What took so long for the story to run? CNN has it listed under news section Law with the title "Two held after South Carolina traffic stop". Not very interesting with a title like that.
Why are the words "Possible TerroristS" not used in either title. That is what these two guys will turn out to be, but then again, we will never know because not one media will follow up.

#1) Why were they in this country in the first place?, #2) Did there really need to be a shutdown of an entire highway for TEN hours?

These two are going to be named terrorists any way so there's no real point to mention it in the article.More and more are our liberties going to be taken away. Just watch and wait.

CNN and Fox News had this Saturday night

Why were they in the country? Why are you or anyone else in this country? I think this could very well be an over reaction by law enforcement......Just because these guys are from Egypt, do they not have a right to do a university science project?

Gee, maybe they aren't guilty of anything more than really bad judgment. Maybe they are budding terrorists - but that's what our legal system is for - sorting out the guilty from the innocent. In addition to "Possible Terrorists" the headline could have read "Possible Hobbyists"...

just about any household item can be used as a precursor i mean they found sugar and potassium chlorate which can be found on any corner, you can build a rocket out of hobby rocket supplies (which have actually propellants in them). Lets not use another racecard because they are arab or egyptians, they are engineering students if you goto texas im sure youll find alot worse things going on than homemade rockets. This story is an asbolute joke that why they are smiling in the picture they know nothing can be done. Here goes news pointing figures at more arabs

I agree with the comments above. Something is truly fishy about this story. Typically, the main-stream-media has been eager to get these types of stories out front real early. However, in this case, the media appears to be asleep at the switch.

My guess is that there is much more to this story than meets the eye. Perhaps an ongoing investigation??? Also, the story above does not discuss the fact that one of these Egyptian guys was trying to destroy the laptop when they were pulled over.

It took them so long because nothing became of this story. They werent' scary "evil doers". You're so quick to judge just because the article hangs on the words terrosit, bomb, naval weapons base,etc. So now if this was a white dad and his son in the same situation, you cant tell me the outcome wouldn't have been different!
LJ- #1 they have just as much right to be here as your ancestors who came here and wiped out an entire race of native americans. #2, Sure they did, they had to make headlines down there to keep people paranoid that they're gonna "follow us home"! But our good ole' boys caught em!! Your ignorance is what makes me ashamed to call myself an American. Kiss your freedoms goodbye.

Sorry to say but it is these type of individuals that "Fit the Profile" and ruin it for people of middle eastern decent to live truelyy freee in this great nation. If these guys are guilty then they must be treated as any other Domestic Terrorists. These guys don't sound like they were out to light sparkelers on the 4th of July.

I wouldn't rush to fast to judgment on these men.

It sounds like they are just a couple of guys who enjoy rockets for a hobby.....

ABC seems to be changing the story from other networks. One is from Egypt, one is from Kuwait. Both are students and therefore are here legally on student visas. Just because someone is from an eastern country doesn't make him a terrorist. Having the materials to make fireworks or a rocket doesn't make him a terrorist either. Thirty years ago my brother made homemade fireworks (they weren't very exciting) but he wasn't a terrorist. The two men cooperated with the police, from the beginning, even telling police they had fireworks in the trunk. Now here comes ABC "new" trying to sensationalize it by saying in the headline they were in a hurry to make rockets. And what's the big deal with them being 7 miles away from a Navy installation? Where I live, EVERYTHING is less than seven miles from a Navy installation!

Nothing in this story indicates any proof that these guys were doing anything but building model rockets? Why were they arrested? Seems like it was just because they were Egyptian?

I think it was a good idea not to make the leap to terrorism when you read the complete story. They are Egyptian and probably Muslim, but the story leans well into the realm of innocent model rocketry. I mean the FBI is on the scene and they are ruling terrorism out. From what I have read, I am going to agree with them. When you start screaming terrorism just because Muslims are involved is the very reason despicable groups like CAIR are in business. This just sounds like some dumb college students.

What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? Last time I checked, having a hobby was not against the law. And so far, nothing has been released linking these two men to any terrorist organizations. Suspicious, maybe...but get the facts first.

