Blogger Admits NFL Threat a Scam
Federal agents tell ABC News a man in Milwaukee has admitted sending phony NFL terror threats as part of a "writers’ duel." The agents say the Milwaukee man and a second suspect in Texas attempted to "outdo" the other in producing the scariest terror threat. According to the agents, the Milwaukee man said he used the Internet to find future football games and combined them with Ramadan dates to concoct a believable terror story. The suspect interviewed in Texas has corroborated the Milwaukee man’s story, according to the agents. Read the statement issued by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security on the hoax.

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There is no law againist being stupid but there is one againist what this fellow did. I really hope that, regardless of a plea agreement, some judge has the steel to sentence him to the maximum allowable.
Posted by: Bob Ramos | October 19, 2006, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
Wow. The death penalty might be appropriate. What a clueless, insensitive jerk. ‘Quite a federal bill for services caused presumably coming his way.
Posted by: TWC | October 19, 2006, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
I hope both of these men are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
Posted by: db | October 19, 2006, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
Quite possibly the 2 dumbest people in America!!!!!!
Posted by: Matt | October 19, 2006, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
These are some sick people. In today’s time of the war on terror, starting rumors like this is inexcusable
Posted by: Paula | October 19, 2006, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Terror Hoax – Where’s the humor? This moronic act just goes to prove that many Americans think the War on Terror is ‘page 3′ news. America’s security infrastructure is ‘locked and cocked’ to counter/prevent any future 9/11′s. The acts perpetrated by these bloggers is no less different than yelling ‘fire’ in a public venue; prosectute to the full extent of the law!
Posted by: Tim | October 19, 2006, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
Let’s hope the punishment suits the crime on this one. Terror threats are far from a joke and these two people should be ashamed of themselves.
Posted by: Karen | October 19, 2006, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
A friend and I used to do this 20 years ago as a creative writing exercise. But….um..we tried not to include the FBI!
Posted by: Kreg Hunter | October 19, 2006, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
Has anyone let Fox News know about the hoax? They were breathless about it last night.
Posted by: anon | October 19, 2006, 4:07 pm 4:07 pm
what an idiot.
Posted by: RICK | October 19, 2006, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
Sounds like these guys work for the Republican ‘scare machine’. Reminds me of the Osama Bin Laden video in Oct 2004 that just so happened to be timed perfectly with the presidential election. Osama inferring “a vote for Kerry is a vote for me” was quite comical.
Posted by: Eric | October 19, 2006, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
Yeah, well. The kind of site we’re tlaking about is what’s called an “e/n” site. Just a humor site with a small audience. The message was posted on the site’s forum, which like most E/N sites has a small but loyal membership. It wasn’t posted as an actual host or for mass consumption, otherwise it would have been posted on the site’s front page rather than buried in the forum. Anyone at the FBI taking it even marginally seriously to the extent that it was is just ridiculously stupid. All kinds of topics are discussed on these forums. It’s no less ridiculous than the thoght of the FBI arresting Jimmy Falon after impersonating Bin Laden on SNL.
Posted by: mike | October 19, 2006, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
Now its a political issue?
Posted by: os | October 19, 2006, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
So what are these guy’s names? I’m willing to be the reason we are not being told their names is because they start with “Muhammad”.
No crap.
Posted by: Muhamhead | October 19, 2006, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
that sux
Posted by: jim | October 19, 2006, 5:12 pm 5:12 pm
Never post anything on the WEB you wouldnt walk into an FBI office and yell! They are watching everything you do …everything!
Posted by: 1984 | October 19, 2006, 5:16 pm 5:16 pm
I say, let them both out of jail, and release them during halftime at the Patriots and Bills game on Sun, 10/22. Just for fun, we’ll let the fans “terrorize” them both!
Posted by: Phil G | October 19, 2006, 5:17 pm 5:17 pm
This false threat should be taken seriously and charges filed against these young people. This “threat” was the LEAD story on NBC news last night. I have been listening to cable coverage on it all day today and they treat it as if this is real even though it is now know it was a hoax. When discussing this FALSE threat, Cable news is reporting, “they are gunning for us. We must fight back!” “We dodged a bullet here, hopefully. But can we do it again?” We must “continue to be successful in taking these terror threats down.” They titled the story, “Hoax or is it?” Then said-will the next attack target Main Stree or Wall Street? A former FBI agent said this is a “perfect example of the eavesdropping program working” adding the President’s electronic surveillance program is working. This hoax played right into Bush’s hands. Get people worried about terroism, particularly right betofe the election in 3 weeks. Credit the government with protecting you and justfiy eavesdropping. A FULL investigation of this incident must be carried out. How did the FBI become aware of this email? Did they find it with surveillance or did someone tell them? What is the timeline on events here? Why did they release it to the press in time for the evening news BEFORE they were calling it a hoax, instead saying they believed it not credible. When did they interview the person who wrote the email? I read today the suspect turned himself into local Milwaukee police who then called the FBI,impling the FBI had NOT met with him. How do we know the government did not plant this “threat”, especially if they choose not to prosecute the person who wrote it. Does our government want to encourage other jokesters from posting false threats that the news then uses as if real threats exist. Thaink about it.
