Inside a parked car In Minneapolis

The Star Tribune reports that Minneapolis police discovered an arsenal of guns, a hand grenade, bomb-making devices, assault rifles and magazines along with a large quantity of ammunition, cellphones, computers and electronic equipment and drone parts during a routine arrest this past Thursday of one Abdullah Alrifahe. Officers found the materiel in their search of the car in which Alrifahe was sitting along with an unspecified number of others.

This is the Star Tribune story:

Minneapolis police uncovered an arsenal of guns and bomb-making devices during a routine arrest last week.

According to police, a man walked by a parked car in north Minneapolis about 5 p.m. Thursday and confronted the people inside after they threw food wrappers on the ground. They ignored him until he paused to get the car license number. The men then got out of the car and indicated they had guns, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.

The man flagged down officers, the complaint says, but the men from inside car continued to yell at him and resisted the officers’ attempts to control the situation. The men were insistent they needed to be near the car because a drone was coming to deliver a package, the complaint said. Because of the suspicious circumstances and fear for the man’s safety, the men were placed in the squad while officers searched their car.

Inside, the officers found a hand grenade, handgun, assault rifles and magazines and a large quantity of ammunition, the complaint said. They also found cellphones, computers and electronics equipment, including drone parts.

Bomb squad personnel called to the scene noted that the large amount of ammunition and electronic devices could be used for bomb-making, the complaint said.

Abdullah N. Alrifahe, 27, of Minneapolis, was charged with a gross misdemeanor for carrying a pistol in public without a permit. In December, he was convicted of the same offense.

It could not be determined whether the FBI or another federal agency is investigating.

This story leaves several loose ends and omits facts of interest. I believe Alrifahe’s brother Majid was also arrested. Is either Alrifahe in custody? Was anyone else with them? What is the Alrifahes’ address(es)? What are the dates of their scheduled court appearances?

We can answer some of these questions with information that is accessible online. According to Hennepin County’s online charge details, $200,000 bail was set on Abdullah Alrifahe. He remains in custody and is scheduled to make his first court appearance this afternoon. As I read the information, Alrifahe’s carrying a pistol in public without a permit is charged both as a gross misdemeanor and a felony.

Abdullah’s brother Majid appears to have been along for the ride and charged with four offenses arising out of the same incident. He was released from custody without bail on the day following the arrest. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on May 26.

Reaching out to sources this morning, I am informed that there were no bombs and that the “grenade” is the drilled out inert variety that can be bought at novelty stores. At this point law enforcement is aware of no connection to a foreign terrorist organization and does not believe this was an interrupted attack.

The facts and circumstances nevertheless raise obvious concerns. As Drudge would say, developing…

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