Tewolde, who is from Ethiopia, has lived in the United States legally for almost a year. He was arrested on February 1 during a scheduled stop at the Pittsburgh Greyhound Bus terminal while en route from Washington to Denver.

Other recent cases include the October 28 arrest of Art Institute of Pittsburgh student Salam El-Zaatari at the Pittsburgh International Airport for carrying an exacto knife in his laptop case.

Mazen Mohamed Abdallah, a student, was also arrested last November in the Pittsburgh Amtrak station. Surprised to learn that bags were not inspected, Mazen asked an Amtrak employee why this was so, as one might contain a bomb.

Mazen was arrested and charged with making a terrorist threat, simple assault, and disorderly conduct.

Tewolde was reboarding a bus when a Greyhound employee began yelling at him and accused him of trying to shove her. The driver told Tewolde to leave the bus. In the bus station, the same Greyhound employee called the cops on Tewolde after he refused to follow her instruction to sit down. He pointed out he had a right to walk around if he wanted to.

When a man wearing black approached Tewolde, he again refused to obey an order to be seated since he did not know the man was a cop. The police officer then tried to grab a pen that Getu was holding. When Tewolde moved his arms away from the cop he was beaten and fell to the ground. Tewolde's memory from that point is unclear.

Tewolde was detained and questioned by the FBI who responded to a call by the cops reporting a class-one bomb threat. After interrogating Tewolde, the FBI anti-terror unit refused to charge him with any crime. He was then arrested by the Pittsburgh police.

Taken to the Allegheny County Jail, Tewolde was given "mood stabilizing" anti-psychosis medication without his consent. He was held in 24-hour lockdown in the mental health pod of the jail and was forced to ingest eight pills a day.

Testifying before Judge Daniel Butler, the arresting cop said that after he put a hand on Tewolde's shoulder, Tewolde grabbed his shirt and a scuffle ensued. During the altercation, said the cop, Tewolde attempted to stab him in the face with a Bic pen. The cop could not remember how the pen was produced or how close to his face the jabbing motion came.

He also couldn't remember if anyone came with him when he approached Tewolde, and claimed he didn't know if the swelling under Tewolde's eye resulted from a punch he had thrown.

A lawyer leaving the court told this reporter and two protesters that Tewolde was badly beaten in jail.

While the judge rejected the simple assault charge despite prosecution protests, Tewolde still faces charges of making terrorist threats, aggravated assault, and risking a catastrophe.

Grasping for a justification for these charges, the judge claimed a parallel with "the guy who sent the powder in the mail," and repeated the tired old scenario of a person yelling fire in a crowded movie theater. He added that police and fire department vehicles speeding to the bus station could have caused a catastrophe.

Friends of Tewolde posted a $525 bond, which is considered a low bail under such serious charges. The hearing is scheduled for May 20.  
 
 
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