In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Tampa Fl. -C3 gun bust

IAMACLONE_2IAMACLONE_2 Member Posts: 4,725
edited September 2002 in General Discussion
Mosque Attack Plan Nets Arrest
By MICHAEL FECHTER mfechter@tampatrib.com
Published: Sep 28, 2002

A man described as a possible lookout in an alleged terrorist plot against Islamic centers is in custody on federal firearms charges.
Agents arrested Samuel Valiant Shannahan III on Wednesday evening after discovering three of his machine guns and two silencers in Seminole podiatrist Robert Goldstein's condominium and learning he can't account for five other weapons licensed to him. That constitutes illegal firearms transfers, prosecutors say.

Documents found in Goldstein's home detail an attack plan that calls for detonation of C- 4 plastic explosives at Bay area Islamic centers. Agents found 20 live bombs and Claymore mines in Goldstein's condominium when they arrested him Aug. 23.

He has been jailed without bail and is undergoing psychiatric evaluation.

The plan includes help from ``Val,'' a lookout. Neither Shannahan's father nor his attorney denied Shannahan is the person in question. They do deny he was part of any terror plan.

``Unfortunately, he got swept into this based on what Dr. Goldstein did, not what Mr. Shannahan did,'' attorney Bruce Howie said. He called the charges technical violations.

``I'm in no position to comment on what Dr. Goldstein was thinking when he wrote those names down,'' Howie said.

But the U.S. attorney's office made a point of saying the investigation continues. Spokesman Steve Cole called the arrest ``a significant development.''

``From the day that cache of explosives was found, ATF, along with the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office [and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement], have been working diligently, vigorously to find out who is Val, who is Mike [and] who may also be involved in this.''

Val's name is scratched out in the typed plan, and the name Mike is handwritten in its place.

The arrest was welcomed by Mohammed Sultan, imam of the Islamic Society of Tampa Bay. He is certain his mosque was targeted in a diagram contained in the plan and, like many Muslims in the community, skeptical Goldstein acted alone.

``We have faith in God and confidence in law enforcement that they will do their job and follow up on it,'' Sultan said. ``I hope they do their best to make sure there's no more lunatics out there who want to do harm to us or to anybody else.''

The plan, or ``mission template,'' details a terror campaign to kill Muslims inside their mosques and with booby traps as they try to exit.

``If they don't panic, they die inside,'' the outline states.

In the plan, Val is to accompany the author on a practice run and serve as a lookout.

``Val will constantly relay intel on Channel 5 knowing pre- designated LZ sites and the designated extraction after mission is accomplished,'' the outline states.

U.S. Magistrate Thomas McCoun III said he wants more information before deciding whether Shannahan can be released on bail pending his trial. He is being held at Orient Road Jail.

Investigators say he lied about his guns and changed his story about Goldstein's work with explosives.

He told agents he destroyed one of the guns that turned up in Goldstein's condominium. In addition, agents found his Uzi machine gun at a shooting range in Port Richey. In exchange for using the range's address to receive gun shipments, Shannahan allowed Firing Line Gun Range, 6123 Ridge Road, to rent the gun to customers who wanted to fire an automatic weapon.

Shannahan, 42, was licensed to have 23 restricted firearms but only had 12 in his home when a dozen agents searched it last week. Since the weapons were properly licensed, agents left them at Shannahan's.

He first was questioned the day of Goldstein's arrest. He said he befriended Goldstein a few years ago after they met at a gun show. He initially denied knowing anything about Goldstein's explosives but said he knew the podiatrist tinkered with electronics.

A month later, he acknowledged Goldstein showed him some explosives and ``bragged about the destruction they could cause,'' Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agent Warren Randall testified at a hearing Thursday afternoon.

That occurred after the two were shooting guns in Goldstein's home. The podiatrist apparently set up a mini firing range for small-caliber weapons, using sandbags, Cole said.

Shannahan, who used to work at an Office Depot in Clearwater, said he hasn't worked since last year. He lives in a one-bedroom, $560-a-month apartment at Scottish Towers II in Dunedin, said Terry McDowell, the community manager for the 188-unit complex.

On Thursday, a U.S. flag was on Shannahan's front door.

``We've never had any incidents with him,'' McDowell said.

The only remarkable thing observed about him, residents said, was his blue 1993 Ford Thunderbird.

Federal agents had twice visited the complex recently, McDowell said.

Resident Jeffrey Makle, a 25-year-old nurse's aide, watched from his living room as ``suit and tie'' guys took Shannahan to the ground at gunpoint in a parking lot two to three weeks ago.

``They took him in for questioning and he was back later that night,'' Makle said. The next day Shannahan was at the complex pool with his girlfriend.

Reporters Candace Samolinski, Monica Scandlen and Stephen Thompson contributed to this report. Reporter Michael Fechter can be reached at (813) 259-7621.
Sign In or Register to comment.