Crime

‘Allahu Akbar!’: See the 10-Minute Video the Pentagon Shooter Made of Himself

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — An ex-Marine from Virginia pleaded guilty Thursday and has agreed to serve a 25-year prison sentence on charges that he fired a series of overnight pot shots in 2010 at the Pentagon, the Marine Corps museum in Quantico and other military targets as part of what prosecutors called a campaign to strike fear throughout the region.

Prosecutors also revealed Thursday new details about Yonathan Melaku’s intended next target: Arlington National Cemetery, where he was arrested before he was able to carry out a plan to deface gravestones there.

As part of Thursday’s plea deal, Melaku, 24, of Alexandria, pleaded guilty to destruction of U.S. property, use of a firearm in an act of violence and intention to injure a veterans’ memorial, namely the cemetery. Prosecutors and Melaku’s lawyer agreed to a 25-year sentence as part of the deal, and U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee said he would agree to the sentence as well.

Formal sentencing was delayed until April so a pre-sentence report can be prepared and Melaku’s lawyer can request a mental-health evaluation for his client.

Prosecutors also released a video, made by Melaku, that was part of the evidence in the case, in which Melaku is seen firing shots at the National Museum of the Marine Corps as he drives by from I-95, where the museum is easily visible. In the video, Melaku shouts “God is Great!“ in Arabic and talks about targeting the museum and ”turning it off permanently.”

The overnight shootings in October and November of 2010 twice targeted the Marine Corps museum and once each targeted the Pentagon and military recruiting stations in Woodbridge and Chantilly.

The shootings raised a high level of concerns, prompting authorities to suspect they were related and conducted by an individual with a grievance against the military in general or the Marines specifically.

But the shootings went unsolved until this summer, when Melaku – a naturalized U.S. citizen from Ethiopia – was spotted by police on Fort Myer and ran off, leaving a backpack behind. He was later caught and arrested at Arlington National Cemetery. The incident prompted a massive security scare in and around the Pentagon.

In the backpack police found spent shell casings; five pounds of ammonium nitrate, a common material in homemade explosives; two cans of spray paint; and a notebook in Arabic that contained references to Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and the “path to jihad.”

Melaku eventually admitted to authorities that he planned to desecrate grave markers in the cemetery by spraying Arabic graffiti on them, and to deliberately leave the ammonium nitrate behind.

Nobody was hurt in any of the incidents, but Melaku has been ordered to make $111,000 in restitution for the damage he caused to the buildings, including the Pentagon.

Though no one was hurt, FBI spokeswoman Jacqueline Maguire called the case serious, and credited investigators for arresting Melaku before he did worse. She noted that a search of Melaku’s home produced evidence that Melaku was looking to build a homemade timer.

The defense lawyer, Gregory English, said he has no doubt that his client is legally sane, but said a proper mental-health diagnosis may help his client become a better person while he serves his sentence.

English, himself a former Marine, said after the hearing that his personal experience suggests it’s possible that some sort of post-traumatic stress or dispute with the Marines may have triggered Melaku’s actions rather than any desire to support al-Qaida or the Taliban.

“The facts of the case and what his parents are saying to me about the young man suggests these actions are totally out of character,” English said.

Dana Boente, the top assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, which prosecuted the case, said authorities have no evidence that Melaku suffers from any serious mental-health disorders or that his years in the Marine reserves provided a motive for the crime. He said Melaku never served overseas.

Boente called the crimes “a campaign of calculated and sustained attacks against military installations and memorials in northern Virginia.”

Melaku did not speak during the hearing, except to answer a series of questions from the judge with a soft-spoken, “Yes, sir“ and a final ”guilty, sir” to formally enter his plea.

Comments (66)

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  • sillyfreshness
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:57am

    I like how the media and government have a new term to scare the public, “homegrown terrorists.” This guy never was an American and never wanted to be. What the real problem is our government letting in these low lifes from these 3rd world nations. If you stop letting them in here, you wouldn’t have to worry about terrorists. But our government wants to let them in so they can continue their war on the American people.

    Report Post » sillyfreshness  
    • MarsBarsTru7
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 2:16pm

      There is no such thing as a Muslim jihadist. There are no Muslim terrorists on American soil. There is no such thing as militant Islam. Islam is a religion of peace. There is nothing to see here people. You can all go home.

      1984 – Doublespeak and doublethink are doubleplus good.

      Report Post »  
    • Morris
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 2:31pm

      This guy is just another peaceful Islamic Muslim!
      Barack Huissein Obama with one of his Executive Orders just bought into our America,80,000,
      Mulims from Somalia!
      He also made out another Executive Order to bring more Muslims into our America from Pakistan,
      Can’t find out how many Muslims Obama wants to bring in from Pakistan,Due to the Obama Transparency of his Administration??????????????????????

      Wake the HELL UP AMERICA!

