Pennsylvania Man Arrested Trying To Sell Explosives To Al Qaeda (Wizbang)

HOUSTON (AP) - A 68-year-old man was arrested on charges of trying to build a bomb and sell it to an affiliate of the terrorist group Al Qaeda, a federal prosecutor announced Monday.
Ronald Allen Grecula, of Bangor, Pa., was arrested Friday in Houston during a meeting with undercover FBI agents. During that meeting, Grecula indicated willingness to build and sell an explosive device that was to be used against Americans, according to court documents.

Grecula was set to make his initial court appearance Monday. He has been charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization. If convicted, he could receive a sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

The real question is why this man was not already in prison. He'd kidnapped his two children after his wife was awarded custody in 2000. He remained a fugitive from the FBI until 2002 when he was finally caught in Malta. If he served prison time for that crime it sure wasn't very much...

Court awards custody to French-born mother - [MaltaMedia News]
Abducted children want to go back home - [MaltaMedia News]

Update: For continuity sake, it's worth noting that AP slipstreamed the kidnapping information into their report after it was first published here. None of the initial wire service stories contained that information, though AP reporters were probably working on it at the same time Wizbang was publishing it...

Comments (6)

It's a short step from a be... (Below threshold)

1. Posted by BlogDog | May 23, 2005 6:27 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

BlogDog:

It's a short step from a being a bum to building a bomb.

Posted on May 23, 2005 18:27

If he did do this and is co... (Below threshold)

2. Posted by acassa | May 23, 2005 7:33 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

acassa:

If he did do this and is convicted...

He should have his citizenship stripped, just before he is sent to a Saudi prison.

Posted on May 23, 2005 19:33

"Insanity in individuals is... (Below threshold)

3. Posted by deccles | May 23, 2005 7:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

deccles:

"Insanity in individuals is rare. In nations, epochs and eras it is the rule."

Friedrich Nietzsche

Posted on May 23, 2005 19:37

What a jerk!...I just don't... (Below threshold)

4. Posted by Zsa Zsa | May 23, 2005 9:21 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Zsa Zsa:

What a jerk!...I just don't get it.

Posted on May 23, 2005 21:21

From the AP:Grecul... (Below threshold)

5. Posted by Bill Peschel | May 23, 2005 9:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Bill Peschel:

From the AP:

Grecula was angry at the government over the custody loss of his children, whom he had kidnapped and fled with to Malta. He served less than a year in prison on that charge.

Posted on May 23, 2005 21:40

15 years and a $250K fine? ... (Below threshold)

6. Posted by Jeff | May 24, 2005 11:43 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)

Jeff:

15 years and a $250K fine? Where is the death penalty or at a minimum 25 years of hard labor smashing big rocks into little rocks and little rocks into nothing.

Posted on May 24, 2005 11:43