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Fake Sears Tower Threat Could Land Student In Jail

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Nov 15, 2006 10:59 pm US/Central

Fake Sears Tower Threat Could Land Student In Jail

Fuel For Bogus Tip Might Have Been Racial Hatred

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by Dana Kozlov
CHICAGO (CBS) ― Federal investigators say a Boston college student gave them a bogus tip that an Elmwood Park man planned a suicide bombing mission at the Sears Tower. An e-mail to the National Security Agency last spring stated the Sears Tower was going to be blown up.

That student faces federal charges Wednesday. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports that the motive behind the fake tip might have been hatred.

It was written by University of Massachusetts student Adam Hart and read "I feel it is my duty as an American to inform you that Osamah Abdallah of Loyola Chicago was talking to me online about strapping a bomb to his chest and walking into the Sears Tower. I hope you take action against him."

In court today federal authorities said Hart made it all up and charged him with maliciously conveying false information. In a affidavit investigators say Hart wrote a letter admitting to being drunk while searching the Web site facebook.com for the name Osamah. When he found Abdallah, Hart e-mailed him alleged ethnic slurs. An e-mail exchange ensued, ending with Hart's message to the NSA.

"It's a relief that it's over right now, but it's going to continue to happen. I had an uncle that got shot in Indiana, and so basically this is because of racism and racial profiling. And this is going to continue to happen unless we do something about it," said Abdallah.

If convicted, Hart could spend 10 years in prison.

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