Page A2
August 13. 2003
P olice
Intel Engineer Guilty
of Helping Taliban
Radical Tre Arrow
Eludes Authorities
Environmental
fugitive on the
run one year
after indictment
(AP) The FBI has followed up
on more than 20 sightings o f fugi­
tive environmental activist Tre A r­
row in the year since a federal grand
jury indicted him for firebombing
logging and cement trucks.
While three o f A rrow 's friends
haveadm ittedtheirrolesintheJune
2001 fires, the former congressional
candidate remains a fugitive.
Last week, police searched for
Arrow in woods near Washington
Square Mall after someone report­
edly saw him. The sighting turned
up nothing.
“It’s almost like Elvis,” said Su­
pervisory Special A gent Julie
Thornton, who heads the Oregon
bureau’s domestic terrorism squad.
Tre Arrow, who was bom Michael
J. Scarpitti, was indicted Aug. 13,
2002.
One of seven
suspects
negotiates plea on
terrorism charge
Credible sightings have been
reported in Florida and Pennsylva­
nia, where Arrow has family.
"H e could be anywhere. He
could be out o f the country,"
Thornton said.
Arrow and his three co-defen­
dants
Jacob D.B. Sherman, An­
gela M. C’esario and Jeremy D.
Rosenbloom, all in their 20s were
accused o f setting fire to three log­
ging trucks to protest the contro­
versial Eagle C’reek federal timber
sale near Mount Hood. Cesario and
Rosenbloom pleaded guilty last
month to their roles in the fires and
await sentencing.
Authorities also charged Arrow
and Sherman with the Easter 2001
arson o f three concrete-m ixing
trucks in Portland, a fire that caused
$ 2 10,000damage. The Earth Libera­
tion Front, which the FBI classifies
as one o f the nation's most prolific
domestic terrorist groups, claimed
responsibility.
Sherman pleaded guilty in De­
cember to his role in the tires. He is Tre Arrow, the environmental activist who scaled a downtown
expected to be sentenced next building to protest logging in old growth forests, is wanted for
firebombing logging and cement trucks.
month to 41 months in prison.
Bank Robberies
Suspect Arrested
FBI agents and Portland police have arrested
Timothy K. Dawson, 39, in connection with two
bank robberies in the Portland area.
H e’s accused o f robbing the W ashington
Mutual Bank at4333 N.E. Sandy Blvd. wherea man
told a bank teller that he had a gun wrapped in
material in his hand, but no weapon was seen. The
other robbery occurred in Raleigh Hills.
Dawson was captured near the Ban field Motel
on Northeast 37"1 Avenue shortly after a police
chase sent officers looking for him inside Lloyd
Center Mall.
Investigators said they found a handgun and
money in Dawson’s motel room.
Alleged Ringleader Caught
(AP) — Police have
old Jessica Kate Williams,
arrested an 18-year-old
whose body was discov­
member o f a “street fam­
ered beside railroad tracks
ily” o f homeless youths
near Portland's Eastbank
accused in the May beat­
Esplanade
ing death o f a mentally
Investigators say she was
disabled woman who had
beaten, stabbed, doused in
befriended the group.
lighter fluid and burned.
Carl Richard Alsup,
Police allege that Williams
sought on aggravated
was killed because she vio­
murder charges, was ar­
lated the street family’s code
rested in Seattle, police
of conduct. Rebecca Will­
Carl Richard Al^up
said.
iams, her mother, said she
He was one o f several group mem­ hopes all the suspects are prosecuted to
bers indicted in the death o f 22-year- the full extent o f the law.
(A P )—- M aher Hawash, one o f
seven Portland-area suspects ac­
cused o f plotting to wage war
against U.S. troops in Afghani­
stan, accepted a plea deal last week
that will send him to prison in
exchange for testifying against
other suspects.
Hawash, a software engineer
who worked for Intel, pleaded
guilty to conspiring to provide
services to the Taliban, the ousted
government in Afghanistan that’s
accused o f giving comfort to the
masterminds in the Sept. 11,2001
terrorist attacks. He will serve at
least seven years in federal prison.
In e x c h a n g e , p ro se c u to rs
agreed to drop charges o f conspir­
ing to levy war against the United
States and conspiring to provide
material support for terrorism.
Federal judge Robert E. Jones
said Hawash. as part o f the plea
agreement, had confessed to plot­
ting with the other suspects to
travel to A fghanistan to fight
against U.S. soldiers there in the
Maher Hawash
fallof200l.
“You and the others in the group
were prepared to take up arms and
die as martyrs if necessary, to de­
fend theTaliban. Is this true?" Jones
asked Hawash during the hearing.
“Yes, your honor,” Hawash re­
plied.
Hawash'sattomey Steven Houze
said his client had faced more than
20 years in prison, and perhaps a
sentence that would put him be­
hind bars for life.
In exchange for the reduced sen­
tence, Hawash agreed to testify in
federal court, before grand juries
and before any potential military
tribunals. He also agreed, if called
upon, to cooperate with foreign
governments to aid in their terror­
ism probes and to assist intelli­
gence agencies.
Roofers Cause School Fire
A four-alarm fire gutted the roof
and auditorium o f Binnsmead
Middle School at 2225 S.E. 87"’
Avenue early Monday evening.
Portland Fire and Rescue de­
termined that a roofing company
started the blaze by accidentally
overheating the area while attach­
ing flashing to the roof.
Damage was estimated at $ 1.5
million to the building and $300.000
to the contents.
The fire comes on the heels o f
several other school fires in the
Portland area that were intention­
ally set by arsonists this summer.
