Michigan stabbing seen as terrorist act
FLINT, Mich. — A Canadian man shouted in Arabic and referred to people being killed overseas before he stabbed a police officer in the neck Wednesday at a Michigan airport, federal officials said.
Amor Ftouhi, 49, of Montreal was arrested immediately after the attack. A criminal complaint charging him with committing violence at an airport says Ftouhi asked an officer who subdued him why the officer didn’t kill him.
The attack at Bishop International Airport in Flint, Mich., is being investigated as an act of terrorism, but authorities had no indication that Ftouhi was involved in a “wider plot,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David Gelios.
“At this time we view him as a lone-wolf attacker,” Gelios said. “We have no information to suggest any training.”
The criminal complaint said Ftouhi stabbed airport police Lt. Jeff Neville with a large knife after yelling “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great.” According to the FBI, Ftouhi said something similar to “you have killed people in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and we are all going to die.”
More charges against Ftouhi could be filed as prosecutors take the case to a grand jury seeking an indictment, Gelios said. The Flint Journal, citing court officials, said Ftouhi is a dual citizen of Canada and Tunisia.
Juror cites 2 holdouts for Cosby mistrial
NORRISTOWN, Pa. — Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial ended in a hung jury Saturday because two holdouts refused to convict the 79-year-old comedian after 52 hours of tense deliberations, a juror told ABC News on Wednesday.
The juror, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the jury couldn’t reach a consensus after deadlocking at 10-2 to convict Cosby on the first and third felony counts and 11-1 to acquit on the second count.
The two holdouts were “not moving, no matter what,” the juror told the network.
The juror said the majority of jurors had initially wanted to acquit Cosby on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault.
ABC published the interview after Judge Steven O’Neill ordered the public release of the jurors’ names, granting a request by a dozen media organizations. O’Neill, citing First Amendment rights and Supreme Court precedent, said the jurors would first be contacted and given instructions on what they can and cannot say if they talk to reporters.
Prosecutors plan to retry Cosby on allegations that he drugged and molested a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. Cosby said the encounter with Andrea Constand was consensual.
Montana group pushes restroom vote
HELENA, Mont. — A conservative group wants to let Montana voters decide whether transgender people must use public restrooms and locker rooms designated for their genders at birth — a move that could thrust the state into the national debate over transgender rights.
The Montana Family Foundation launched its campaign to place the matter on next year’s fall ballot after lawmakers declined to do so.
If approved by voters, the measure would affect how public schools, universities and other government agencies accommodate transgender people. Facilities designated for use by one sex would have to exclude the opposite sex.
The foundation called the effort a necessary step to protect “the privacy, safety and dignity” of Montana children and help guard against sexual predators.
The American Civil Liberties Union and other critics have argued that the measure would violate federal anti-discrimination laws and embroil the state in lawsuits. In addition, it could cost Montana millions of dollars in business by generating the same kind of negative publicity that engulfed North Carolina and other states that put similar laws in place.
Houston to join ‘sanctuary cities’ suit
HOUSTON — Houston city leaders have voted to join a lawsuit trying to halt a Texas law that would crack down on “sanctuary cities.”
The City Council voted 10-6, with one abstention, Wednesday to join the lawsuit, filed in San Antonio federal court.
Houston joins Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso County and several organizations challenging the law.
The law, which takes effect in September, would let police ask people about their immigration status during routine stops.
Mayor Sylvester Turner said Houston is not going to act like Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and “if there is any bill that says I could be removed because I make that pronouncement I’m concerned with that.”