Feds: Michigan Terror Suspect Tried to Ram Car Into FBI
- Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:09am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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DETROIT (AP) — A federal judge in Michigan has ordered a man suspected of supporting terrorist groups held on allegations he tried to crash into the car of an FBI agent who was following him as part of heightened security for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
Reed S. Berry, 26, of St. Joseph was under surveillance because of his suspected terrorist links, according to an FBI affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids.
Reed S. Berry, 26, of St. Joseph, Mich. On Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2011, a federal judge in Grand Rapids, Mich., ordered Berry detained while he is being prosecuted on a charge of assaulting an FBI agent. The FBI says Berry is suspected of ties with foreign terrorist organizations and was under 24-hour surveillance when he tried to crash into an FBI agent’s car on Sept. 9, 2011. (AP Photo/Michigan Department of Corrections)
The government has said the links include Internet communication with one or more groups involved in international terrorism.
Defense lawyer Elias Muawad said what the government has labeled terrorist links in court filings appear to be online speech protected by the First Amendment. He also said his client, Berry, has been upset about being under investigation for months, subject to searches and barred from air travel.
“He was feeling like a caged person,” Muawad told The Associated Press on Sunday.
According to the Sept. 23 complaint that charged Berry with assaulting a federal officer, the FBI executed a search warrant March 9 seeking evidence linking Berry to foreign terrorist groups.
“The FBI investigation to date has developed information that Berry was using the Internet both to contact and to provide affirmative support to one or more FTOs,” or foreign terrorist organizations, the complaint said.
The FBI then got a warrant May 11 to search Berry’s Yahoo email account, and investigators now are reviewing its contents, the complaint said.
In anticipation of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, “the FBI decided to maintain around-the-clock knowledge of Berry’s whereabouts that weekend,” the complaint said.
FBI Special Agent Samuel Moore and Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Larry Dyksterhouse were watching Berry the night of Sept. 9 and had been told that their “target” was aware he was under surveillance, the complaint said.
The agents followed Berry as he drove around Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. They said he traveled to various locations and at one point turned his headlights off and just sat in the vehicle.
Moore said Berry eventually put his car in reverse and began speeding toward Moore’s stopped vehicle. The agent said he “immediately accelerated forward and to the hard left, avoiding a direct collision” with Berry.
On Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Hugh Brenneman in Grand Rapids ordered Berry detained before the assault trial.
“In addition to the present offense, defendant is well aware the FBI is using considerable resources to investigate whether defendant has been participating in terrorist-related activities,” Brenneman wrote in his order that Berry stay behind bars until trial.
Brenneman also cited the fact that Berry has a wife in London and “has told the FBI he wants to leave this country and never return.” And, the judge said, Berry’s state criminal record shows “a repeated disregard of the judicial system” with bond and parole revocations.
Berry was freed from a Michigan prison this year after serving a sentence for delivery or manufacture of marijuana, according to state Department of Corrections records. The records show the offense happened in Berrien County on Oct. 13, 2006, when he was 21.
Muawad said the handling of his client has been excessively harsh. He said there has been no evidence released so far that links Berry to plans for any terrorist actions, weapons or methods.
“Flight was a minor issue,” Muawad said. “They took away his passport. Where’s he going to go?”
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czecotto
Posted on October 4, 2011 at 9:22amSTGB, you don’t know anything about crime and punishment in Michigan. The guy had a prior conviction for possession. He was then convicted of a new charge, and placed on probation for Manufacture and delivery. He violated probation and was sent to prison. How many chances do you think these guys need? In prison the muslims preach that society is to blame for all their problems and that the “system” holds them all down. He appears to be another brainless twit that fell for their line of garbage
Report Post »libertydoc
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 11:51pmI was born and grew up in and around the town this man is from. It sickens me to see his face, but fills me with a terrible resolve. While we were all distracted by the “War on Terror” The American left was doing everything it could to help these people destroy America and the they are winning. How do you warn your friends and neighbors when they want to shut their eyes and pretend it’s not happening. I thought 9/11 would be enough to wake my nation up but so many are still asleep. Now the pre-planned “days of rage and revolution are spreading across America. They want communism to take root here and want “democracy” so that 51% of the country can take away the rights of the other 49%. I have lived long enough to see an American president assainate an American citizen without due process. All he had to do was label him a terrorist. Have I not heard many Democrats label the tea pary as terrorists? When dose the drone attack come on my house or yours? We had all be ready to stand up and sacrifice our this nation is going to run red with rivers of blood. Don’t believe it? Then go back to slept and pretend it will all be okay. “Freedom is never more than one generation from extinction.” Ronald Reagan
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 3:34pmThe terrorists are the Feds.