Note the beards. Not exactly a cool look. And, Jihadis tend to have beards. The one on the left does not have the characteristic mark on the forehead that comes with excessive Muslim prayer (Zawahiri has the mark). I cannot tell whether the one on the right has the mark.

Something about their demeanor in the arrest photos is troubling to me. If you were a resident alien Muslim who had been pulled over for speeding, had incendiary/explosive materials in your car, and had just watched the police shut down the highway for hours while they investigated your car - would you be giddy?

A few years back, I was really into model rocketry. If I had been stopped back then with some of the stuff that I required for my passion with todays environment, I'd now be classified as a terrorist.

Are we becoming so fearful that our future Einstein's and Goddard's will now be considered terrorist and their studies will be surpressed.

Wow JM, leave the legal system to sort out the Terrorist from the innocent? Just like the Duke Rape case, huh? Sorry, I just don't have a lot of faith in our system.

Those DA are out to get a little glory for themselves. Even if it means ruining an innocent persons life to get it.

It is funny to me that so many "science projects" are taking place lately.

i lived in Egypt for a while and i can tell from how they look that they are extremists,beard and no mustach..
FBI knows or should know this very well,any one who feels soorry or sympathises with these guys will be even more sorry if he was blown up by the rockets those two losers are bulding

I'm really surprised at some of these comments. Because they're smiling in the pictures they're guilty of something? I believe the posted said "giddy". Those may be driver's license pictures, not booking photos. Why is everyone so quick to pass judgment on others? These attitudes toward people of other faiths and nationalities makes me ashamed to be an American.

This was very strange from the beginning. CNN broke the news but then had nothing else on it. I live in SC and, locally, we heard NOTHING about this. I finally went to a Charleston website and read about it. These two were trying to see what they could get away with and, so far, they've gotten away with alot. I'm sure other more sinister folks have taken notice of the non-action on this. From the materials mentioned in the article, you have to be a moron to believe they were going to make a rocket or fireworks. I don't know why they were so quick to rule out terrorism, it just doesn't make any sense.

They were speeding with explosive devices in their car. They WANTED to get pulled over to see how far they could run with this.

They fit the profile. Walk like a duck, swimm like a duck and quack like a duck,
any guess what can be?

Oh Freddie, PLEASE wake up and smell the coffee! All we need now is a Democrat in the White House suspending all war on terror missions and we'll have another 9/11 in a heartbeat. There are plenty of terrorists here in America trying their best to coordinate another attack. Who knows how many lives have been saved by the apprehension of these two extremists. I applaud all law enforcement and our administration for being on the offensive.

Eva, I think you mean to criticise Roy, not Freddie. Freddie seems to agree with you (and me).

In that I (we) are being profiled by Middle Easterners as non-believers, and these Middle Easterners are targeting me (us) for death, I have no problem profiling them. Having said that, I also profile all Middle Easteners as "enablers" for allowing these ruthless, maniacal, murderers to
go free in their country(s).

Until THEY not US, change their intolerant, repressive, murderous ways, they are not to be trusted by any rational lover of life on this planet.

Roosevelt interned German and Japananese, many who were US citizens during WWII. It will come to that here as well, if the threats that Al-Queda routinely levies actually happen. While Pelosi and Ried may be confused about things, the enemy will come know that the American people will not tolerate murder and mayhem, nor will we wither and cower to madman terrorists.

This is the unspoken word, the ignored detail about Americans and their love of American life and it's traditions. The media may report angst and fear, but what is really going on is a cauldron of distrust, disgust, and even hate for the dark and depressing radical Muslim theocracies, and all Muslims will be unfortunate victims. Again, it is they that must take action and stop the insanity.

All right everyone. Lets make sure that we know that every middle eastern with a beard and with or without a mustache, muslim, shite or sunni or God knows what, must be a terrorist. Also, all us have special powers that enable us to look at a photograph and be certain of this person intentions. Damn the news media, damn the internet, this type of input is reactionary and only continues to raise fear and suspicion based on nothing. I'll wait for all the facts to come out, then I will make an informed decision on what I think, not someone else.

