Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Providing Support to ISIS, Being Felon in Possession of Firearms

Amir Said Rahman Al-Ghazi, 41, aka Robert C. McCollum, of Sheffield Lake, Ohio, was sentenced to 16 years in prison for one count of providing material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, as well as two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman for the Northern District of Ohio, and Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony of the FBI’s Cleveland Division made the announcement.

“The National Security Division is committed to identifying and prosecuting those who seek to provide material support to terrorist groups like ISIS.” said Assistant Attorney General Demers.  “I want to thank the prosecutors and our partners in law enforcement—including the FBI and its Joint Terrorism Task Force—who ensured that this defendant was held accountable for his crimes.”

“This case is a stark reminder that ISIS is more than an abstract threat,” said U.S Attorney Herdman. “Through social media and other means, ISIS and groups like it seek to radicalize people of all backgrounds into its world of violence.”

“This case demonstrates law enforcement’s number one priority – to keep our communities and our nation safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony.  “It is clear that no area is immune from the influence of ISIS and its supporters.  We hope this case will serve as a strong message to others who may consider providing support to terrorists.  The FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners are committed to identifying and stopping these individuals.”

Al-Ghazi, who changed his name from Robert McCollum last year, pledged his support to ISIS and Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi via social media in 2014.  From July 2014 to June 2015, Al-Ghazi made multiple statements trying to persuade others to join ISIS.  He also expressed his own desire to perpetrate an attack on the United States and had attempted to purchase an AK-47 assault rifle.  Al-Ghazi has communicated with individuals he believed to be members of ISIS in the Middle East and took steps to create propaganda videos for ISIS, according to court documents.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd of the Northern District of Ohio, with assistance from Trial Attorney Erin Creegan of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

General

Sniper Elite Whisper Now Available

Bloomfield, NY – Building on the success of the best-selling Centerpoint Sniper 370 Crossbow, Centerpoint is now introducing an enhanced package with even better features and performance. The new Sniper Elite Whisper™ features the award-winning Sniper 370 bow, but adds the Whisper Silencing System™ package with integrated string suppressors and silencers for an even quieter shot.

“We were thrilled when Outdoor Life recognized the Sniper 370 with Great Buy and Quietest Bow honors in 2016,” said Centerpoint Archery Director, Andy Fulton. “We knew we could make this great bow even better with these upgrades. The Sniper Elite Whisper is hands down the best bang for the buck for crossbow hunters.” Read more

Archery

DNA results show mysterious canine is a wolf

The canine creature shot in Montana a month ago that captured the curiosity of the nation is actually a gray wolf.

DNA from the animal, which was shot legally by a rancher near Denton on May 16, was tested at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service forensic laboratory in Ashland, Ore. The lab compared the animal’s DNA with thousands of other DNA samples from wolves, coyotes and dogs. The conclusion was clear – this animal is a gray wolf from the northern Rocky Mountains.

Confusion about the animal might be due to the condition of the animal and the photos, which seemed to show short legs and big ears. Inspection of the animal at the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks wildlife health lab in Bozeman revealed a relatively normal looking, dark brown wolf.

Physical variations aren’t unusual for animals, said Mary Curtis, geneticist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

“Within species there can be variability that’s not surprising at all,” Curtis said. Read more

Wildlife

Michigan: Land auction starts July 10

Interested in property in northern Michigan’s beautiful Presque Isle County? Don’t miss the DNR’s upcoming land sale, starting July 10, where parcels ranging in size from an acre to 32 acres will be available by sealed-bid auction. There are 41 land parcels available, all in Rogers Township.

Scott Goeman, manager of DNR Real Estate Services, said these properties are being offered to the public because they’re better suited for private ownership.

“The properties being offered in the July auction are isolated from other DNR-managed land, are difficult to manage, or provide limited outdoor recreation benefits to the public,” Goeman said. “Plus, all of these parcels are forested or have lake frontage – or both – making them attractive to a lot of potential buyers who are interested in a little land ‘up north.’”

Property listings will be available for bid once the auction starts. At that time, instructions for submitting a bid and printable bid forms will be provided at

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Sealed bids must be postmarked by midnight July 20, and will be opened Aug. 1. Proceeds from the sale of these lands helps the DNR provide future outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the state.

Printed property information may be requested from the DNR Real Estate Services Section, P.O. Box 30448, Lansing, MI 48909-7948. For more information about the auction or other state-managed public land, contact Michael Michalek at 517-284-5950.

Wildlife

CCRKBA: ‘N.J. GOV. MURPHY RIGHT, LET’S TALK ABOUT GUN POLICY…FAILURES’

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms agrees with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy that the aftermath of Sunday’s shooting incident in Trenton is a great time to “talk about gun policy,” especially how it has disastrously failed to protect his state’s law abiding citizens.

