MSU releases few details about police investigation
By Brittany Shammas (Last updated: 11/22/09 11:08pm)The university released sparse details Thursday regarding a formerly enrolled MSU student arrested on terrorism-related charges.
Primarily blacked-out copies of police reports regarding MSU’s police investigation were given to The State News in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted Oct. 28.
Zachariah M. Aslam, 17, was arrested Oct. 20 after police were informed he was reportedly making threats. Friends said he talked about jumping off the Chemistry Building with an explosive device attached to him.
Aslam was arraigned Oct. 23 in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court and is being held in Ingham County Jail on a $150,000 bond.
The information provided by the university includes the initial incident report, search warrant and supplemental information from police, in which all interviews and names of some witnesses were withheld.
The reports indicate police contacted Aslam on Oct. 14 on mental health concerns prior to his incarceration.
Aslam was deemed by police to have a mental illness, and, as result of the illness, reasonably could be expected to seriously injure himself or other people within the near future, the reports stated. The reports also suggested Aslam was believed to have acted or made significant threats dangerous to himself or those around him.
Police searched transactions made on Aslam’s MSU username and information for a specific IP address between 4:26 p.m. and 5:20 p.m. Oct. 20. Included in the supplemental information were the definitions of sociopath and antisocial personality disorder and information about hydrogen cyanide.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor directed questions to MSU’s FOIA Office.
MSU FOIA Officer Radhika Pasricha could not be reached for comment.
Aslam was scheduled to appear in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court in December for a preliminary examination.
Originally Published: 11/19/09 11:32pm
Jihadist (Put this IP Address In Your Databases You Freedom Killers)
11/19/09 11:49pmThere you have it, if you search for the definition of words and chemical composition, you’re a terrorist and you have no rights. Right, so, where do I go for the 10 minute hate oh lord dictator party member?
ridiculous
11/20/09 2:55amAs the police have said. The guy had a mental illness. He threatened to jump off a building with explosives. I do not see how suicide (vs. a suicide bombing) is a terrorist act. Even if he make threats to kill others, as already stated he was mentally ill. So put him in a clinic and try to fix the problem. Obviously he will be deemed mentally insane, so why the 150,000 dollar bond? Put him in a clinic, give him some help.
RE 1st post
11/20/09 8:32amI think that your idea is due to very poor wording/editing by the State News. It does appear, following the sentence about IP addresses, that these were words he searched. Actually, i think it is additional supplemental information that was not redacted in the FOIA’d police report. I.E. he may have been diagnosed with those illnesses, not that he simply googled them.
4th post
11/20/09 4:36pmI hope this kid gets the help he needs but get him away from me and my school. Put him somewhere he can beat his illness far away.
11/21/09 4:01pmI dont see that as terrorism. I mean, what is his point? Terrorism has some point. He doesnt seem to have anything, save self destruction.