Holy Toledo!

And, we shouldn't wiretap or listen in to electronic transmissions of terrorists for what reason? This story is less than an hour old.

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Update: From historymike's musings come this, Toledo-on-the-spot report, with photos: http://historymike.blogspot.com/2006/02/toledo-terror-central.html

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Toledo-Area Men Arrested for Terrorist Activity
Feb 21, 2006, 10:12 AM CST

TOLEDO -- A federal grand jury has indicted three Toledo-area men for terrorist activities. Prosecutors say the three conspired to wage a "holy war" against the United States and coalition forces in the middle east.

According to the indictment from the US Attorney's office, the suspects are Mohammad Zaki Amawi, Marwan Othman El-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum. The indictment says all three are citizens of the United States, and have been living in the Toledo area.

In count 1 of the indictment, prosecutors say the three met together many times, going back as far as November 2005. The three reportedly conspired to recruit and train others for a violent jihad against United States forces and US allies in Iraq. They also reportedly put together the funding needed for the operation, and collected the equipment needed.

Prosecutors also say the three communicated by computer with an individual in the Middle East, passing information about potential attacks and terrorist training materials back and forth, as well as communication about potential weapons and targets.

In count 2, the grand jury found that the three had similar plans to kill US citizens abroad in addition to service members.

The last two counts in the indictment dealt specifically with Mohammad Zaki Amawi. One count said Amawi distributed information on bomb-making, which in itself is a federal crime.

Prosecutors also said he verbally threatened President George W. Bush. Those crimes are separate from the conspiracy.

The indictment was filed with Judge James Carr in Federal Court in Toledo. The Justice Department says Amawi is being held at a jail in Cleveland, and will be arraigned in Cleveland some time this afternoon. El-Hindi and Mazloum are being held in a jail in Toledo. They are expected in Toledo's Federal Court this afternoon.