Alert: Possible Terror-related activity in NW Ohio

Super Mod "Don't Tread on Me" advised to post this here and it will be moved to appropriate forum.

I'm a long time reader, first time poster!

I live in NW Ohio near Toledo in a rural area. Two Sundays ago, a good friend of mine went to a local and very rural gun range to practice his skills. He has his CCW permit and goes there frequently. On this day he was getting ready to shoot, when four "Arabic looking" men came in. They spoke broken English and requested access to the range. As per the rules of the range, they had to provide ID. They each produced Student Visas from Saudi Arabia and said they were attending a university in the area. My friend said each wallet was brand new, had crisp cash in it and the student visa only.
The men requested to shoot an American made Uzi specifically. They said they were new to shooting, and that they never fired and Uzi and wanted to try.
While on the range, my friend watched them. He said one of the men was clearly trained or had experience in using an Uzi or other similar firearm. He said he was center mass on every shot. he said they spoke a lot among themselves in a foreign language and the "leader" was showing the others how to shoot the weapon.
When my friend left, he said the same vehicles were parked outside as when he came in, but the four men were still inside the range shooting. He figures they were dropped off.
There were many red flags, as you can read above. After hearing this info, I couldn't not say anything. I asked my friend to call the FBI tip line, but he said he didn't want to get anyone in trouble, didn't want the gun range owner to be mad at him, or whatever.
I couldn't take it. We have a nuclear power plant in our county, only a few miles from this gun range! So, I called the local FBI office. The agent took all the info and seemed very interested. He said they would send a team to investigate the gun range. I asked him if he has heard of this type of activity in the area. The agent said, "all I can say is that we have made terror related arrests in the Toledo area. This is what they are doing.... they are in training". My jaw dropped. This could be the real deal!
I told my friend this info and now he is on board with reporting it to the FBI. He called the agent and got involved. A few days ago, another FBI agent called my friend and asked a few more questions. He then told my friend that they called the university the four men claimed to have student visas to attend. The university denied have anyone enrolled on a student visa from Saudi Arabia. So, the plot thickens.

I guess the point of this post is to let any ATS readers know in NW Ohio that there definitely is some suspicious activity in our area. Please be vigilant. Please report anything you see that is unusual. The FBI is very interested in any and all tips, no matter how seemingly minute. Who knows if this will amount to anything, but I can sleep better knowing I did my part by reporting it to the authorities.

Thank you for reading. And, it's my first time, so go easy on me!

reply to post by garberinc


Welcome to ATS...thanks for the heads up....

Please keep us posted on any new info. Some of the best reporting I read, is right here on ATS, from our alert members from all over the world.

Des

Real terrorist ask for AK's.

Good job op.

I see people have learned something in recent times. Seems very similar to someone wanting to learn how to fly a plane but have no interest in landing it.

reply to post by garberinc


Just curious; why specifically an "American" Uzi? The Uzi (99.999% of them) are manufactured by the Israelis. There are only a couple of very small American manufacturers, and I doubt that the gun range would even have an "American" Uzi in stock; not to mention I don't think they differ from Israeli Uzis in any substantial way.

I live in a medium-sized campus town, and I have met lots of Saudis here with student visas.

They always have nice things and lots of money to spend. I asked some Saudis about it, and they told me the Saudi government gives them lots of money to travel and learn in American institutes and bring that knowledge and those skills back to Saudi Arabia after they receive their certifications.

The Saudi students I've met were over-zealous to participate in American culture. They show up at our night clubs, and they party their freaking asses off.


I don't know if the guys you saw were terrorists, or were simply trying on the American culture while spending their government benefit checks.

Not trying to take away from your thread, I'm just giving my experience with Saudi foreign nationals here for school.

i dont know why potential terrorists would leave such an obvious paper trail.

i would just get a black market gun and practice where ever, away from where anyone can see.


If what you say is true i would report them to the feds, but there behavior seems more of a bunch of dudes who want to shoot an oozie without the hassle of being called a terrorist.

