Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Last winter, federal authorities warned local officials to be on the lookout for anyone buying large numbers of prepaid cell phones — devices that could become potential tools for terrorists.

Authorities in Michigan and Ohio clearly listened: In the space of only a few days last week, they arrested five men and charged them with terrorism-related offenses.

But in the days since, the two cases have grown more complicated.

On Monday, an Ohio prosecutor said he was dropping the charges he brought against two Michigan men because he could not prove a terrorism link. And the FBI said Monday it had no information to indicate that three Texas men arrested in Michigan had direct terror ties.

Prosecutors in Michigan, however, were standing by the charges against the three Palestinian-American men living in Texas, though they have not said what they believe the men intended to do with the phones.

‘Somewhat unusual’
Officials have said various illegal acts can be committed with prepaid cell phones, including using them as detonators, communicating among terrorists and using the batteries to make methamphetamine.

“I don’t know how many of you have ever gone to a store to purchase 80-100 cell phones at a time,” Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Monday in Chicago. “I would consider that somewhat unusual and I think it would be perfectly legitimate to say, ’Hey, is there something going on here?”’