Friends say student charged for terrorist threat hinted suicide
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Although officials have remained mum on a formerly enrolled MSU student’s arrest for making a terrorist threat or false report of terrorism, some close to him have disclosed details about the events leading up to his arrest, including his statements regarding the need to commit suicide to avoid hurting others.
Zachariah M. Aslam had spoken of killing himself by jumping off of the Chemistry Building with explosives, but meant to ensure he died, not to hurt other people, a source close to him said.
“He looked very calm, just like any normal day because he was about to go eat dinner or play some pool. But he was talking about just all these methods of suicide and that he just had to kill himself,” the source said. “He hinted … (that) he felt like he had to kill himself in order to prevent that future of hurting more people.”
Others argue Aslam, who was arrested Oct. 20 after police were informed of a man making threats, is a “nice guy” who could not be capable of hurting anyone, and the charges stem from a misunderstanding.
Aslam, a 17-year-old from South Rockwood, Mich., was arraigned Friday in East Lansing’s 54-B District Court before Judge Richard Ball and is being held in Ingham County Jail on a $150,000 bond. According to the criminal complaint against Aslam, he threatened terrorism and communicated that threat to another person.
MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor referred questions regarding the case to Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III and would not comment further on the case.
Although some doubted Aslam would harm anyone, Dunnings said making the statements was enough to be charged.
Dunnings would not comment on the facts of the case. Aslam is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 8.
The source said Aslam wasn’t a bad person, but was changed after a “horrible” experience living two years in Pakistan. He had hinted about hurting others in the past. Aslam always was serious and was good at hiding things, the source said.
Others who knew Aslam described him as a friendly, honest and “very intelligent” person who talked to his mother on the phone almost nightly to ask about her day.
He had gone through a rough experience in the days leading up to the arrest after a misunderstanding with another student, and was uncharacteristically upset because of it, friend and accounting freshman Andrew Steward said.
“He kept talking about every time something happens, he puts everything stored away in this box in the back of his head — that’s what he called it — and this just broke it open,” Steward said. “That’s what he told me and he just needed to set things straight because he was really upset.”
Steward said Aslam, who had a bright future and goals, never would hurt anyone. Another friend, hospitality business freshman Stephanie Ly, said Aslam had such an immense “brain capacity” that he would express himself in ways that could be misunderstood. Both said Aslam might have said something he didn’t mean.
“If he was a bad person, we’d know,” Ly said. “We’re all his friends. … He had a future, he had goals, he was determined, he was in crew, he was just a normal kid on campus.”
Commentary
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Whatever
(10/27/09 1:03am)Report
Oh big deal. Your typical depressed teenage boy with a little too much testosterone and a little to little direction. If you think this kid had terrorist potential, you’re a damned moron. Get real.
They are talking about him like his life is over. Give the kid a chance, and show him that this world that has obviously treated him like crap is not as bad as he thinks it is.
Also be glad that after being picked on/misunderstood all his life (an assumption, but I suspect it is true), the only person he wants to hurt is himself. Why? Because all you worthless “pop-culture” types have actually convinced him that he is the defective one, when actually it is you.
Whatever
(10/27/09 1:09am)Report
Also, If this kid is actually charged with terrorism for his suicide with “explosives” threat, and it sticks, F this county, and F this country. That’s taking it too far. Get the kid some help, give him a chance. He sounds like an independent thinker, and that is hard to find nowadays amongst the plethora of lemming-like morons that flock on this campus each and every day.
Give him a chance to grow up. I want to know what kind of “explosives” he “wanted” to make, because any teenager who likes to pain their nails is in possession of the necessary ingredients to make a nice one – acetone peroxide. Shall we start arresting them as well?
What a joke.
Whatever
(10/27/09 1:10am)Report
paint*
Spartan
(10/27/09 1:45am)Report
Having nail polish does not make you dangerous, but seriously asserting that you want to jump off the Chem building with explosives does. Let’s be serious here. Do you think the individual who shot up all of those innocent people at Virginia Tech needed to be given an “opportunity to grow up” and should have been given another chance? Tell that to those families whose loved ones died.
While I’m not asserting that this young man had any sort of intention of doing the aforementioned by any means, I don’t think that “Whatever” (the above poster) can blow off this situation as if it is no big deal and merely something that happens everyday.
Steve
(10/27/09 8:33am)Report
The above comments are very similar to those made after the Va Tech massacre. No one took that kid’s comments seriously, either. It’s very hard not to over-react while still protecting the community. What if police/FBI had not charged this kid, and something even remotely similar to Va Tech occurred? The same writers would be berating the law enforcement authorities for being asleep. This kid’s comments go beyond the angst that is typical/expected for his age.
none
(10/27/09 10:03am)Report
If you’re dumb enough to make a threat like that and not expect to get in some sort of trouble in this day and age, you deserve everything you get. Once you start ignoring threats and making excuses for the perpetrator, its only a matter of time before a serious one slips through the cracks.
sparty
(10/27/09 10:21am)Report
Thank god it says formally enrolled student. I feel safer now. Wait the ELPD made an arrest other then an MIP or UIP? Great job boyz.
Whatever
(10/27/09 10:46am)Report
Steve, and all the other people that feel “safer” now; The comments made by the VA tech murderer were much darker, and were not just about killing himself – That kid had ISSUES. He was diagnosed “Mentally Ill” long before the massacre, but noone did anything about it.
You freaks that are scared of a little kid talking about guns and “explosives” are the same freaks that are unable to think for yourselves – You can’t analyze this situation objectively and come up with a rational conclusion. Rather, you need someone to do it for you. I’ll bet you all voted for B.Hussein as well, as that is the caliber of college student who would have bought his “HOPE” propaganda.