And new wallets with crips bills is a sign of terrorism now?

reply to post by Sahabi


Chilling.
Four hour 15 minute drive to Chicago....
G8 Summit begins this weekend....
Protesters in danger, I wonder???

how do you know they weren't cia plants to drum up some good ole fashion war on terror fever? did you contact the university to locate these people? or did you rely on the 100% honesty of the govt.?(ya right!)
look theres a black man with a new bike,he must be a thief!!! gimme a break!
how paranoid are you people?!!!
your friend was at a shooting range for god sake!
would ya do the same if a black guy showed up with a hoodie and baggy pants? he must be a gangster! call the cops!
go back in the corn field where its safe!
so my iraqi friend who married a catholic girl is really trying to infiltrate the church so he can blow up infidels!
guess who was in bed with bin laden and sadam? YOUR GOVT.!!!!
wake up people!

Something smells fishy to me. Whole story smells rotten. Firstly you give a very accurate picture considering you were not there, the crisp money, the only documentation being the visa, the wallets being new, a lot of detail from someone who was not even there, no doubt you will tell us your friend told you all these details no doubt, and why was your friend so close to these people he could see what was in all of their wallets, and what was on their ID's? Why wasn't he on the range instead of rifling through their wallets?

And why would they be at a range trying out "American" Uzi's? They can't kill people on a range and can't take the guns with them, meaning they would have to get hold of their own Uzi's, and if they could do that why go to the range where they can be identified? Why just not practice somewhere quiet with their own Uzi's? And why Uzi's for god sake, they are not really an effective weapon, the fire rate and recoil make them useless for anything other than a very close quarter mow down.

Can't say I believe this story at all, either its made up, or someone is planting seeds, just like having devout Muslims going to a strip club getting drunk and shouting death to America the night before they decide to fly into a building and meet their god. Sorry but just not convinced by this at all, its either PsyOp or BS

Originally posted by reficul
how do you know they weren't cia plants to drum up some good ole fashion war on terror fever? did you contact the university to locate these people? or did you rely on the 100% honesty of the govt.?(ya right!)
look theres a black man with a new bike,he must be a thief!!! gimme a break!
how paranoid are you people?!!!
your friend was at a shooting range for god sake!
would ya do the same if a black guy showed up with a hoodie and baggy pants? he must be a gangster! call the cops!
go back in the corn field where its safe!
so my iraqi friend who married a catholic girl is really trying to infiltrate the church so he can blow up infidels!
guess who was in bed with bin laden and sadam? YOUR GOVT.!!!!
wake up people!

Wow........this post was utterly ignorant and full of more racism then you accuse the poster of......

and if "3 letter entities" were trying to "drum up" something with this , dont you think they would try something on a much more public magnitude then a few people at a gun range?

How bout some clear thinking , and objectivity before ranting on and insulting people.......

reply to post by reficul


I am glad I don't live in your neighborhood, people like you are the reason why these things happen, you leave your head stuck in the hole, maybe the sand but most likely another hole. We need to be part of our community, that includes reporting on things that make you feel uneasy. Better to be wrong than to say nothing.

Yes. ALWAYS judge a book by it's cover. [color=666666]/End Sarcasm




How can the human race ever truly progress, when we continuously seem to be taking 2 steps forward, and 3 steps back?

reply to post by PaTommyJ


I don't see anything chilling about the correlations you are trying to piece together.

Those war-profiteers need no more false-flags or catalysts regarding Islamic terrorism. The 'War on Terror' has been in full swing with no foreign or domestic political limitations. The people have been scared of Islamic radicals since 9/11. This card hand has already been played and has served its purpose.




Next Catalyst:

We should really be on the lookout for domestic terrorists who are persuaded, funded, or trained by the FBI, CIA, or other governmental affiliates.

Any American nationals who may engage in terrorism... to further along the agenda of gun control, domestic espionage, dissolution of freedom/liberty/privacy, to discredit popular movements and protests, and to help usher in martial law.

Islamic terrorism no longer serves a function. It is the average American who is next to be demonized and oppressed.


Peace.

Originally posted by garberinc
four "Arabic looking" men came in. They spoke broken English and requested access to the range. As per the rules of the range, they had to provide ID. They each produced Student Visas from Saudi Arabia and said they were attending a university in the area. My friend said each wallet was brand new, had crisp cash in it and the student visa only.
The men requested to shoot an American made Uzi specifically. They said they were new to shooting, and that they never fired and Uzi and wanted to try.
While on the range, my friend watched them. He said one of the men was clearly trained or had experience in using an Uzi or other similar firearm. He said he was center mass on every shot. he said they spoke a lot among themselves in a foreign language and the "leader" was showing the others how to shoot the weapon.