Sorry Freddie. Take care

Oh come on, puhleeze. These guys are not terrorists, they're model rocket hobbyists. These items are not destructive, they're just toys. The only reason these guys were arrested at all is because they're Arabs. This isn't about terrorism, it's about racist cops -- and racist idiots who commented on this story.

Grow up.

Let's let the investigation take place, why don't we?

That being said, PVC pipe (what diameter?) and some of the other makings in the car can be used for -- hold your breath -- something sometimes described in the law as "weapons of mass destruction," aka bombs.

Twenty years ago my jr. high school son (and the kid next door) was found by his dad to be constructing small pipe bombs for fun.

They are pretty impressive. They are also ILLEGAL. I had a chat with a detective friend in law enforcement and we informed the other parents that our kids were toying with something potentially life altering. Needless to say they stopped (though said son went on to a career in the US Army).

My husband presently hangs out with some CAP kids and they periodically make and shoot model rockets.

My question is -- what are a couple of guys from Florida doing driving around the backroads of SC with "rocket building" materials in their cars and Trafones? (Note the plural. 2?. How many Tracfones does an engineering student need? Were they buying them for "resale?")

That's not a bad question. This is America and people can drive a lot of places and do alot of things without problem. But it is one that should be asked. I'd love to know what's on the computer.

My evil thought is it might be another "test."

My other thought is that the CAIR guy can absolutely not declare that it has nothing to do with terrorism, as the investigation is not complete.

My closing thought is, it's a tough world these days, but if one is Middle Eastern, it's probably not a good idea to drive around with questionable items in one's car, a long way from home, begging to be stopped, and then bitch it.

How about giving us a break "CAIR?"

"potassium chlorate rocket fuel" -> 49k hits.

"potassium chlorate explosive" -> 154k hits.

The main comment about potassium chlorate as a rocket fuel seems to be "Too unstable and finicky"

The Wikipedia page on potassium chlorate focuses on its use as an explosive (and as a source of oxygen in miniscule quantities) but doesn't even mention rocketry.

They are not citizens,they should not be afforded the benifit of our judical system.They should be sent back to their home country,yes people do dabble in rocket making-they are generally in 6th grade,we can't take the chance

haha, you people with "freaked out" replys that they are terrorists, are victim to your best friend, G.W Bush. Whenever talking about terrorists, for 4 years he has used muslim and terrorist together to scare you. Obviously it worked. its called propoganda, and places like this one just run with it. Complacent is so true. These look like ordinary people. Not foreign. This is the 21st century, dont you think its time to think for yourself and not use race against people.

Philip, stop it...beards with no moustaches makes these guys terrorists? I guess we better round up the Amish then!

Ya know Shane, your right. These two do look like ordinary people, so that makes them innocent. What about the terrorists of 09/11? I wonder if they looked like normal people? Probably not though, they probably had the word "TERRORIST" stamped across their foreheads. And by the way, I am thinking for myself. Its not the race that im opposed to, its the religion in the countries that they come from. Egypt is 90% muslim and if the other guy really is from Kuwait, that country is 85%. But then again, what are the chances that these two guys are part of the minority in the countries they come from, in america not long after a few other plans have flopped, and found with explosives in their car? What I would really like to know is if they were headed north toward D.C.?

Hey Grant, wasn't Mohammed Atta the one that the staff at the flight school in Fla. called "the little terrorist" behind his back??? No beard on him on Sept. 11, not sure about before that though ;o)

I think if it walks like a duck.....

Tony: "Why were they in the country? Why are you or anyone else in this country? I think this could very well be an over reaction by law enforcement......Just because these guys are from Egypt, do they not have a right to do a university science project?"-- Well Tony, I'm in this country because I'm a citizen of this country, just like my parents, and my grandparents, and my great grandparents, and my great great grandparents. How's that for a reason? And to you and the other people thinking there's absolutely nothing to this story and these guys must have been targeted by law enforcement just because they're Muslims: I've been to a lot of countries, and never once, never, not in a single one of them, did I ever make homemade rockets next to a military base. In fact, why don't you and the other people here go to Egypt and build homemade rockets next to a military installation there and see if the Egyptian government investigates you or not. Of course, there's no history of Americans committing terrorist acts against them, so maybe they'll view you a little better. And trust me, if law enforcement just let these guys go and did no investigation at all, and then these guys went and blew something up, you and the other people screaming racism on here would be the first ones to rant about how the cops had these guys at one time and didn't conduct an investigation.