      Report Post »  
  • Thomas Paine
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:39am

    This Hodgie committed treason. The penalty for treason is death by hanging.
    So hang him with a rope made from pig skin.

    Report Post » Thomas Paine  
    • blkbelt7
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 4:33pm

      I like that idea…but put bacon in his mouth and pigs blood over his body

      Report Post »  
  • McNamara
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:30am

    Just pump a few rounds into him and search for the next nutbag.

    Report Post » McNamara  
  • kentuckypatriot
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:28am

    You know what ****** me off? As I watched Fox and Friends ( should be fox and enemies ) this morning… they didn’t even have the balls to say what this guy really said. Their words “ God is great”. Naturally, I immediately knew what he really said. I’m done with FNC, except for the Judge on FBN. FNC is getting more and more leftist every day. Thanks spooky dude.

    Report Post » kentuckypatriot  
  • RightThinking1
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:20am

    Wait a minute, I thought the Feds said that this was just ‘workplace violence’, i.e., no religious component. Is it possible that they were wrong?

    Report Post »  
  • Recceman90
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:18am

    It’s funny how the mainstream media still avoids proper descriptions and profiles of these perps….unless they can somehow blame it on a white male that went to church once!

    Report Post » Recceman90  
  • gingerbread
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:42am

    But according to this government, there are no MUSLIM TERRORISTS.

    Report Post » gingerbread  
  • Flex-it
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:40am

    Another American Muslim convert, that hates America – ahhhhh……isn’t the “religion of peace” so wonderful and positively productive for all?

    Report Post »  
  • AnAmerican111
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:32am

    Another fine example of a towel-head moron!…………

    Report Post »  
  • PA PATRIOT
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:35am

    An english speaking Lucifer

    Report Post » PA PATRIOT  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:02am

      My local media station said he shouted God is great prior to the incident.

      Report Post »  
    • smithclar3nc3
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:04am

      As if to paint him as a christian they showed no picture and didn’t say his name…..ABC NEWS WHAT A CROCK IT HAS BECOME

      Report Post »  
    • Sirfoldallot
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:26am

      No, another religious nut job.

      Report Post » Sirfoldallot  
  • thop1960
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:33am

    Wow, what a tough guy, shooting at a building? WTF? That’s 10 steps below shooting at unarmed civilians, what a looser. I am sure alla is so proud of this douche bag. He is a shinning example of the mental capacity of these morons. Pick on the innocent and the inanimate…winning! Wait, is that phrase out of date already? Anyway, I guess we should be happy they are a bunch of mostly incompetent wannabe’s. Problem is, they do get it right every now and then which is one time too many.

    Report Post » thop1960  
  • lukerw
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:23am

    Just… read the Koran!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • drago
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:18am

    I’ve said this before, and i’ll say it again, show me one “good” muslim you personally know,and i might believe there are some “good” ones, and the two or three Beck has paraded around do not count.These people are pure evil, and need to be dealt with accordingly…..

    Report Post »  
    • V-MAN MACE
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:37am

      You hypocrit.

      You aren’t good, and there isn’t one “good” person on the entire earth.

      We’re all sinners and fall short of the Glory of Christ. We must be saved because we can’t save ourself.

      Get over yourself. How can you remove the mote from your brother’s eye without addressing the REDWOOD TREE in your own eye?

      How evil are the CIA who held his hand and walked him through his little false-flag attack on the White House?

      This man is more than likely a CIA-led patsy…and I say more than likely because the liars and sabotuers have been caught before setting up patsies to do their little false-flag operations.

      Use a little deductive logic. These people have passed bills allowing for the indefinite detention, warrantless arrest, and disappearing of whomever they consider terrorists. The NDAA doesn’t mince words.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • Doin it for da Chilren
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 9:59am

      Thats not correct not all are terrorist like they would love you to believe. I had a professor at Ole Miss that was an Egyptian Muslim that was kick asphalt, (Gohar or go home), a Pakistani with a Indian (red dot) Grad student, (where the Waheed at). They want you to believe all muslims are all terrorist so they continue to be at war and steal oil to rape us with. There are probably more Christian Americans that want to take some shots then all actual terrorist in the world THE WORLD.

      Report Post »  
    • GhostOfJefferson
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:13am

      Yes, there are good people on earth V. You don‘t weigh people’s souls on “100% without sin or 100% with sin, nothing else”. The only person qualified to get into heaven under that weight balance would be Jesus. Pretty lonely place heaven would be.

      One strives to do and be good, and in striving achives a greater balance of good over whatever evils he may have done. Eventually the scale is weighted so heavily with good, that the evil become inconsequential (assuming repentence, forgiveness and being saved).

      Report Post » GhostOfJefferson  
    • V-MAN MACE
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 10:22am

      GhostOfJefferson

      None of us are worthy. We’re all worthy of HELLFIRE!!!!

      FIAHHHH!!!!!

