martes, 29 de enero de 2013

Father of terror suspect says FBI brainwashed son

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The father of an Oregon terrorism suspect testified Monday that his then-teenage son was suffering from an identity crisis and enduring a troubled home life when the FBI brainwashed him.

Osman Barre, the father of Somali-American terrorism suspect Mohamed Mohamud, said he was concerned for his son's safety when he contacted the FBI in 2009.

Barre said Mohamud told him he was planning to fly to Yemen to learn Arabic at a time when Barre was frightened by news accounts of Somali-American teenagers joining the mujahedeen in Somalia.

The stories led him to contact the FBI and say he feared his son was being brainwashed by al-Qaida recruiters.

But Barre testified Monday that he now thinks it was an elaborate FBI sting that brainwashed his son.

Prosecutors rested their case Monday. Barre was the first defense witness.

Mohamud is accused of attempting to detonate a bomb at a Portland Christmas-tree lighting ceremony in November 2010. The bomb was a fake supplied by undercover FBI agents whom Mohamud thought were al-Qaida recruiters.

During cross-examination by prosecutors, Barre was asked why he used the word "brainwashed" when speaking about his son to FBI agents. Barre interrupted Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Knight to say, "Can I tell you, the FBI brainwashed my son."

"That's not the question I asked," Knight responded.

Authorities say the FBI was tracking Mohamud's online contacts with Islamic radicals in early 2009. By the time Barre contacted the bureau, agents had been watching Mohamud for months, from the time he was 17.

Defense attorneys have argued that the bureau could have informed Barre and Mohamud's mother about the contacts with radicals. FBI agents have testified that providing such information could have compromised ongoing investigations into the jihadi contacts with whom Mohamud was involved.

Barre said he did not hear anything further from FBI agents until his son was arrested.

Barre described Mohamud's life in the strict Muslim home as troubled by the time he came to the FBI's attention. Barre and his wife, Miriam Hassan, had split up, and the couple's daughter — Mohamud's younger sister — kept running away.

Mohamud was a sweet-natured kid, Barre testified, but impressionable and immature. The family believed Barre's contact with the FBI led to Mohamud being placed on the no-fly list.

Mohamud turned from an engaged, sociable freshman at Oregon State University into a withdrawn sophomore who slept during the day, Mohamud's friend Mohammad Mohamed testified.

Barre, under cross-examination, told Knight he drilled into his children that they should be grateful to live in America. He said he told them not to make waves, to make their parents proud.

"Did you do everything you could to help your son?" Knight asked. "Did you give him every chance to succeed?"

With his wife sitting 20 feet away in the gallery, her chin cradled in her right hand, Barre paused.

Chris Brown Compares Himself to Jesus on the Cross After Frank Ocean Fight

Chris Brown is apparently feeling crucified by reports that he physically assaulted fellow R&B star Frank Ocean. On Monday, Jan. 28, the 23-year-old rapper posted a new photo on Instagram of Jesus on the cross, with a cryptic caption about his state of mind.

"PaintChris Brown Compares Himself to Jesus on the Cross After Frank Ocean Fighting the way I feel today," he captioned the shot. "Though he seems to have a hard time taking his own advice, Brown also added, "Focus on what matters!"


The alleged altercation with Ocean, 24, occurred at a West Hollywood parking lot on Sunday, Jan. 28. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department confirmed that "Chris Brown and the victim were involved in an altercation over a parking space. The altercation allegedly led to Chris Brown punching the victim."

"Got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol," Ocean tweeted after the incident. "Cut my finger now I can't play w two hands at the Grammys."

Brown has never been very good at turning the other cheek and walking away from a fight. In July 2012, he denied reports that he made a homophobic slur against Ocean, who had recently revealed he was bisexual. The "Don't Wake Me Up" singer was involved in a brawl brow with rapper Drake in June 2012. The fight was reportedly over Rihanna, who Brown has recently reunited with after assaulting her in 2009.

This article originally appeared on Usmagazine.com: Chris Brown Compares Himself to Jesus on the Cross After Frank Ocean Fight

Adele Hall, noted Kansas City civic leader, dies

Adele Coryell Hall, known throughout the Kansas City area and across the country for her humanitarian work and volunteer leadership, has died. She was the wife for nearly 60 years of Hallmark Cards chairman Donald Joyce Hall.
She died Saturday while in Hawaii with her husband, a spokesman for Hallmark said.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to The Children’s Mercy Hospital, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Pembroke Hill School, The Salvation Army, The United Way of Greater Kansas City, or Wayside Waifs.
Arrangements are pending at Stine & McClure Chapel in Kansas City.
Adele Hall was born Adele Coryell in 1931 in Lincoln, Neb. She learned the value of community service through the example set by her parents, who were deeply involved in the Salvation Army and other charitable organizations in Lincoln, the spokesman said.
She was the first woman president of the Heart of America United Way, was a board chairman of Children’s Mercy Hospital and the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and served on the boards of the Pembroke Hill School, Salvation Army, Starlight Theatre and American Red Cross.
She also held leadership positions on the boards of the United Negro College Fund, the Points of Light Foundation, American Academy of Pediatrics, Partnership for Children, Menninger Foundation, George Bush Presidential Library Center and Library of Congress Trust Fund.
She is survived by her husband, Don; sons Donald Jr. and his wife Jill, and David E. Hall and his wife Laura; daughter Margaret Hall Pence and her husband Keith; nine grandchildren, Sarah Bloss and her husband Brian Bloss, Andy Pence, Helen Hall, Michael Pence, Will Hall, Rebecca Hall, Allison Hall, Katherine Hall and Julia Hall.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/28/4035905/adele-hall-noted-civic-leader.html#storylink=cpy

Rick Ross Was

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Rick Ross Was Driving Rolls-Royce & Girlfriend Was Passenger During Attempted Drive-By Shooting
 

Turns out that a Bawse pushes his own six figure whip, especially when his life's on the line. Ft. Lauderdale police have confirmed that Rick Ross was driving the Rolls-Royce that crashed into a building after speeding away from an attempted drive-by shooting. The passenger was the rapper's girlfriend,  Shateria L. Moragne-el.

The Broward-Palm Beach New Times has intel on Rozay's special lady friend.

    A quick dip into the backwaters of pop-culture gossip shows Moragne-el has previously been romantically linked with Ross. She's the boss of her own fashion label, Frontrow Couture. The line had a runway show at New York Fashion Week this fall. JoJo performed.

    In an interview with Vocab Magazine following the breakout runway walk, Moragne-el talked about working her way from a celebrity stylish to designing her own label. A lot of accounts vary of how long he's been linked to Bawse -- some say the two have been linked for five years. They were spotted together strutting the red carpet at the Django Unchained premiere.

Details are still coming in regarding the shooting that occurred in the wee hours of Monday morning. Ross was leaving a birthday dinner party at the Floridian restaurant when another car approached and opened fired. Rozay dipped out but lost control of his vehicle and crashed into a storefront.

Police don't have any suspects but wild rumors are already circulating that the Gangster Disciples gang has a bounty on the rapper's head. Police are looking at surveillance footage that may have recorded the incident.

Rick Ross' sixth studio album, Mastermind, is due out later this year and just released a new freestyle utilizing Kendrick Lamar's "B***h Don't Kill My Vibe.