As a teen, I built rockets and made fireworks. Lots of kids did it then. Chemistry sets were sold that contained the makings of gunpowder. We were just having fun, like in the movie October Sky. That was a more innocent time. Potassium Chlorate and sugar is not a great explosive, I believe it burns fairly slowly, which makes it better for toy rockets. We are now so quick to judge and condemn. Have we become so frightened, that we will act like a mob?

'destructive device'? thats sounds a lot like MSM terrorism whitewashing.

People are forgetting that one of the original articles that came out said and I quote " The two men inside the vehicle are detained at the scene. Lombardo also said information from an investigation in another jurisdiction raised the suspicions of the deputies."

Not to mention they were just miles from our Naval Weapons Station that just happens to have housed, in the past, enemy combatants.

Now, does this mean they are terrorists, no...but it would be extremely ignorant NOT to be wary of the coincidences and the original statements from Lombardo as well as where they were stopped.

From a different news story. Case closed: "Officers became suspicious because the men quickly put away a laptop computer and couldn't immediately say what they were doing in the area or where they were going, DeWitt said.

A deputy then found what he thought were explosives in the 2000 Toyota Camry and called the bomb squad. Technicians confirmed the devices were pipe bombs and destroyed them, according to sworn statements in the arrest warrants."

Wow! Terrorists, right here in America!

Just on time, just as Fox News predicted!

Must be true then huh?

Well if we're so afraid of terrorism here on the home front, why did our current president, and half the congress try and pass legislation making it legal for anyone who crosses into this country to become a citizen?

Why does our president send our boarder patrol agents to guard Iraq's boarders instead of our own?

What people first need to fully realize is that the whole "war on terror" is a myth, constructed in order to clamp down on civil liberties all over the globe.

The true terrorists are the elites who have hijacked the governments, the true enemies of the state are the citizenry.

Wake up people, take back your country while you still have the freedom to do so.

AL: Not a citizen?!?! Does that mean all people who are not citizens should not be living here? Should I also be sent back to my country after living here for 18 years. Im a legal resident and have a resident card. I live in this country and give back to this country as a teacher. Im proud to be in this country and am also proud of my heritage and that is why I choose to retain my nationality which is my choice. If the US supported dual nationalites like all the other countries in the world then I would become a dual citizen happily. Im proud where I am living and what I have worked for and respectful to the country (USA) and fiercly proud of where I come from. By the way if you had your way of sending all the non citizens back to their respective countries... youd be sending a 23yo white girl back to Britain. Think before you say things please.

Not to mention if you remember your 8th grade history correctly, this country was built on immigration, from Britain, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, in the first part of our history and many more places all well before restrictions were placed on immigrations in the 1800s. The American people themselves are made up of many different nationalities.

This is a dry run, plain and simple, of both the note of law enforcement and the reaction of the public...like the woman with the cheese block connected to cell phone by wires in her luggage. The imams who demanded seatbelt extenders and prayed loudly and held things up in the airport and spoke threateningly, later demanded to sue those who reported on their odd behavior but fortunately laws protect whistleblowers now...no idiotic people wake up and smell the coffee, this is a dry run and by the sounds of the "rocket club" liberals, it's not too encouraging they will encounter many roadblocks.
The beard says it all...these are jihadists. Send them home, educate American young people and to hell with educating the rest of the world's.

It is rather funny that so many here have declared these guys innocent. CAIR is the true guilty party here. They create racist scenarios without having any information whatever. My hat is off to the law enforcement people in S.Carolina. They did a great job. I wish all law enforcement could work as well.

I am amazed at how passive some of the commenters are about terrism. IMO, these two smiling terrorits seem very happy to have been caught with explosives. I hope the computer holds a lot of information, but we will probably never hear about it. Which is the way it should be. The FBI will take care of it and I bet they are salivating over this.