Report Post »clockwatcher
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:21pmShoot frist ask questions later when it comes to muslims dirtbags who want to kill us. There are more than enought virgins for these murders.
Report Post »DesertDave54
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 1:02pm@SGTB- you mean you won’t grace us with your pathetic ramblings? REALLY? Betcha don’t. Oh, yeah… the ads… EVER GOOGLE ANYTHING, YOU CRETIN? So… you know all the inside baseball about this bearded, stoned-slacker, terrorist wannabe? REALLY?? How about: ‘ The government has said the links include Internet communication with one or more groups involved in international terrorism.’ Hey… is your handle an acronym? Sorry-Gay-Transgender- Buttwad? Go back to msnbc…
Report Post »garbagecanlogic
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:20amWas the beard a dead give away? Or was it the strange “deer in the headlight look”?
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.
Report Post »The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
noczars
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 6:13pmAgreed! U.S. out of U.N. and U.N. out of U.S. but lets add a few more: U.S. out of the Following; EPA; HC; Arms Treaty; Banking; Housing. I’m sure there is lots more we should get out of but these are some of the most important.
Report Post »forthepeople
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:37amWanna bet there is more to this story the ‘ Man ’ is not telling US ?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:15amHear we go once again.
Report Post »NuffSaid
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:11amForget Mexico build the fence around Michigan.
Report Post »Cagey1
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:54amI don’t know why but your comment cracked me up LOL
Report Post »SERUM
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:50amHe has that brainwashed look, the beard too!
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:17amIf the FBI got sloppy enough for him to realize that he was being tailed then it is there fault. I’d probably try to ram a car if I noticed it had followed me all day and even stayed near me when I parked on a random street for a while.
Further, does anyone else get the distinct idea that this may be a case of simple drug possession leading to the arrest and imprisonment of a 21 year old for 4-5 years creating a man who is not just a casual drug user but an enemy of the state because the state is an enemy of him? I am seriously doubting whether he would be doing this right now if the judicial system hadn’t ever sent him to a prison for several years because he had a piece of a plant in his possession with the intent to sell or smoke it. It seems very much like our war on drugs is taking our own people and turning them into terrorists.
Lastly, to the Blaze…
STOP WITH THE ANNOYING ADS OFF TO THE RIGHT THAT START PLAYING WHEN YOU ACCIDENTALLY SCROLL OVER THEM. They apparently play at a volume level of 15 because they blast out my eardrums even with my main volume set to 50. I don’t appreciate their ads nor do I care about any of their products/services. I can guarantee you one thing, I will not watch or buy anything that shows up on those ads….and they just started playing again without me wanting them to.
Report Post »Charles
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:50amThey certainly don’t mention who this “terrorist organization” is. And in the fwiw category – the war on drugs just like the war on poverty has been a war on the citizens of this country waged by the federal government.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:55amSGTB
As a former US Army Counterintelligence Agent, I know there are times that you want the subject to know they are being followed. Berry had clear knowledge that he was a suspect because of the number of search warrants already exercised on him.
Whether or not he is a terrorist will be determined in a court of law.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:55am“STOP WITH THE ANNOYING ADS OFF TO THE RIGHT THAT START PLAYING WHEN YOU ACCIDENTALLY SCROLL OVER THEM.”
Absolutely…annoying as he77.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 9:00amI would have just ignored them. If you had nothing to hide, no need to get violent. I probably would have gone up to them and asked if there was anything wrong and that I knew I was being followed.
Report Post »kindling
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 10:09amI totally agree with your statement about the ads on this site. I don’t know at first what I have done and I get both the ad and the clip I am trying to watch going at the same time. Between that and the next story pop out I am starting to skip the Blaze until last on my list of sites to go to. Stop forcing things on us Blaze, we are all for choice and that includes choosing to look at the next story which we usually do anyway and those ads!
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 11:41am@ Dismayed Vet.
