Iranian man arrested in grenade incident on bus faces deportation

By Matt Pordum

Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 | 10:43 a.m.

The 23-year-old Iranian man who allegedly claimed to be Osama Bin Laden's cousin before displaying an inert grenade on a bus may be caught in a catch-22 situation between local and federal authorities.

Government officials said he didn't do anything to be deported for, but they said if he is convicted on local charges, then he could be deported.

Eman Zaeri, who allegedly threatened to blow up an employee transfer bus headed to Buffalo Bill's in Primm on Aug. 1, is charged with one felony count of making threats or conveying false information concerning acts of terrorism. The charge carries a sentence that can be as little as probation or as much as six years in prison.

But that could be the least of his problems.

Zaeri, who has a green card that allows him to live and work in the United States, has been living in Las Vegas for two years with his mother, father and brother.

His attorney, Ted Williams, said Zaeri had fled Iran with his family because "radical Muslims forced them to leave." He said Zaeri "came to America to avoid the very type of people he now stands accused of being associated with." Zaeri has told authorities he is not Muslim, but instead is a practicing member of the Baha'i faith at its center in the 7000 block of West Oakey Boulevard.

The Sun's call to the center to try to confirm Zaeri's statements was not returned. According to the www.bahai.org Web site, Baha'i is an independent monotheistic religion with a worldwide following of about 5 million.

The religion rejects terrorism and war and instead promotes tolerance, economic justice, recognition of the need for universal education, elimination of all forms of racism and recognition of the full equality between women and men.

Williams, said Zaeri is certainly not a terrorist but simply a "kid who was new to the culture and customs of this country and was making a joke."

Williams said Zaeri has no criminal history and the grenade he had -- an MK2, also known as a pineapple grenade because of its shape and configuration -- was not capable of exploding. The defense lawyer produced a computer print-out Monday showing that a set of 12 such grenades can be purchased on eBay for $42.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Rutledge, however, said, "It's no joke when you pull a hand grenade out on a bus and claim to be Osama Bin Laden's cousin two weeks after the London bombings. There is no cultural bias or difference here. He (Zaeri) was intentionally communicating a message."

Rutledge said Zaeri was charged for what he did and not because of any belief that he was part of a terrorist cell.

"We're not charging him with being part of a terrorist cell and perhaps doing a dry run to see how emergency security forces react to such an incident," Rutledge said. "We are charging him with making false terrorist threats."

Williams and Rutledge said a field agent of the Immigration, Customs and Enforcement Department detained Zaeri the day of the incident, but it was determined he failed to meet the requirements of possible deportation or further detaining. The federal immigration authorities released Zaeri on Aug. 12.

Rutledge said he didn't know why "INS decided to drop Zaeri's case," but he made it clear that the district attorney's office is "taking the case very seriously as we treat all terrorist threat cases very seriously."

Virginia Kice, spokeswoman for Immigration, Customs and Enforcement, confirmed that a department agent detained Zaeri on Aug. 1. But after reviewing the case and Zaeri's background, it was determined "it was more appropriate for local authorities to handle his case."

Kice's department is the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security.

Kice said if Zaeri is convicted and sentenced to prison the department would file a detainer and take custody of Zaeri after he completes his prison term. She said at such time removal proceedings would begin.

"If convicted of the current charges, he's potentially deportable," Kice said.

Kice said if Zaeri is acquitted he would be released back into society and not subject to deportation because he is in the country legally.

A source close to the case who wished to remain anonymous said Metro Police's Homeland Security unit is investigating Zaeri.

Detectives with Metro Homeland Security were not available to comment on whether or not an investigation into Zaeri's case is ongoing.

In response to whether the FBI was investigating Zaeri, David Schrom, spokesman for the FBI's Las Vegas office, said he could not comment on the Zaeri case because it is FBI policy not to confirm or deny any investigation. Zaeri's co-worker, Ana Guizcar, told police the Buffalo Bill employee bus was driving down Interstate 15 when Zaeri turned to her and said, "I'm getting tired of the job, I'm going to blow up Buffalo Bill's today." Guizcar said Zaeri was listening to music with headphones and said, "I'm listening to what God's going to tell me to do next" and that he was "Osama Bin Laden's cousin." She said when she began questioning Zaeri he pulled out the grenade and said, "You know, I better do it right now, in the bus." Guizcar told police she grabbed the grenade from Zaeri and gave it to a fellow co-worker sitting behind her who then gave it to a se curity guard from Buffalo Bills who was also on the bus. She said the bus driver was notified and he stopped the bus under ! the St. Rose Parkway overpass where he ordered all of the passengers off the bus and called Metro Police. The Nevada Highway Patrol and Metro officers subsequently shut down the southbound lanes of Interstate 15. The first arriving patrol officers arrested Zaeri before placing his backpack containing the grenade roughly 100 meters from a temporary command site established under an overpass. The Las Vegas Fire & Rescue bomb squad would later determine the grenade did not contain an explosive charge or a trigger.

Zaeri remains jailed without bail. He is scheduled to have a bail hearing Thursday before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace William Jansen.