CARO, Mich. - Three Texas
men were arraigned Saturday on terrorism-related charges after police found about 1,000 cell phones in their minivan.
A magistrate set bond at
$750,000 for each of the men, who are charged with collecting or providing materials for terrorist acts and surveillance of
a vulnerable target for terrorist purposes.
Officials have declined
to say how the case relates to terrorism.
No pleas were entered at
the arraignment at a District Court in Caro, about 80 miles north of Detroit.
Maruan Awad Muhareb and
Louai Abdelhamied Othman, both of Mesquite, Texas, and Adham
Abdelhamid Othman, of Dallas, were stopped before dawn Friday
after they purchased 80 cell phones from a Wal-Mart in Caro. Police said they found about 1,000 cell phones, mostly prepaid
TracFones, in their minivan.
The men cooperated with
police and the FBI
for hours before their arrests Friday afternoon. They said they intended to sell the phones in Texas for a profit.
Authorities have said TracFones
are often used by terrorists because they are not traceable. Cell phones can also be used to make detonators.
Adham and Louai Othman are
in their early 20s, and Muhareb is 18. All are being held at the Tuscola County Jail, Caro police said.
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