Posted by: ed | October 19, 2006, 5:54 pm 5:54 pm
I’m sure the inmates at the local prisons will have a few painful lessons to teach these morons.
Posted by: Tim B | October 19, 2006, 5:55 pm 5:55 pm
Be afraid, be very afraid.
This is exactly what the repubs wanted – something else to throw out across the MSM to make us afraid.
No different than the liquid bomb scare last month. Liquid explosive that take 24 hours to produce and must be cooled to 0 deg C. the whole time and requires massive ventilation due to the fumes.
Somehow to be manufactured in an airplane on a 5 hour flight.
Posted by: Bluebear2 | October 19, 2006, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
THATS THE DUMBEST THING IVE HEARD I MEAN COM ON I HEARD THAT HE THREATENED THE BUFFALO STADIUM THE PATRIOTS ARE PLAYING THERE THIS WEEKEND HOW DARE THEY EVEN THOUGH ITS A DUMB JOKE U DONT JOKE LIKE THAT COM ON I MEAN Y THAT PERSON IS THE DUMBEST PERSON I HAVE EVER HEARD OF BESSIDES OUR PRESIDENT BUSH >=(
Posted by: BRANDON | October 19, 2006, 6:29 pm 6:29 pm
hmmmmmm…an untruth about terror… sort of like WMDs in Iraq. The precedence of punishment for misleading the public is probably set.
Posted by: Bill | October 19, 2006, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
Where will the insanity stop?
Posted by: Woody | October 19, 2006, 8:52 pm 8:52 pm
ok, about the guy, bluebear?, our presidant has done soooooo much for this country! He is an exelent president! and about this thing, what an inconsiderate guy! He needs Jesus Christ in his life! he is alive and saves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only beloved son that whoever believes in him shall not parrish but have everlasting life!!!! AMEN! Romans 3:23: for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is everlasting life!!!
Posted by: nick | October 19, 2006, 9:36 pm 9:36 pm
This just further shows the absolute incompetance of the Department of Homeland Security to actually portray a true threat to the American people. There was no reason for them to broadcast this all over the web.
Posted by: strom | October 19, 2006, 9:48 pm 9:48 pm
Perhaps, there is something to be learnt here. If these two Americans can think about something like this, why do we not think that other genuine malicious individuals could come up with something like this in a real fashion? It simply goes to show that it would be prudent to both allow life to go on AND be on the lookout for events that might be attractive for malicious individuals. At such events, where significant dates coincide with signicant gatherings, they who are on duty should be extra vigilant and watchful.
Posted by: Michael | October 19, 2006, 11:19 pm 11:19 pm
Follow the money in Texas.
Posted by: mark | October 19, 2006, 11:20 pm 11:20 pm
Not having heard the threats on the news, it seems like the problem lies in the medias willingness to create mass histeria over unsubstantiated reports. I think maybe we should try to find out what these writers intended to accomplish by posting the story before sentencing them to life without parole.
Posted by: Tssbro | October 20, 2006, 12:13 am 12:13 am
If that threat won the “writers’ duel” then I wonder what the second-place (Texas) threat was…
and why hasn’t the FBI uncovered it? Someone should show the G-Men how that there inter-net thang works.
Posted by: Tex | October 20, 2006, 4:46 am 4:46 am
These guys were jerks, that is for certain.
But here is what I can’t believe: people actually thinking this was some politically orchestrated event that the Republicans used right before the election. Please, give me a break.
Recently, Curt Weldon’s daughter had her offices search and some made claims of a Democratic plot, right before the election. Then the Foley escapade, right before the election.
Listen folks, life happens before, during, and after elections. And elections happen quite often. If you think this nation is one big conspiracy after another, with every event tied to some political motive (which so many seem to do), you really need to wake up.
Posted by: gus | October 20, 2006, 8:36 am 8:36 am
Those who dream up elaborate government conspiracies to scare the American populace are forgetting something: The major media news outlets have a much more stark and immediate benefit froms such scares – money. Threats = TV News Ratings = Ad revenue.
If you overlook the obvious, grand conspiricies can be found everywhere. And then you really are living in a state of fear.
Posted by: pbbfftt | October 20, 2006, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
The problem isn’t with the clown who posted this threat– the problem is with the joke known as Homeland Security. Sure arrest the guy who posted it– I hope he gets probation, but the sick and disturbing things are that people panic over every little thing and go way over board with response. And I won’t even mention Fox News. We are all players in the game of life– get in there and have some fun with it. Sure “threats” like this make me respond. I responded by buying a ticket to Sunday’s game. I flew on the first ann. of 9/11. I’ll tell you, life is a lot easier and more fun if you view all this as a form of entertainment like I do.
Posted by: Jon | October 21, 2006, 7:26 am 7:26 am