Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 27 OctOber 2017
Iowa Prosecutor: FBI says no foreign terror links
Pair kidnapped, killed gender-fluid teen seen in Florida mall bomb plot

By CURT ANDERSON Solano had already set a
By RYAN J. FOLEY AP Legal Affairs Writer 40-minute timer he thought
KEOKUK, Iowa (AP) — Two MIAMI (AP) — No evidence would give him enough
cousins kidnapped, suf- has surfaced of links to time to plant the device
focated and executed a foreign extremists in an al- and escape undetected.
gender-fluid Iowa teen- leged plot by a Honduran Solano was denied release
ager whom they pursued man to bomb a Florida on bail by U.S. Magistrate
for sex after a chance en- mall despite his claimed Judge Chris McAliley, who
counter at a grocery store, allegiance to the Islamic noted there is strong evi-
a prosecutor said Thursday State group, an FBI agent dence against him, includ-
as he outlined the murder testified Thursday. ing numerous video and
case against one of them. Agent David Clancy said at audio recordings and his
The men tried to conceal a bail hearing that Vicente own confession after ar-
the slaying of 16-year- Adolfo Solano appears to rest. He also faces a po-
old Kedarie Johnson, but have come up with the tential life prison sentence
left behind a “trail of evi- Jorge Sanders-Galvez attends his murder trial Thursday, Oct. 26, idea on his own before if convicted.“The evi-
dence” that would con- 2017, in Keokuk Iowa. Sanders-Galvez is one of two men ac- sharing the plan with an dence is compelling that
nect them to the crime, cused of killing Iowa teenager Kedarie Johnson. acquaintance who turned you intended to kill many
prosecutor Christopher (Zach Boyden-Holmes /The Des Moines Register/AP) out to be an FBI informant. people,” the judge said.
Perras told jurors in his Sanders-Galvez’s attorney crime occurred. It’s unusu- Under close surveillance, Solano, who is scheduled
opening statement.“One has not outlined a defense. al for federal prosecutors the two of them then be- to enter a plea in early No-
of the men responsible for He decided not to make to help in state cases, and gan plotting to bomb the vember, said nothing dur-
Kedarie’s abduction and an opening statement Sessions’ move has drawn busy food court at the Mi- ing the hearing. Immigra-
murder is that man, the Thursday, and he declined attention to the March ami-area Dolphin Mall. tion officials say he arrived
defendant, Jorge Sanders- comment to The Associat- 2016 killing of the popu- “Mr. Solano indicated from Honduras in the late
Galvez,” Perras said, point- ed Press ahead of the trial. lar Burlington High School throughout the (FBI) re- 1990s and is in the U.S. le-
ing across the courtroom. Attorney General Jeff Ses- student who identified as cordings that the plans gally under the temporary
He said he would ask jurors sions assigned Perras, a both male and female. were his alone,” Clancy protected status program.
to “get justice for Kedarie” Washington, D.C.-based Perras delivered a 25-min- testified. “He was pretty His attorney, public de-
by finding Sanders-Galvez federal prosecutor who ute opening statement much always on his own.” fender Alex Arteaga-Go-
guilty of first-degree mur- has handled several hate as Johnson’s mother sat Solano, 53, was arrested mez, said Solano has no
der at the end of the tri- crimes cases, to assist lo- in the front row. He said last Friday after accepting violent criminal history and
al, which could last two cal prosecutors at the trial, Johnson was an ordinary a fake bomb from under- has generally kept to him-
weeks. The other defen- which was moved outside high school student in ev- cover FBI operatives out- self while in the U.S., work-
dant, 25-year-old Jaron of Burlington following ex- ery way but one: He was a side the mall. Clancy said ing as a painter. q
Purham, is expected to tensive pretrial publicity boy who sometimes liked
be tried later. Both face in the eastern Iowa city of to dress and act as a girl 10-year-old leads police, state
life in prison if convicted. 25,000 people where the named Kandicee.q
troopers on high-speed chase

By MARK GILLISPIE following him in a red SUV.
Associated Press A woman called 911 and
CLEVELAND (AP) — A said the boy appeared to
10-year-old Ohio boy was be driving around 90 mph.
taken into custody after Three Westlake officers
leading police and state tried to stop the 2004 Toy-
troopers on a dangerous ota Avalon along the in-
high-speed pursuit that be- terstate and followed it
gan in Cleveland and end- for more than 15 miles (24
ed miles away along the kilometers) at high speeds
Ohio Turnpike when troop- until the boy drove through
ers boxed him in. a toll booth and entered
Cleveland police say it’s the westbound lanes of the
the second time in two Ohio Turnpike, Westlake
weeks the boy has taken police Capt. Guy Turner
cars on joyrides. said.
Authorities say no one was Highway Patrol Sergeant
injured during the pur- Tim Hoffman said that’s
suit that began around when at least four state
9:30 a.m. Thursday when troopers began joining the
Westlake police saw a car chase and attempted a
speed by chased by an- rolling roadblock as the
other vehicle, possibly driv- boy drove erratically along
en by the boy’s mother, on the turnpike with speeds
Interstate 90 west of Cleve- reaching 100 mph (161
land. kph).
A man called 911 and re- After a pursuit of around
ported the boy’s car was 20 miles (32 kilometers),
swerving in and out of traf- the boy slowed down and
fic and had almost run sev- veered onto the grassy
eral vehicles off the road. berm to avoid driving over
He also said a woman was stop sticks, Hoffman said. q