Weekly Terrorism Spotlight

Volume 1, Issue 9 (May 13)

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Islamic compound sets aggressive defense for member charged on drug, firearm felonies

Jalaluddin Abdullah Connor, 19, said he borrowed a coat from a Red House, Virginia, friend not knowing crack cocaine was in it

Muslims of America members of Red House, Virginia, are fighting in court for one of their own, caught by Lynchburg police with packets of crack cocaine and a gun on his person.

Connor appeared in Lynchburg, Virginia, General District Court. Judge Ed Burnette certified probable cause existed for a trial to take place in the circuit court on two felony charges.

Officer B. T. Clark said at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 30, 2007, he got a complaint about six suspicious men lurking outside a breezeway area in the rain at Millwoods Apartments, Lynchburg.

As he neared, a lookout yelled and signaled - several men quickly ran in response. “I began to chase on foot…At this time I began to perceive that criminal activity had taken place,” Clark said.

“Mr. Connor made straight for the breezeway, I jumped the fence and fell into the breezeway area [as another officer grabbed Connor],” he added.

“I found a plastic baggie with four plastic bag corners containing crack cocaine in Connor’s right, front jacket pocket.”

Officers also found a handgun on Connor.

All the others from the group got away. Officers soon transported Connor to their department headquarters, advised of his rights. “I asked him why he ran,” Clark said.

“He said, ‘Because of what you found on me’…he said he had the firearm on him for his protection,” Clark added.

Clark said Connor denied having any knowledge of the baggie corners of crack cocaine on him, that he had borrowed the coat from a friend. Connor refused to identify the friend.

“I asked where the friend was, and he said from ‘back in Red House,’” Clark said.

City police sent the baggie-corner portions of off-white rock-like substance to forensic scientists to test, and certified results indicated the presence of crack cocaine.

Police also logged into evidence several photos of the handgun taken from Connor, and placed DVD recordings of their interviews of Connor into evidence as well.

Connor’s new defense attorney, B. Leigh Drewry, offered pointed cross examination against Clark during the hearing, questioning his counter-drug experience and if the first person he saw was certainly part of a lookout conspiracy.

Clark said no - he could not hear what the first man said. “I could see his head turn and his mouth was moving…his head nodded,” he said, indicating he could perceive a signal was given.

Drewry asked several obvious questions, which Clark answered – indicating an aggressive defense – probing for what the prosecution’s legal strategy may be in advance of a trial fight.

Connor advisors, members of the Muslims of America compound in Red House, noted strong objections to former defense attorney William F. Quillian, III’s arrangement of a plea deal, according to court records.

Quillian requested to be withdrawn by the court, an effective firing of counsel on the question of legal strategy. “Apparently [they] felt the advice being given…was not in the defendant’s best interest,” Quillian said.

Muslims of America members working through attorneys in the case also had Connor moved from a bordering residence at their compound to 2940 Rolling Hills Road, Pamplin, to “reside with Fareed and Inez Blow,” some distance up the road, court records said.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jeff Bennett dropped a misdemeanor charge of altering the serial number of a firearm charged in the original warrants against Connor.

Felony charges of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute and having a gun with the illegal drugs move to a scheduling phase to determine a trial date in Lynchburg Circuit Court.