“Yes, let’s talk about New Jersey’s abysmal gun policy,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “Let’s hear Murphy explain how keeping honest citizens disarmed while criminals like Tahaji Wells, who just got out of prison in February and should not have had a firearm at all under existing law, are released early where they can prey upon innocent, and defenseless, Garden State residents.

“Let’s hear from Murphy,” he continued, “about how citizen disarmament laws, that are anti-self-defense, aren’t strong enough. Maybe the governor can explain why local police agencies are allowed to sit on gun purchase applications while innocent people like Carol Bowne are murdered in the driveway of her Berlin Township home. Read more

Gun Control

Michigan: Fish survey crews heading to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Visitors this summer to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on the south shore of Lake Superior, might see DNR staff surveying a number of waterbodies in the area. It’s all part of an effort to better understand what kind of fish make their home in these waters.

“Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore welcomes more than 1.5 million visitors every year, and many of those folks have questions about fish locally,” said Cory Kovacs, DNR fisheries biologist out of the DNR’s Newberry office. “We started sampling in 2017, and that information is important in helping us inform the public about what’s here, as well as in making decisions about managing those fish populations.”

In 2017, staff sampled Chapel Creek, Hurricane River, Miner’s River, Rhody Creek, Towes Creek and Mosquito River. This year, they’ll head to Grand Sable Lake, Chapel Lake, Beaver Lake, Sevenmile Creek and Lowney Creek. Crews will use netting gear in lakes and electrofishing gear in streams. Visitors should use caution if encountering those crews on the water. Read more

Fishing

SCI Counters Antis’ Lies About Federal Commission

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Contact: Steve Comus
Email:scomus@safariclub.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Safari Club International isn’t about to sit by idly as anti-hunters attack a federal conservation council and its members.
Anti-hunters never let facts get in the way of an emotionally-based false argument, as is evidenced in their attacks in the media on tomorrow’s meeting of the International Wildlife Conservation Council in Atlanta, GA.
“The shameful criticisms of the IWCC from the anti-hunting community are not surprising but are characteristically unfounded and disappointing,” said SCI President Paul Babaz. “Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has assembled an advisory group of individuals with scientific expertise and hands-on experience with the conservation strategies that are succeeding in Africa and elsewhere around the world.
“Not only is the hunting carried out by the members of the IWCC and their constituencies sustainable, but it has been recognized by scientific authorities around the world, including by the IUCN and CITES, as having a significant role in the conservation of many species.  It is time for the anti-hunters to grow-up and recognize that hunting has historically played and will continue to play an important part in international wildlife management and conservation,” Babaz stated.

Read more

Animal Rights, Hunting, Wildlife

Florida: Red Tide Fish Kills Continue on Southwest Coast

A bloom of the Florida red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida.

In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample collected from Pinellas County, background to low concentrations in six samples collected from Manatee County, very low to high concentrations in 30 samples collected from Sarasota County, very low to medium concentrations in nine samples collected from Charlotte County, background to medium concentrations in seven samples collected from or offshore of Lee County, and very low to low concentrations in two samples collected from Collier County. Read more

Fishing

Davidson’s Exclusive Bond Arms Old Glory

PRESCOTT, Ariz.- Davidson’s, one of the nation’s top firearms wholesalers, is pleased to announce the addition of a Bond Arms pistol to its offerings. The Bond Arms Old Glory derringer is exclusively available from Davidson’s.

 

Bond Arms has built its reputation around double barrel derringers. Using the Remington Model 95 single-action derringer as a starting point, Bond redesigned it to safely fire modern calibers. This brought the derringer out of the old west and into modern times. The Davidson’s Old Glory is no different, a single-action, two shot derringer chambered for 45 Long Colt. Bond designs the pistol so that it will also chamber .410 bore shotgun shells. The pistol is equipped with a cross bolt safety for extra protection. The Davidson’s Exclusive model (Item# BAOG-BLK) features a black Cerakote finish with an American flag themed pattern and extended black ash grips with the American Flag laser engraved.

Read more

Firearms

Remington Announces Model 1911 R1 Limited Series

Huntsville, AL – Born of the same competitive spirit that set the Model 1911 apart from all others more than a century ago, the Model 1911 R1 Limited is built for performance, match after match.

 

The new Model 1911 R1 Limited Series has been engineered end-to-end for championship performance. With its PVD coating, the 5-inch match-grade stainless steel barrel, slide and frame deliver silky smooth operation in heavy use. The ambidextrous extended thumb safety makes for easy operation in either hand. An adjustable match grade skeletonized trigger for a clean crisp break.  Its ?ber optic front sight and fully adjustable LPA target rear sight are built for rapid target acquisition and shaving split seconds off your score. Read more

Firearms
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