I'm preparing for a court hearing tomorrow. I'm sure there was some news today, but I haven't seen it.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

My NFL picks: J-E-T-S! JETS! JETS! JETS! (+3.5) over the Tom Bradys; the Brett Favres (-10) over Detroit; the 49ers (-1.5) over the Seahawks; the Steelers (-3) over the Bears and in the big one tonight - "America's Team," the Jerry Joneses (-3) will beat my Giants.

This is an Open Thread.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado has released the arrest warrants and complaints for Najibullah Zazi, his father Mohammed Zazi and a third individual, Ahmad Wais Afzali, charged in the Eastern District of New York, along with a press release. They are charged with making false statements related to international or domestic terrorism, which carries a maximum penalty of 8 years. (See 18 USC 1001 (a)(2). Here are the documents:

• Najibullah Zazi Warrant and Complaint
• Mohammed Zazi Warrant and Complaint
• Ahmad Wais Afzali Warrant and Complaint
• Press Release

Interestingly, the Afzali complaint has more details about Najibullah than the Najibullah complaint. The Afzali complaint says that Najibullah had a proffer agreement with the feds for his interviews. And, it says Najibullah told the feds he took courses at an al-Qaida training facility in Pakistan and received instruction from al-Qaida operatives in weapons and explosives. [More...]

At 9:30 p.m. 15-20 law enforcement cars swarmed into the parking lot of Zazi's Aurora apartment near E. Smokey hill road and E-470.

Both Zazi and his father have been arrested and taken away in handcuffs. The third individual is not Naiz Khan, as I thought, but Ahmad Wais Afzali of Flushing. The charges, as the New York Times and NBC reported earlier, are making false statements to investigators. If only they had exercised their right to remain silent.

The Zazis should get a bond hearing set Monday. No word yet on who will represent Mohamed Zazi. Will the Government move to detain them without bond? I assume so, but there's no presumption of detention for the crime of making false statements to federal officials. The Government will have to show a serious risk they would flee, attempt to obstruct justice, or threaten, intimidate or injure a prospective witness or juror.

Given how they volunteered for interviews and stayed at home tonight even knowing they would be arrested, I don't think they are a risk of flight. I hope they get bond. (Update: The warrants says the Government will seek to detain Zazi but not his father. '[More...]

Neil Lewis of The New York Times disappointingly mixes factual reporting and hearsay from a tabloid-type, book proposal by a dubious character in the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter drama and presents it as a news story on the grand jury investigation into the contributions Fred Baron made to Hunter from Edwards' presidential campaign fund.

The factual reporting includes the topics of Hunter's grand jury testimony:

Ms. Hunter testified to the grand jury in detail about her relationship with Mr. Edwards, lawyers involved in the case said, as well as the benefits she was provided by his supporters after she became pregnant.

[More...]

Najibullah Zazi and his attorney "abruptly broke off talks with FBI agents this morning."

"Mr. Zazi and Mr. Folsom will not be meeting with the FBI today," Folsom's spokeswoman Wendy Aiello told The Denver Post Saturday morning. She said they've decided that it is in his best interest given the progress of negotiations so far, Aiello said.

Zazi did give a phone interview to the Denver Post this morning in which he denied the media accounts which say he confessed to anything: [More...]

What are the big games today? An unemotional review would say that there are no big games at all. No big matchups against top teams. But we would not be college football fans if we were unemotional. So, in fact, there are a whole bunch of big games.

In South Bend today, Charlie Weis may be coaching for his job (in that his fate at the end of the season would be sealed) as Michigan State comes to town. Fun fact - the Spartans have won 6 straight in South Bend. The Irish are 10 point favorites. I like the Spartans with the points and I think they win outright.

Iowa plays Arizona today in a game that will determine if Iowa can continue its drive to be considered an elite team, when it hosts Arizona. I think Iowa wins and covers the 4 point spread. More . . .

Najibullah Zazi will return for more questioning by the FBI today. Late Friday night, Zazi's attorney again spoke to the media:

But Zazi's attorney, Art Folsom, told 9New late Friday that "no, he did not admit to having ties to al-Qaeda" and "no, he did not admit to going to a terrorist training camp" or admit to playing a key role in a plot.

"Some of the information in the news report was not true," he said. He told 9News he would "clarify many things tomorrow." Folsom said there have been no plea negotiations.

Stay tuned.

I'm always glad to see the feds exercise discretion and decline to prosecute someone, regardless of whether the person is someone whose views I agree with or not. Last week it was conservative blogger Sully, today it's exiled Hmong leader and former General Vang Pao.

Federal prosecutors dropped charges Friday against Vang Pao, the exiled Hmong general accused two years ago of plotting with a band of aging Central Valley expatriates to overthrow the communist regime in their homeland of Laos.

Vang Pao, 79, had been singled out as the alleged ringleader of the bizarre scheme to launch a coup -- reputedly with mercenaries armed with AK-47 assault rifles and Stinger missiles -- in the summer of 2007.

We need more statements like this please: [More...]

Attorney General Eric Holder took months to decide on whether to investigate any cases of abuse of detainees overseas with an eye towards criminal prosecution. He got a lot of praise (and in some venues, criticism) when he announced he'd consider it. The Washington Post reports the number of cases the DOJ may prosecute is down from more than a dozen to just a few .

A senior official who took part in the review confirmed that of two dozen referrals, the Salt Pit episode was one of two or three cases close to being considered for criminal indictment.

Via Surburban Guerilla, a new Janis Joplin song from 1968:

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Update to our last post on unanimous media reports that Najibullah Zazi has admitted being involved in terror-related activities (which his lawyer, who is now issuing statements through a public relations firm, is still denying): The Denver Post reports Zazi left the Federal Building at 5:30 p.m. and is due back tomorrow for a fourth day of questioning. [Update: He was allowed to go home.]

Sounds like the interview that began in an attempt for Zazi to convince the feds he happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time has turned into a proffer session where he's trying to get the best deal in exchange for his cooperation. His PR spokesperson says no deal is on the table, but won't rule one out, which tells me he still has a way to go to earn it.

Repeat after me: The jails are filled with people who thought if they could only tell their side of the story, the cops would see it their way. The 5th Amendment and Miranda rights are there for good reason. Use them or lose them.