Time to clean the nukes

***What happened to "innocent until proven guilty"? Last time I checked, having a hobby was not against the law.

Wait a few days till George issues another executive order, it will be.

Hmmmm . . . say you're not a terrorist. Say your name is Mohammad and you are from Egypt. Real smart to take up playing with rockets and by all means go to some other state with it in your auto and get caught near a navy base speeding. I can not believe how many people on here are so worried about how these boys might not be guilty. I'm sorry but they're either the most stupid men on the planet or they're guilty. It absolutely looks fishy, and they should absolutely treat it accordingly. People - regardless of what you think of Bush we still have a little problem called terrorism.

The misinformation contained in this article reinforces the old stereotype that amateur rocketeers are nothing but "basement bomber" rebels who are a public safety risk. Worse, it implies a link between terrorism and pursuing a legitimate hobby.

The image of the rocket-making rebel in the popular media creates fertile ground for a politician to ask, "Why do we tolerate sales of "precursor chemicals"? And of course, this politician will score political points. Just watch the '08 candidates...

I am an amateur rocket hobbyist myself. I have SAFELY built several solid rocket motors that worked successfully. All my actual flying is done at organized launches in controlled conditions, with FAA waivers in effect.

Anyone who knows anything about building motors from scratch can tell you that potassium chlorate is NEVER to be used in propellant!

Well John, if you have really unusual stuff in your trunk like they did it would be reasonable to think you could be. It is unreasonable to think this is racial profiling. We have reason to be cautious. I have lived abroad and I have been to many countries. One always needs to consider how to act when in another country.

John, speeding alone doesn't do it. Carrying explosives in the trunk may tighten the case tho.

Darn! And I was about to start growing a beard for winter and fill up my car with 'explosive' gasoline. Did anyone remember what the last speed limit sign said? I better just pull over and handcuff myself to the guard rail until you 'experts' figure it out. All my amatuer launches are done in a corn field and I wave to all passerby. And by golly, I did use NaCl, powdered charcoal, and some sugar to make a nice bang at altitude instead of popping the chute. Of course, when I was a kid we did a lot of stuff for fun, and no one seemed to care; 'cause we were all going to 'nam when we reached 18 anyway. But this terrorist war thing, this has really disrupted the lives of the X-gens. I mean it has taken away their personal liberties and violated their space and made them pay more for gas. All we had to worry about was coming home in a body bag.
Get real and get a life!

Anyone fooling around making their own rocket motors (or fireworks) without a permit is asking for trouble. Isn't doing so a federal crime? I did back in the late 70's. Now? Not a chance! At the very least it'd be a real bitch if the cops caught me. The idea that a non-US citizen would do so is laughable. Both these guys are screwed - they most probably will be deported - smiles, beards, possible innocence of terrorism and all.

Duh!!! How many Egyptians do you know that are involved in Aerospace Engineering? How many do you know that are training to fly in the Space Shuttle. How many do you know who want to do harm to us??? WAKE UP!!! They are in our own backyard now. Thank God and our Guardian Angels they were pulled over before they had a chance to perfect their "Rocket"!!!

From all the information I have gathered these two were college students in Florida and they were heading North to visit family. My first question would be, "Why were they on a back road that normal travelers through this state rarely use?" A more direct route would have been to stay on Hwy 17 out of Charleston, not detour onto 176. If they weren't up to something, all well and good. But if they were, thank goodness that the cops stopped them and took away their toys or bombs, however it turns out. Maybe it is harmless and maybe it isn't, we may never know the whole truth. But in this day and age, with all the threats being thrown at the US isn't it wise to be aware of what is going one around you.

And the cops didn't stop them because they were Arab looking, they were stopped for speeding. I heard 75 MPH! Only after they were stopped was it determined that they were of Arab decent. So everyone stop jumping to conclusions and throwing insults at those that don't agree with your outlook. I would rather know for sure than let another 9/11 happen because no one was watching! We've lost enough lives!

"Also, the story above does not discuss the fact that one of these Egyptian guys was trying to destroy the laptop when they were pulled over"

Food for thought... Use your intelligence people... if they had been pulled over in Egypt... they would have been dead already.... No BS there..

