E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSWNBC's Jonathan Dienst reports.
NEW YORK -- A Queens terror suspect accused of intentionally crashing his car told police dispatchers "we love death" as the FBI and NYPD moved in to arrest him on Jan. 7, 2010, for his alleged role in a plot to bomb New York City’s subways.
Adis Medunjanin is heard on part of frenetic 911 call -- obtained by NBC New York Tuesday -- as he allegedly drove close to 100 mph along the Whitestone Expressway while counterterror officials followed him that day.
“This is Adis …we love death—,“ Medunjanin shouts before continuing in Arabic, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”
Investigators have said after the subway terror plot was foiled, Medunjanin made a last effort to smash his car and call for attacks on Americans.
But his defense lawyer said Medunjanin panicked when the FBI visited his home to seize his passport and told him he was under investigation for conspiracy to commit murder.
Medunjanin was under investigation for his ties to terrorists Najibullah Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay, who have since pleaded guilty to plotting to bomb the subways.
Read original story and watch video on nbcnewyork.com
Medunjanin attorney Robert Gottlieb said his client is not a terrorist and played no role in the terror plot. He said the 911 call is an example of a young man who is panicked, not someone out to commit an act of terror
“He intended, and wanted, to kill himself,” said Gottlieb. "This was not a call to jihad."
Prosecutors said Medunjanin traveled to Pakistan with Zazi for terror training. Medunjanin has pleaded not guilty to charges he was going to be one of three suicide bombers.
On the 911 tape, the operator is unaware that it is a terror suspect on the line. “Caller on the line, what borough are you in? What’s the address?" she asks.
In the 33-second call, the 911 operator asks if Medunjanin needs police or an ambulance just before the wild crash.
The recording was obtained Tuesday after NBC New York attorney Daniel Kummer argued in federal court to have the tape released to the news media.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
Leave a Comment:
Funny how defense lawyers for these scum always have their own interpretation of facts and events.
Everyone deserves a defense in America, even the scum.
Agreed, Facts, but shouldn't the defense attorney not advance what appears to be made up circumstances?
a defense lawyers job (sadly) is not to determine the truth and pursue justice.
their only job is to get their client off the hook - regardless of guilt or innocence.
perhaps this wouldnt be the case, if defense attorney's could be tossed in prison if it was determined they knew their client was guilty and still did everything in their power to prove the opposite.
in a way, that makes them an accessory to the crime...but we dont see it that way.
much in the same way that as children we are ingrained to believe that "tattle-taleing" is a the worst possible thing you can be...there's nothing worse than a "snitch"...and as such, good people watch bad things happen all the time and keep their trap shut because it's "none of their business"
we reap what we sow
While I agree that a defense lawyer's job is to put up a defense to get their client off, at the same time, they cannot subborn perjury in order to do it. I would venture to guess that most defense attornies don't ask thier client if they are guilty but rather work to present their case in a manner that would give reasonable doubt.
What is this lawyer smoking?
Now, if there were an American in their land, we would have just been shot or hung already.. Why are we not doing them the same favor?
Because we are better than them...
it's called "practicing what you preach"...
of course, the christian taliban would love to become more like the middle east and less like freedom loving america...so go figure.
While Islamist are spreading terror everywhere, even in countries such as good old USA, where they are not the majority yet, you are worried about what you call Christian Taliban, wake up Jessica!
where does it say he was not an american?
It is people like Jessica that keep me from going DEM[not rep either].Yes because there is a group like westboro,you can lump us all together.YOU don't deserve to be called american
Nothing to see here, folks! Just move along...
It is a sad day in Chicago.....What happen to these guys integrity, fairness, honesty, courage, respect, compassion and sense of justice?.....Once a police-man twice a civilian....Anyway, one or two bad apples DO NOT spoil the whole bunch.....Great job by the Feds!!! This is a warning for any more crooked-cops out there, to straighten-up or you'll be caught....We do have brave, great & honorable cops protecting us 24/7.....we may lend Chicago Commissioner Kelly for 2yrs to clean-up the mess....However, my personal recommendation for State-wide recruitment of police officers....they should and must be affiliated to Jesus Christ, with good/strong christian back-ground, therefore, after betraying the oath to God & man.....they must be expelled without any form of benefits.
Wrong article, dude! Sober up or logoff, you're embarrasing yourself.
Wow dude, you lost it. Sign off and hide.
No wonder there hasn't been a successful attack on US soil for over 10 years.
These terrorists are just plain stupid...
right?
of course, there wasnt an attack on our soil between the first and last Twin Tower bombings...and I dont think we were actively doing much to prevent any.
it turns out, they just werent really trying.
perhaps, when they do really try...we'll be embarrassed once again.
here's hoping thats not the case.
Yankiwi -Don't underestimate the terrorist syndicate.
They are learning and adapting and it's a challenge for our intelligence agencies to keep up with them.
They are actively recruiting and training American born (some blue eyed and blonde haired) agents.I'm honestly not sure we can detect all of them. But one down!
Jessica, I think there have been more attempts than successes and that after the 1993 attempt, we did, as a nation, become more vigilant. There are probably many attempts or plots that are thwarted and we just don't hear about them.
It is time for the U.S. to stop worrying about treating these people "fairly". They only know and "eye for an eye".
I don't know Mr. Gottlieb - it sure sounds like your guy is self identifying himself as a terrorist - he's just not a very adept one
He obviously had no conviction in what he was saying, or he would be dead.
Now he's giving work at taxpayer expense to a sleazy lawyer.
This is Adis …we love death—,“ Medunjanin shouts before continuing in Arabic, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”
The Bible says,
John 3:16-21
King James Version (KJV)
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
It also says, Jesus is the Good Shepard, and Satan is the Theoft that comes to "Kill, Steal and destroy."
John 10:9-11
King James Version (KJV)
9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Now you tell me which sounds more like it from GOD, the creator and giver of life, Judeo/ Christianity, or Islam?
We love Death professes "Mr. Adis", and so does Satan. Islam is not form GOD. The true GOD is called the "GOD of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob", and he sent his Son Jesus into the world as a "Sin Atonement" for all of us that were lost and out of relationship with GOD.
He did that through LOVE, not HATE, as Islam seems to profess so much. Islam loves Death.
Jesus said, "I have come to give you life and more abundantly. Now choose life."
He called 911 to tell people he hated America? What was the purpose of his call?
To prove that he was a brain dead moron, whose continued existence is an insult to the rest of humanity. Looks like he was successful in that.
"DaveM-2536970
Because we are better than them..."
----------------------------------------------
Yeah and that's why they (terrorists) can plot to kill 3,000 people and know they will get "a fair trial", and that ultimately we won't do anything to them. I think its time we make the difference between "we are better then them so we will be so nice that we let them kill us", and something called self-defense, if we want to survive that is. Being "better then them" is, for example, not to send terrorists to kill civilians, self-defense is when someone attacks you, you defend yourself, unless you want to die. We have to realise at some point that scenarios like the one in "Sum of all fears" is not that far fetched, and that if some of these terrorists could put their hands on a nuclear weapon they wouldn't even hesitate, we are nothing to them, just "infidels" and in their point of view we should die.
Despite all their claims that USA is "the great Satan", they know very well that USA is a nice country, and that our soldiers (in Afghanistan for example) do everything they can not to kill civilians, while they (Taliban and others) use civilians as shields.
God bless U.S.A.
I suppose he's "american"?Not in my book. It is long past time we use our profiling to its' highest degree.NO ME people from anywhere/any country,except the Christians that the "religion of peace" is trying to kill.Shut the doors