Tuesday, September 21st 2010

News:  Dave Matthews Band

Dave Matthews Fans Not Blown Up By Fake Bomb In Chicago; Man Arrested

By Marianne Sp

Before These Crowded Streets had the theoretical potential to become Before These Crowded Streets Filled With Carnage in Chicago late on September 18th, but you probably haven’t heard about it.

Suspected very angry guy Sami Samir Hassoun, a 22-year-old Lebanese immigrant, was arrested after placing a fake “bomb,” supplied by undercover FBI agents, outside of Wrigley Field  as concertgoers were filling the surrounding streets after attending a performance by the Dave Matthews Band.

The backpack-contained device was harmless, but Hassoun believed it had the power to destroy a full city block and its inhabitants. He has been charged in federal court with the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device.

According to the FBI agents who had been tracking Hassoun for some time, he had no religious motivations, but instead wanted to perform a series of deadly terror attacks in Chicago to undermine Mayor Richard Daley’s political base. He was also stoked to turn “terror pro” and make some decent cash out of the deal from fans of terrorism, although he seems to have had no funding sources other than the $2,700 the FBI paid him to scout good bomb locales.

His Facebook page tells us that Hassoun “likes” the TV show “Seinfeld” and attended the American University in Beirut. As is usually reported in all these cases, he was characterized as a “nice guy” by a local merchant.

Unrelated to the not-bombing but maybe strengthening the choice a bit, the Dave Matthews Band is taking off the entire year of 2011 to spend more time with their families.