Lewis & Clark Law Prof. Tung Yin in Portland is having students study the terrorism case of Mohamed Osman Mohamud, says The Oregonian. His class known informally as “Bail to Jail” spent 75 minutes last week discussing whether the government overstepped its legal boundaries to make a terrorism case against the 19-year-old college student. The Mohamud case is likely to offer a primer on the subjects of entrapment, FBI stings and the hurdles that confront the government when prosecuting people for attempted crimes.
Pundits have seized on what they describe as the FBI’s encouragement, support , and funding of Mohamud’s alleged attempt to bomb Portland’s holiday tree-lighting ceremony. Many wondered whether the bureau’s undercover operatives had coached him into the crime. Prof. Yin studied the FBI’s 36-page criminal complaint affidavit against Mohamud. The FBI’s affidavit suggests Mohamud was already inclined to commit a crime, Yin says.