40+ years ago, I bought chemicals from the corner drug store and made my own rocket motors out of them. You can STILL buy this stuff legally and it still packs a helluva wollop if you know how to mix it right.
I dented one neighbor's work truck and melted some shingles off another neighbor's garage. No "terruists" charges resulted!
You "sky is falling" types are playing this whole thing out JUST AS OSAMA dreamed in his wildest dreams! Keep playing us into his hands. I'm only half joking when I predict there'll be arrests in the future for folks that fart while walking down the street. Sniffer detectors (likely mounted in tandem with the surviellance camers that'll watch your every step) will pick up traces of explosive methane from the burrito you had the night before. It'll be especially tough for you if you have middle easter features to your face!

Hi. There are lots of model rocket hobbyists in the U.S. (I used to be one). it's fun, educational, and not dangerous (at least to other people! - I've hurt myself a few times with experimental KClO3 mixtures!). Many are engineering or physics students as well (myself included), many are not white (myself included), also we have a love of technology so... The truth is if a police officer looked inside my trunk there were times when I would have been considered extremely suspicious and probably arrested.

Many engineering and physics departments are actually doing research for the Army (myself included at one time - worked on a hybrid propulsion system for the military while an undergrad!) so we were in possession of things that would probably have gotten us all arrested for various "crimes".

Lighten up America... Your paranoia is really hurting you. When the "real" terrorists actually do something you won't even know about it nor will you be prepared (just a fact of life in the real world).

The title is incorrect. They weren't "two South Carolina speeders". They were two middle eastern men who were speeding in South Carolina. I love the way the media is so afraid of offending someone.

These guy’s are just people who answered the police correctly, they were stopped for speeding and there still in jail. The U.S. never looked so bad as today. Model rockets are for fun and the U.S. charged taxes on the item’s and then arrests them for being model rocket builders.

I sit here reading about these "Criminals", "Terrorists", "Rocketers" or what ever, who can really say what is in other peoples minds, can you tell me what I am thinking? You can read me, but can not say what is in my mind.

It's so refreshing to see all the comments that use logic and reasoning before jumping to conclusions.

We've been had, are being had, by this warmonger administration. They will NOT stop until they can convince every American that the Arabs / Muslims are a threat just because they are in the country.

If they are such a threat, why not just deport them all? Because they really are NOT a threat, and it would affect our economy horribly. Should we also deport the American-born Arabs/ Muslims? Would that include Congressman Keith Ellison? Sheesh!

Does anyone know how much more tuition these foreign students pay to universities - so that we as American citizens can pay much less? Just one example.

And those absurd comments related to Muslim men with beards being "jihadists" whatever that word means (since jihad means struggle, I guess they are strugglers?)

Go to any community in America that has a concentration of Muslims (and there are MANY!) and you will see a lot of men with beards, who to to the mosque several times per day and who pose absolutely no threat to anyone. They work, some go to college/university, some have their own business, some are executives (eg at Microsoft, at Citibank, etc), they raise families.

Thank God most Americans are waking up to the threat of fascism and the lies of the govt and MSM!

Peace.

To those questioning "why" these Arab students would be working on model rockets/ have those ingredients.

WHY NOT??

Yes, Arab countries have airplanes, they have factories, they do have fields requiring engineers!

Why persist in believing that Arabs or Muslims are backwards when they have advanced societies (long before the European advancements, way before AMerica existed).

There are Muslims working for airlines here in the US. There are Muslim pilots all over the world. Yes, there are Muslim scientists too.

Heard of Mohamed El Baradei - the Egyptian Muslim man who is head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

Seriously. Stop the paranoia. Muslims have the right to study science, make model rockets, and fly airplanes as much as anyone.

ten hours of highway shutdown for some low level "explosive"?? I guess the boys had to drag out the toys and show us goobers how "on top of it" they are..there are far too many cowboys in law enforcement at all governmental levels.I am so tired of all the drama,seems like everytime someone breaks wind, we have a potential terror situation. maybe we should start screening the enforcers for paranoids, schizoids and spouse abusers. might be surprised to find out how many of these guys should be removed from society.

