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Tag: Wichita Kansas

  • Kansas Bomb Plot Evidence To Be Hid From Public

    Is this a case of too much public knowledge jeopardizing the safety of American citizens? U.S. District Judge Monti Belot thought so. He granted the prosecution’s request for a protective order in the case against avionics technician and would-be domestic terrorist Terry Loewen.

    Loewen, who was arrested December 13th following a successful FBI sting, has plead not guilty to the charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempting to use an explosive device to damage property, and attempting to give material support to al-Qaida.

    The 58-year-old man came to the attention of the nation when last year, he attempted to drive a van full of explosives onto the Wichita airport tarmac. Though the event was startling to learn of, authorities have since emphasized that there was no one at the airport or surrounding area was actually in danger.

    What is felt to be dangerous now is what could be revealed over the course of Loewen’s trial. For instance, how the US government came to identify Loewen as a threat and the exact methods used to apprehend him. It is feared that such information could compromise ongoing and future FBI investigations.

    Loewen’s defense attorneys have promised the court that they would not reveal any information to the public or during the trial that could be an issue for the FBI. This includes the identities of FBI agents who were involved in the case. At the same time, they have expressed concern at the continued interference of the federal government, accusing officials of trying to “micromanage” the defense.

    According to Belot’s ruling, any materials provided by the government in the case cannot be shared with parties not directly involved in the trial. This is true for both the defense and prosecution. Most importantly, neither the prosecution nor defense is allowed to discuss evidence in the case with members of the media.

    What this means is that the public is to be kept in the dark about certain, inarguably very important, details of the case.

    What do YOU think: Is this excessive or is this a necessary step to protect the integrity of future federal investigations?

    Image via Breaking News

  • Wichita Bomb Plot That Never Was

    Wichita Bomb Plot That Never Was

    According to the FBI, a lone man’s attempt to blow up the Wichita Airport using a car bomb has been successfully foiled. The suspect in custody is Terry L. Loewen, a 58-year-old aviation technician and native of the region.

    Allegedly he had made terrorist threats of violence in the past, voicing a desire to declare a jihad on the United States. The FBI began to investigate Loewen following an email exchange with an undercover federal agent.

    It was clear to the FBI through these monitored exchanges that Loewen was and remains sympathetic to terrorist causes. He spoke highly of Osama Bin Laden and other members of Al Qaeda. Loewen intended to demonstrate his support of extremist Islam through a premeditated act of terrorism at some point.

    After discussing a phony plot with Loewin, the undercover agent asked if he would be interested in creating an explosive device and acting as a suicide bomber. After helping Loewen construct what he mistakenly thought was a car bomb, the FBI instructed the suspect to drive the non-functioning device to the airport where he worked. Things didn’t go as plan for the would be suicide bomber as Loewen’s actions resulted in his early morning apprehension.

    The charges include one count of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of attempting to damage property by means of an explosive and one count of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A conviction would bring about a life sentence.

    Despite the hefty charges, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom has been quick to emphasize that,“at no time was the safety of travelers or members of the public placed in jeopardy.”

    Fortunately for an untold number of American citizens, Loewen opened up about his violent aspirations to the the wrong person at the right time. In essence, this foiled bomb plot was more about a proactive approach to would-be terrorism than a reactive approach taken after a major tragedy.

    Image: Breaking News, Youtube

  • Kansas Weather Anchor Evacuates As Tornadoes Hit Wichita

    While the Moore, Oklahoma tornado is dominating the news cycle–rightfully so–it’s easy to forget about the weather damage that occurred on Sunday in Wichita, Kansas. While the devastation pales in comparison, the fact is, when a “massive” tornado hits, it’s hard to forget. To help illustrate the chaos nature can cause when it decides to unleash the power of its storms, the video leading this post shows the weather anchor, J.D. Rudd, of KSN, in the process of updating his viewers. Unfortunately, the storm was close enough to the station, and it forced those inside to head for the tornado shelter, including the aforementioned Rudd, who, again, was live on-air at the time.

    During the video, you can here someone off-camera yell, ““It appears that it is time for all of us to get to shelter. Get to shelter right now! Everybody, let’s go!” The result was reminiscent of an apocalyptic movie that shows an abandoned television broadcast, all in an effort to drive the desolation home. The difference is, this was actually real.

    Over at his Twitter, Rudd has received a great many well-wishing tweets and folks acknowledging the fine job they did under such pressure. Rudd also pointed out an extended version of the lead video.

    Because of the destruction in Oklahoma and the Midwest in general, it’s pretty clear Rudd has been incredibly busy trying to keep his viewers informed and hopefully, safe. The ordeal has, understandably, worn on Rudd:


    Let’s hope the weatherman is wrong in here. It’s safe to say those folks deserve a break.