Do Terrorists Use Sign Language to Communicate?

If you haven't been watching the news over the last few days there have been some interesting developments about the "Goose Creek Two" where two Egyptian students, Magahed and Mohammed, were arrested after a routine traffic stop on charges of possessing an explosive device. Enough to be labeled as a "bomb" by experts.

Found in the car

When a routine traffic stop led police to search a car driven by Youssef Megahed, here's what was found:

- Three pieces of PVC pipe cut into various sizes, 1 foot or less, filled with potassium nitrate (used in fertilizer) and Karo syrup. Cat litter was used to bind those ingredients.

- Safety fuse, 20 feet.

- Electric drill

- Bullets

- Gasoline, 5 gallon canister

- Laptop computer reflecting visits to the following Web sites: a video file that shows Qassam rockets firing, Hamas information, a discussion of martyrdom, M-16 rifle photos

Source: U.S. Attorney's Office

How much power?

Explosive experts interviewed by the Times say the loaded PVC tubes sound like incomplete pipe bombs, lacking only detonators. Each one, while not powerful enough to blow up a house, could blow out the windows in a room. However, without a detonator, the devices would simply have burned slowly. The chemical combination would not produce what people would typically think of as fireworks.

Sources: Edward Dreizin, New Jersey Institute of Technology chemical engineering professor; Vilem Petr, Colorado School of Mines explosive engineering professor; Van Romero, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology vice president for research

The two are students of University of South Florida. Megahed, a permanent U.S. resident from Egypt, and Mohamed, who is in the U.S. on a student visa.

Recently, Megahed's brother, Yahia, tried to send some kind of sign language code through a jail-house camera, or so it seems as seen in this video. Some of the manual alphabet letters are clearly seen to be of the English language variety. Recognizable manual alphabet letters and some numbers include F (or 9), 6 (or W), F (or 9), F (or 9), 3 (or F or 9), M, I, G, C and L. Sign Language interpreters agree than many of the "signs" were quite distinct such as M, I, G, C and L. Although no one from the Deaf community has made any comments about Yahia's supposed signing.

It was clear that Yahia was acting suspiciously during the video-taping. Unless the mysterious signing is of the Egyptian Sign Language version but it sure does look more like the American signed alphabet version than anything else. But it'd be interesting to know if any ofthem took ASL at USF (or elsewhere) since courses in ASL are offered over there.

Yahia, the one who was signing in the video, was claimed by his brother that he doesn't know sign language and was only fooling around. Now, why would one want to fool around in front of the jail security camera (while looking suspiciously around the room before he started signing) knowing that getting caught doing that will only raised more questions and suspicions? Either he is an idiot or he knows what he is doing. And if it's a "secret code" of some sort to his fellow brothers, then why was the video released to the public enabling anybody to view the videotape. If it's a secret code then it's already out. If it's just "playing around," then that certainly doesn't help the jailed suspects' situation? Hmmm...?

One of the brothers was denied bail because of the potential flight risk while the other one can post $200,000 bail but must stay in jail to see if anyone objects to the bail ruling. Explosives weren't the only thing these brothers are being charged.

Megahed and Ahmed Mohamed, 26, both suspended University of South Florida students, were arrested Aug. 4, near a Goose Creek, S.C., naval base. A deputy stopped them for speeding, searched their car and found what experts say were materials for low-grade explosives.

A federal grand jury in Tampa handed up an Aug. 29 indictment charging both men with illegally transporting explosive materials. Mohamed faces an additional charge of teaching others how to make an explosive. Prosecutors say they found a laptop showing a video of Mohamed turning a remote control toy into a detonator, and that he uploaded the instructional video to YouTube.

If convicted, Megahed faces up to 10 years in prison. Mohamed could be sentenced to up to 30 years if convicted. A trial is set for December, but Fitzgibbons said it probably won't happen that soon. This is a story that bears keeping an eye on. Even though many think that the signing video tape will hurt the prosecutor's case. Did Yahia try and communicate to the outside world? Atlas Shrugs has more on this story as well.