CRAP! many people have hobbies, rocketry is one of them, Model planes could be even more efficient in delivering an sxplosive to any place. Many millions of people have model planes and model rockets in their garage. They were probably arrested because they were Middle Eastern and wore beards! Russian priests watch out!

and you call this journalism...what a joke! It's like the four homeless guys in Florida a couple years ago believed to be "terrorist cell". Whatever happen to them. Chicken Little thought the sky was falling....do you too?

We are at war. Please keep this in mind while sympathizing with everyone, regardless of the trouble circumstances around their arrests. If they let these people go and they killed innocents with their "toy rockets" I would wonder why you would let radical looking Egyptians go after stopping them and finding the explosives in their car. It sounds like quite a few of you are posting comments from you ACLU meeting.

No connection to terrorism?

According to other blogs (Michelle Malkin citing the Tampa Tribune and other reports), the FBI has searched a home rented to Mohamed. This house was previously rented to WISE (World and Islam Studies Enterprise), one of two groups founded by convicted jihad supporter Sami Al-Arian, who was a professor at University of South Florida–the same university that Megahed and Mohamed attend.

By itself, this is not proof of a terrorist connection but to anyone with a little common sense, it smells bad and is certainly worthy of inquiry.

Given that government falls all over itself to deny any Islamist connection to terrorism (like Voldemort - That Which Must Not Be Named), there must be something more to this.

After 9/11, the FBI told us that they would not be profiling based on race alone. Rather, they would profile based on a combination of factors. Yet to some people here, this is all about race.

Let's see how many elements there are in this story that lead to suspicion. Yes, race is a valid entry on this list, IN COMBINATION with other elements. Religion too.

Young? Check.
Male? Check.
Middle Eastern Origin? Check.
Muslim? Check.
Untraceable cell phones? Check.
Materials for rockets? Check.
Explosive materials totally unneeded by rocket hobbyists? Check.
GPS targeting device? Check.
Incendiary fluids, gasoline? Check.
Breaking the law? Check.
Additional unknown chemicals? Check.

What does it take for some of you to wake up?

This is the only way to prevent another 9/11. I don't understand how do you expect government to be effective and prevent attacks without doing this? People say, “Oh my God, they are profiling? Well “duhhh”…, those are the people trying to harm us and the rest of the world. Remember WTC and London, just to name a couple? If someone is suspicious, then they should be checked out and if they are innocent, they are free to go. It’s simple as that. It’s just media blowing everything out of proportion. Now we have news channels that need news 24/7 in order to stay in business. You know it’s all about SPH (stories-per-hour). Think people, think!

I really feel bad for these guys if they happen not to be terrorists. They will be held and tortured for a few years just because of their skin color. A white guy with the last name of Anderson could be pulled over in the exact same car with the exact same cargo and the results would be different. These guys -- they will not have any rights. They will just disappear for a few years. They will not have access to attorneys or any resources. How awful.

Jeanie Straub is overwrought. It must be painful to be so sensitive. Look, Jeanie, you (and most of the rest of us) do not know all the facts (see my earlier post, above, concerning related FBI raid in Florida). They were stopped for speeding and an alert officer found the materials.

If you can put aside your Bush hallucinations for a few seconds, you'll remember the little incident a few years ago where an alert highway patrolman collared the lily-white Timothy McVeigh shortly after he blew up the Murrah Building in OKC.

When middle-aged, balding, white men start blowing things up all over the world, I won't be surprised if I receive more scrutiny than I'm used to. Duh.

Surprised? they are everywhere,some KKK,etc.some this and that,please prepare yourselves and families for the Big ride.When your King of the hill everyone is trying to knock you off.Someone is knocking once again on the sleeping giant door.Lord have mercy when we come down upon em.

Even if these guys were wannabe terrorists, they are obviously bozos, and would have succeded only in hurting themselves. Most likely, they are just naieve students out to have some fun and maybe learn something. If they had been really serious, they would have been driving at the speed limit, with their seatbelts fastened, clean shaven in a box truck with CDL and all their papers in perfect order.

It seems that the only "terrorists" our law enforcement has been able to apprehend are total amatures who practically had to be set up by law