I understand that there are times in war when you want to put pressure on a person and let them know that they are being followed. BUT, if you are in a war you realize that disavowing your presence to the enemy puts you at a certain disadvantage and gives your enemy the opportunity to engage you. Of course, these FBI agents were not in a war, they were following a US citizen on US soil. It matters not what his intentions were, those are the facts. May I ask how you would react if the president just decided that all tea party members were a credible threat to the nation and FBI agents started to follow you around for days at a time? Even I, a Marine Corps veteran who loves this nation and its people, would probably get pretty upset and might even go a little hostile towards the men in suits following my every move.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 5:39pmSGT B
Thanks for you service to our country.
Based on what is provided in the article, it appears Berry was viewed as a credible threat. Having been on surveillance duty myself, it is a tremendous drain on finite assets. No one committs resources on speculation only. Regarding the TEA Party, there are not enough resources to cover us all. BTW, I believe that anyone who posts on the site repeatedly is already on a watch list.
Report Post »SilentReader
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:09amAnother Anwar al Awlaki in the making. I suggest they keep his passport.
Poor guy. Feeling like a cage animal, of his own making! Better him a caged animal than another three thousand people or more dead!
Report Post »txbigfoot
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:18amHe as free to drive around, walk around, do what he wanted. He could go where he wanted.
Report Post »That is not a caged animal. Get over it.
danbou
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:02am“suspected of ties with foreign terrorist organizations”? Reading the story. His defense council is a clue. Tracking him around 9/11, another. But they can’t say it.
Something tells me he isn’t a member of the IRA or that other terrorist group. The TEA party.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:15amSomething tells me you aren’t carrying a Mensa card.
Report Post »Hickory
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:43amYou are typical of the rest of the leftists out there. You just donn’t get it. Go smoke another joint and then hide under your rock some more.
Report Post »P-51D
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:59amThis guy could have been a Tea Party member. Did he support our Constitution, Muslim extremist, the Nazi party? With this White House any body can be labeled a terrorist.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:57amI don’t think ANY Tea Party member has ties with one or more groups involved in international terrorism. Tea Party members support and defend the Constitution of the USA and would never consort with anyone against the principles of the US Constitution, as most foreign terrorists are.
Report Post »He has a wife in London, but none of the news reports say who she is. Is she muslim?
He was released after a year in jail for the delivery or “manufacture” of marijuana. Doesn’t sound like any Tea Party member I know.
P-51D
Posted on October 5, 2011 at 4:12amI should have phrased my statement a little better. I did not mean he was a Tea Party member, but was stating the fact that the article does not state what kind of terrorism this guy is being charged with. You and I might be considered terrorist for typing on this blog. As for the drug charge, the info is pretty vague. Was this some dumb kid with a pot plant in his house? The CIA makes billions on the poppy fields in Afghanitsan and shipping coke and pot in from Mexico and this kid could have done hard time for growing a plant. There is not enough info in this story. I do not support the use of illegal drugs, but it makes me mad thinking someone that is putting cuffs on some guy might be doing the exact same thing.
Report Post »Charbet
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:54amHe will be back out on the streets before you know it, mark my words!
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:54amYosemite Sam needs a dirt nap.
Report Post »Ookspay
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:15amAfter a nice thourough ventilation process.
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:43amWhen he gets out, he should apply for an anchor position at MSNBC.
Report Post »Looks like he’s as qualified as most of their anchors….and he’s got that ed schultz demeanor.
drago
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:39amHe felt like a caged person? Putting him in a cage is too good for him……
Report Post »decendentof56
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:47amWell then….let him out of the damn cage. I want him to feel ‘free’ to say whatever he wants to me. Doubt if the outcome will be any different for him, but at least he’ll feel free…free to have the **** kicked out of him. The only thing worse than white trash is stupid white trash.
Report Post »Just South Of Heaven
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:06amThis punk deserves an electric nap right about now.
Report Post »The_Almighty_Creestof
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:39amRestore his ability to fly and send him to Iran…one way.
Though I applaud them for keeping him under surveillance, what they are doing reminds me of all the “cold war” movies of KGB agents always following the good guys around in black sedans.
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:20amYou would think that if a terrorist wannabe wanted to avoid surveillance, they would lose the beard.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 8:49amWhat? Try to ‘fit in’?
Of course, the TSA won’t search you unless you are an 80-yr-old woman wearing a diaper in a wheelchair, so he’s good to go, except for that ‘no fly list’ thing.
Good work, FBI !
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:17am.
ADAWBWB=Another Dumbass Wanna Be White Boy.
Mr FBI man, Why is he still alive? He tried to run you over with a car. Do you need more range time? Do you know how much money you could have saved the taxpayer? Remember money is tight, & times are hard…………..
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