I told my friend this info and now he is on board with reporting it to the FBI. He called the agent and got involved. A few days ago, another FBI agent called my friend and asked a few more questions. He then told my friend that they called the university the four men claimed to have student visas to attend. The university denied have anyone enrolled on a student visa from Saudi Arabia. So, the plot thickens.

I guess the point of this post is to let any ATS readers know in NW Ohio that there definitely is some suspicious activity in our area. Please be vigilant. Please report anything you see that is unusual. The FBI is very interested in any and all tips, no matter how seemingly minute. Who knows if this will amount to anything, but I can sleep better knowing I did my part by reporting it to the authorities.

Thank you for reading. And, it's my first time, so go easy on me!

i don't buy your story.

first, you say Arabic looking men. are you kidding? there is no arabic nationality, as Arabic is only a language. and Arab means arabic speaking. at best i would assume your friend meant Saudi looking men, but then why did he say Arabic?

also, where is the suspicious activity?

and on what basis were these men questioned or background-checked? -OTHER THAN PROFILING - as you started story off with, arabic looking.

im trying to understand how ur friend would be involved in intel -ie verification of where these "men" go to school - is your friend stalking them and the police disclosing their personal info to him or something. wow. i hear talk like your friends day in and day out whenever mideast clients come in the door - but i dont buy the crap coworkers throw around as its all profiling and again i want to know how your friend is able to confirm their personal info with the police, is he stalking them somehow and the local police that red?

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask


i really think you missed my point friend. it is the original post that is probably race related.
an american sees a middle eastern man with a gun on a SHOOTING RANGE and they call the FBI????!!!
well i guess all brown people that drive cabs in new york should be hauled in for operating a deadly weapon too!
your govt. has put the leaders of these countries in power,and when they get outta hand your country goes and blows up half of that country to make a point,civilians included,and your govt has brainwashed you so much that every time you see a black or a brown person,you think terrorist right away.
racist? are you kidding me? my 'black' wife is ready to jump thru the computer screen right now!
and don't forget,your govt. thinks you are a potential terrorist too.

Why would a 'terrorist' from Saudi Arabia need to come to America to practice shooting an Uzi at an American gun range? They could have done all their weapons training in their homeland, free from any scrutiny.

It doesn't make sense anyone, let alone a terrorist, would need to go to a gun range to practice with an Uzi, which is really only effective if you plan to wade into a crowd and let loose - not exactly the sort of thing you need target practice for.

I presume at least you've been in touch with the FBI over this?

is OP an ATS terrorist?

i mean beside the Profiling based elaborate story that is so cliche -mideasters buying guns and certain parts of the story dont add up,

how was the OP able to create a non-intro Thread with fewer than 20 posts? i thought they are deleted, not moved if OP is less than 20 a.t.o.p.?

Originally posted by OldCorp
reply to post by garberinc

 

Just curious; why specifically an "American" Uzi? The Uzi (99.999% of them) are manufactured by the Israelis. There are only a couple of very small American manufacturers, and I doubt that the gun range would even have an "American" Uzi in stock; not to mention I don't think they differ from Israeli Uzis in any substantial way.

They were referring to the Century arms semi auto version.

It has a 16" rifle barrel and collapsible stock. Run around 1K for a fancy upgraded one or 899 for a toss in the bin grade. They also manufacture a rifle version with full wood stock.



You did good OP. The whole things stinks, and im happy to hear you dialed even when your friend backed down.

But on the flip side when we have overseas corp guests we also try to get them to the gun range since the UK and some of the other places dont have them. If they are not already rented out we try to get them a little time behind a tommy gun, rather than an AK or some other type. Then they have a real American story to tell when they go back about the Chicago typewriter.

When in doubt. Drop a dime on em.

Originally posted by BiggerPicture
is OP an ATS terrorist?

i mean beside the Profiling based elaborate story that is so cliche -mideasters buying guns and certain parts of the story dont add up,

how was the OP able to create a non-intro Thread with fewer than 20 posts? i thought they are deleted, not moved if OP is less than 20 a.t.o.p.?

The OP stated that Supermod, Don'ttreadonme...gave permission for this thread to be posted in this forum. Does that answer your question. That means a SuperMod, reviewed and approved this thread posting.

Des