      We’re all sinners, and only by the grace of God will we ever taste the everlasting life of Heaven, not by any works, lest we boast.

      We all fall short.

      Wide is the pathway to destruction, and many go that way, yea, a multitude go that way.

      Narrow is the pathway to salvation, and there are FEW who traverse that way.

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
    • neocon1
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 11:35am

      drago

      EXACTLY !!

      Report Post »  
    • V-MAN MACE
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 12:18pm

      Neocon1

      Do you like supporting hypocritical statements?

      Or are you just a blind cheerleader?

      Report Post » V-MAN MACE  
  • grannyrecipe
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:18am

    Only 25 years? I hope the boys in prison know how to handle this one!

    Report Post » grannyrecipe  
    • thop1960
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:38am

      Problem is, prison is the breeding ground for muslim extremism. He might be right at home. Speaking of prison, when it seem like a good idea to allow inmates to pump iron 12 hours a day? These guys come out ripped and more prepared than before to reap carnage on the innocent. Just don’t get it. Jail is a punishment, right?…

      Report Post » thop1960  
  • TH30PH1LUS
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:16am

    Islam, homosexuality, bestiality, atheist chaplains… Obama is “transforming” the military.

    Report Post » TH30PH1LUS  
  • skippy6
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:13am

    I’ve always thought that after 911 We should have gone into their Countries Roman style and teach them the real lesson of F@#kin around with the big dog!!!! But instead we went in pretty weak, and they obviously didn’t learn their lesson, and it will never end unless we do just that…..

    Report Post » skippy6  
  • expatinontariocanada
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:56am

    Thank God this idiot didn’t injure anyone during all his attacks. You can’t read the Quran and think this is going to end well for us “infidels”, unless of course we get off our butts and stop it.

    Report Post » expatinontariocanada  
  • originalthought
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:51am

    Quran- ” To the Infidel, smile to their faces but curse them in your heart ! ” ‘ Live among them, pigs and swine, never take them as your friend , let them desroy themselves by their own miserable hand. ”
    This is call “ civilization jihad” . It means settle in the Infidels land ,multiple, build centers of Islam,build political power, never assimilate, hate him always behind his back, and use his weak sinful laws. religions and customs such as tolerance, democracy,love and political correctness to await in ” the pre-violent time” the chance when it eventually comes to kill non-muslims and their families and establish dar -Islam

    Report Post »  
    • Stuck_in_CA
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:00am

      Evil cult. They must be stopped. Ron Paul is right on a lot of things, but not this.
      Pamela Geller — Gingrich: The SOB we need
      The country needs a tough fighter. There is a war on the American people; we are under attack from within, and the Republican establishment has been meek, cowed, defeated. Gingrich is fierce. We need a fighter to go toe-to-toe against the silver-tongued snake in the White House.
      Longtime readers of my website AtlasShrugs.com know that I have not been a Gingrich fan, so he has had to have done and said extraordinary things and taken courageous positions during this GOP battle for me to support him for the GOP nomination…
      http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/gingrich-the-sob-we-need/print/

      Report Post » Stuck_in_CA  
  • ZAP
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:49am

    Did you ever think your government set these things up to justify the TSA ?

    Report Post » ZAP  
  • RepubliCorp
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:49am

    If we close all our bases and get off the world stage….. they will love us!
    Ask a NeoLib Paulbot

    Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • bringiton
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:07am

      Exactly!

      Report Post »  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:11am

      He wants to close bases in Euope and South Korea and reopen bases in the U.S. Have you seen any of the ghost towns surrounding closed bases in the U.S.? They were once thriving towns with lots of small businesses and Americans prospering from the bases. Now, German and Korean towns thrive off of our bases and Obama wants to create more ghost towns in the U.S. Let the German’s pay for their own security and let us pay for ours.

      Report Post » Gonzo  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:47am

    .
    Another Obama supporter Run Amock……..

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • ZAP
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:46am

    Great music,but found it difficult to dance to.Why are these people in the USA?

    Report Post » ZAP  
  • disenlightened
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:37am

    Internment camps were good enough for Democrats in the 1940′s. I’m really starting to like the idea today. The Muslims at Gitmo sure look happy. Give them a little rug, a Koran, three meals and they’re happy. Hell, they can even slaughter their own goats. They don’t like to work anyway, and they’re no good at sports.

    Report Post » disenlightened  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:31am

    Islam is a mental disorder.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • MonkeyBeagle
      Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:37am

      he did seem a lil insane… someones following me, as he speeds down the highway in a ninja mask.. uh no sht someone is following you. your in a ninja mask in the middle of the night by the pentagon on the freeway. Blairing Islamic Music. I cant belive more people werent following him.

      Report Post »  
  • MonkeyBeagle
    Posted on January 27, 2012 at 7:30am

    same music I bump to when Im cruising to church on sunday mornings.

    Report Post »  
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