....

:wtf:

[BeHereNow]

9. So, does this mean that any of us who have made purchases

at said establishments are now to be classified
as "terra-ist?"
As I recall, under the Patriot Act, anyone who
has written a check or conducted financial transactions
at a business suspected of "Terra-ism" can now be charged
with "supporting the enemy."
(Good God-
I can't believe I just posted that..).
BHN

[havocmom]

11. Patriot Act worded so a case could be made against anyone.

Put a scenario to a lawyer on it. The way I read things, if you are in a protest march on public sidewalk, but slip and fall into someone's flower bed, causing some damage to said private property, you could be hauled off under one Patriot Act provision re damage to private property. No right to attorney, no phone call home, no public acknowledgment you were in custody.

Lawyer said 'A-yep'

[jus_the_facts]

12. Damn...I know one of the stores has been owned for well over a decade....

...by folks I thought were Hindu....a LOT of convenience stores around here are now...it's amazed me they've not been targeted by violence before or at least gone out of business as this neck o'the woods is REDNECK HELL. :shrug:

[theshadow]

10. Insinuating themselves into American society.....

..... with 20 flavors of beef jerkey!

[HuffleClaw]

13. bloody hell

TERRA ! ! !

'domestic terrorist activity' hmmmmm. funny how whenever bushco. is in deep trouble, they react by terrorising some innocents based on their religion or ethnicity.

[Sadie5]

14. I guess it's over

No more weekly hot dog and coke specials

[fob]

16. As I understand it, and someone who knows better can confirm or

denounce, there is a tradition in the middle east among arabic communities that goes something like this;

Person A in ME country wants to borrow money from Person B in another country. Instead of a Western Union deal that wires funds, they have a kind of MidEast Union whereby Person B gives money to Person C in their neck of the woods and in turn Person D (near Person A) gives an equivalent amount to Person A, which they owed to Person C. So now D is all paid up, B has his money, C has an amount due and A has an amount owed. So next time someone wants to borrow, A will be the giver to whoever, etc., etc.

That is probably clear as mud, but the point is the feds can use this tradition as a pretext for whatever at any time and if they simply present the "A gave B some money" part of the story and add in some "B has some blah blah history with yada yada" - wammo, they caught some "terra-ists"!

[Hekate]

19. I read about that several years ago

On the plus side, it's a networking system among people with the same language and culture, so those who use it are comfortable with it.

On the other hand, it is a form of unregulated banking that flies below the radar of the Feds, and that makes the Feds distinctly UNcomfortable. They are pretty sure about there being a certain amount of shady deals mixed in with all the money sent back to the Old Country for dear old mom and dad by good sons in the US.

I can understand that, but this latest move just smells bad. Guess I just can't take anything emanating from Bushland on face value.

Hekate

[noonwitch]

25. I'm not sure, but I do think arab-americans do loan each other cash

That's partly the nature of running neighborhood establishments like liquor stores, restaurants and such, like the arab-americans in the Detroit area do. There is a lot of cash business, a lot of check cashing for friends and neighbors, etc.

Also, in this area, the established business owners help out their younger or more newly arrived relatives by setting them up in business as shopkeepers. Cash probably is involved to some degree there, too.

[AnneD]

26. There are Moslem laws on borrowing...

involving interest rates etc. Some of our banking practices violate their usary prohibitions. I don't know the particulars but that is why there is more cash floating around.

[Rich Hunt]

27. or people who want to manipulate and frame Arabs...

...can use custom and protocol, subverting it for their own ends. The Arabs take the heat and the whites who manipulate the
structure get to hide. That's usually how white collar organized crime acts.

[annabanana]

17. Oh My! Who knew that

Tallulah, Delhi, Lake Providence, Monroe and Ruston Louisiana were such
HOT BEDS of terrist activity?

[daleo]

18. So Arab owned 7-11s are dangers

But having a UAE company run the biggest ports in the U.S. is okey-dokey? Every week something stranger happens.

[wallwriter]

20. My thoughts exactly n/t

[Roland99]

28. McCLIEllan: "I cannot comment on an 'ongoing investigation'"

How long until we hear that one?

[formercia]

29. Taxis are next

be afraid....