In vestigators are o fferin g a
$5,000 reward in hopes o f finding
the arsonist responsible for a fire
at Lent E lem entary School, lo­
cated near S outheast 9 7 lh and
H olgate, w hich is only a block
aw ay from Binnsm ead M iddle
School.
Fannie Mae Announces New $15 Billion Affordable Housing Investment Strategy for Oregon
PORTLAND, O R - In an effort to increase homeowner-
focusing attention and resources on expanding
communities plan for and accommodate anticipated growth
ship for underserved populations and help spark economic
homeownership and rental housing opportunities for
in population and housing demands as well as harness
and community development in Oregon, representatives
minority populations, first-time home buyers, and working
efficient land use strategies. Specifically, Fannie Mae will
from Fannie Mae (FNM/NYSE), the nation's largest source
families. This includes providing lender partners with
support resource-efficient initiatives that promote the
o f financing for home mortgages, today announced the
affordable mortgage financing solutions, such as mortgages
expansion o f affordable housing across Oregon, including:
American Dream Commitment® for Oregon, a $15 billion
with low down payment requirements and flexible
the Smart CommuteTM Initiative, which provides
investment strategy that will help provide affordable home-
qualification criteria, and offering valuable resources to
incentives for families to reduce transportation costs and
ownership and rental opportunities for more than 150,000
local nonprofit groups to help more working families
apply the resulting savings toward the purchase o f a home;
low-, moderate-, and middle-income families over the next
become homeowners.
and the Portland General Electric's Efficiency Services
five years. Fannie Mae's Oregon Partnership Office will
implement the new $15 billion affordable housing strategy
through targeted investments in community development
and neighborhood revitalization, and by working with
Group MORETM energy-saving pilot, which enables
Specific areas of focus that will help Fannie Mae
implement the $15 billion affordable housing strategy
include:
homeowners in Portland, Salem, and Vancouver to finance
up to $4,000 in resource-efficient improvements to their
homes.
lenders, housing leaders, and city and state officials to
identify the state's housing needs.
Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization.
Business Community & Housing. Employer assisted
Fannie Mae's American Communities FundTM invests
housing (EAH) benefits are an effective recruitment and
equity and funds debt to help leverage financial investments
retention tool for employers, and can be customized to offer
downtown West End area. Joining Governor Ted
that bring new and restored economic life to neighborhoods,
a variety o f assistance, including home-buyer education, or
Kulongoski were community leaders Molly Bordonero,
making them places families truly want to call home. Recent
a loan or grant to help fund down payments, closing costs,
member o f the Fannie Mae Board o f Directors; Vanessa
examples o f such investments include: The mixed-use/
or interest rate buy-downs. Fannie Mae is working with the
Gaston, president and CEO o f the Urban League of
mixed-income Museum Place development that features a
Portland Business Alliance, and businesses and
Portland; and Doug Obletz o f Shiels, Obletz, and Johnsen,
Safeway grocery store, rental housing, and condominiums;
municipalities statewide to offer free technical assistance to
developer o f Museum Place.
and a revolving community development loan to the Oregon
employers interested in providing these valuable housing
Housing and Community Services Department (OHCSD) to
benefits to their employees.
Today's announcement was held at the site o f Museum
Place, a three-block retail and housing development in the
Fannie Mae's new investment strategy follows the
successful completion o f the $10 billion investment strategy
provide pre-development financing for the new construction
announced in 1998 that served more than 97,000
o f affordable housing across the state.
"The Urban League o f Portland is eager to work with
Oregonians.
"The housing industry remains the economy's strongest
Fannie Mae and other partners to find better ways to
Reaching Out to Underserved Communities. While
effectively serve the homeownership needs o f African
homeownership rates have reached record levels, the rate
Americans, because the current methods do not appear to
economic development, and affordable homeownership for
for minority households lag the general population. In
be working for our communities o f color," said Vanessa
working families," said Governor Kulongoski. "Fannie
Oregon, the overall homeownership rate is 64 percent
Gaston, president and CEO o f the Urban League of
Mae's new $15 billion investment strategy is welcome news
compared to 37 percent for African Americans and 36
Portland. "The Urban League can participate in this
for Oregon that will go a long way to address the unique
percent for Hispanics. In the Portland MSA, the overall rate
effort by being a catalyst to help change this. The focus
housing needs o f our market."
is 55 percent compared to 38 percent for African Americans
and goal must be on closing the gap in homeownership."
foundation, providing new construction job opportunities,
"This five-year affordable housing strategy will focus on
and 31 percent for Hispanics. Fannie Mae will continue
For more information on Fannie Mae's American Dream
community development and neighborhood revitalization,
working to address barriers to homeownership for minority
Commitment for Oregon, which includes information on
smart growth initiatives, and increasing minority home-
families through partnerships with the Urban League of
Fannie Mae's affordable mortgage products and a list o f
ownership," said Dick Anderson, director o f Fannie Mae's
Portland and other community partners, and technology and
local lenders, consumers may call Fannie Mae's Consumer
Oregon Partnership Office. "We look forward to working
training for real estate brokers and nonprofit housing
Resource Center at 1-8OO-7FANNIE (1-800-732-6643),
with Governor Kulongoski and the state housing agencies
counseling agencies.
Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. PT.
to make homeownership a reality for more Oregonians."
Over the next five years, Fannie Mae's Oregon
Housing, Transportation <8 Environment. Fannie Mae is a
Partnership Office will work with housing industry partners.
leading advocate for local housing solutions to help
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