You all make me sick.
tedman
(10/27/09 12:22pm)Report
My money is riding on this kid being a planted sleeper cell.
556NATO
(10/27/09 12:54pm)Report
I’m with tedman. This guy probably has at least 50 machine guns, 100,000 rounds of ammunition, and piles of C-4 stockpiled in his dorm room.
Also, he is probably Osama Bin Laden’s nephew, and I’m sure he is in some way affiliated with the KKK and any/all other “hate” groups.
Also, he probably didn’t vote for Obama, which obviously means he is a racist and a jew hating nazi, and a terrorist and a hate monger and a pedophile and an abortion doctor murderer.
turk
(10/27/09 1:06pm)Report
You know, Ted Kaczynski was a pretty intelligent “free thinker” as well. It’s a good thing that nobody ever inhibited his genius..
turk
(10/27/09 1:25pm)Report
And yes, I realize that was a long time go and things were different back then. I am just a troll so ignore me.
556NATO
(10/27/09 1:28pm)Report
turk, you can’t compare a 17 year old kid to a psycho old man from the 70’s/80’s.
That’s just ignorance.
turk
(10/27/09 1:33pm)Report
I’m not saying he’s going to start sending mail bombs, but it’s obvious that he needs help. “Whatever” seems to think that antisocial behavior and free thinking are interchangeable.
556NATO
(10/27/09 1:40pm)Report
turk, I disagree. I think “whatever” is trying to say that calling someone a terrorist because they like guns and explosives (like many teenage boys do) is stupid.
It sounds like the kid wanted some attention, and he is definitely getting it.
I also agree with “whatever” that trying to compare this kids alleged behavior with that VA tech psycho is moronic.
John
(10/27/09 2:53pm)Report
“Hear the case before you decide it.” Sage words from the late Alfred P. Murrah, former Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. He is the same guy after whom an Oklahoma City Federal Building was named, then subsequently bombed by an American citizen/terrorist.
For those of you who claim to be intelligent, I strongly encourage you to consider his advice. When you rush to judge others, what is really revealed is your own bias. You have offered nothing of substance here, aside from your own axe to grind or personal diatribe. Mr. Aslam, as well as those upon whom we rely for protecting us from those who would do us harm, deserve our respect. Unless you know all of the facts involved, your judgment is largely meaningless. Granted, this is a forum for people who don’t want to be accountable, to say anything they like. However, please don’t expect the rest of us to take you seriously.
Instead, make a reasoned, well though out argument, without all of the hyperbole and ego-centered BS. Perhaps you will actually provoke a decent discussion, rather than a pseudo-intellectual name calling session.
A true friend
(10/27/09 3:51pm)Report
I know Zack and he is a great kid.We would find him in the lounge and talk with him all night and everyone loved him. Its hurting my friends’ and my heart that this is happening to him and you people are bashing him like so. I know he wouldn’t try to hurt anyone but if he did say those things then yes he needs some counseling but if he’s put in jail then the his issues wont be addressed and he is only going to get worst. I just hope the Lord will protect and watch over him during these trying times.
wow
(10/27/09 3:54pm)Report
i can’t believe this is even an argument…the kid wanted to jump off a building with explosives on and thought he might hurt people in the future. this is not your average troubled teenage boy. sure, get him some help, but also get him off of an enormous college campus…its not a good environment for him or the people around him.
Ted the Wolverine
(10/27/09 4:07pm)Report
Ted Kaczynski went to U of M, so I think we’re gonna be ok here.
Honestly, if these reports are accurate, they definitely merit a conversation with the student and law enforcement. Now I cannot help but think of the cocktail of stereotypes that are surrounding this case, but I am sure that something will be worked out in the end. Don’t be too quick to judge. I know this is difficult advice for many anonymous bloggers.
Dan
(10/27/09 4:15pm)Report
I agree with John, wait for the facts. In any case, it sounds from the initial information that he needs more compassion and support rather than heartless accusative, and definitely RACIST intonations of terrorist accusations. Release him from jail now, and Ingham County should have to pay for his counseling before the kangaroo court convenes.
This story should highlight just how out of hand our “terrorism” laws have become, how they are now targeting non-violent, young college freshman victims of their own depression.
Dan
(10/27/09 4:44pm)Report
Is this Change we Can Believe In B.H. Obama? Using FBI resources and our federal tax dollars to go on a witch hunt for a depressed teenager who dreamed of only ending his own life?
I’d like a refund for the joke of an investigation the FBI most definitely pulled up on his “internet” readings and postings.
Yep
(10/27/09 4:51pm)Report
I agree completely with Dan.
If you don’t think your privacy is being violated, get on facebook chat with a friend. Send “trigger” words back and forth – “bomb, embassy, allah, jihad, osama bin laden, nuclear, attack, assasination, president, etc” – After a few minutes of this, your facebook will suddenly shut down and won’t let you log in for a while – It will tell you that the account is “under investigation”. Everything you do online, on your cell phone, or on any other electronic network-enabled device is logged.
There is no privacy. You can thank GW and BO for that, and BO is taking it even further. Pretty soon, they’ll be prosecuting us for “thought crimes” like in that silly tom cruise movie.
I hope this kid sues the hell out of the ELPD, FBI and whoever else he can.
Ha!
(10/27/09 5:13pm)Report
A story about a depressed kid who may or may not have made a terrorist threat has devolved into people blaming Obama for this.
People can find a way to make anything about a politician they disagree with. I’m sure if this had happened in 2005 Bush would be getting the blame.
J. Ed. Trem.
(10/27/09 5:57pm)Report
Put him behind bars. Or better yet, put him in Gitmo for life.
Mike
(10/27/09 6:13pm)Report
Yep,
You are a complete dumbass. If you honestly think your Facebook will be shut down for “trigger” words then you are retarded.