Cruise ship terror
suspect fails to get bail
A federal magistrate denied bail yesterday for a California woman charged with terrorism for allegedly writing notes threatening Americans aboard a Hawaii-bound cruise ship.
Kelley Ferguson, 20, of Laguna Hills, Calif., showed no reaction when U.S. Magistrate Kevin Chang issued his ruling during her detention hearing at U.S. District Court.
Ferguson's attorney, Assistant U.S. Public Defender Loretta Faymonville, asked Chang to release her client on signature bond.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson argued that Ferguson poses a flight risk having already demonstrated irresponsibility, a level of instability and insensitivity by her actions. Sorenson also pointed out that Ferguson's parents have not offered to post bond for their daughter.
"That's the No. 1 warning device for prosecutors. It's like, 'Oh well, if her family is not willing to stick their neck out at this point for her, then certainly the federal court system shouldn't do it, either,'" Sorenson said.
Ferguson's mother was in court yesterday and has spoken to federal law enforcement officials.
Sorenson also told the judge that if Ferguson were released, she would return to her boyfriend in California, who is a negative influence on her. John Brashear has convictions for hit-and-run, drug and contempt-of-court charges, Sorenson said.
Hawaii U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said, "I think what we're seeing is a form of tough love by the parents."
Ferguson and her family were aboard Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas April 23 when the ship was diverted to Honolulu on its way to Hilo from Mexico. Two notes threatening the lives of Americans had been found in a women's restroom.
Ferguson is charged with two counts of terrorism which carry a maximum 10-year prison term each. Kubo said Ferguson confessed she wrote the notes in order to shorten the cruise so she could return to her boyfriend. Even though the notes turned out to be a hoax, Kubo said threatening the lives of others is not a joke.
"If anyone, anyone considers doing such an act, even if it's in jest, we will take it seriously. And we will hunt them down, we will find them, we will arrest them and we will prosecute them as aggressively as we can in federal court," Kubo said.
More than 120 federal, state and local law enforcement officers, members of Hawaii's Joint Terrorism Task Force, boarded the ship in waters south of Honolulu. The operation cost the U.S. Coast Guard $336,000, Sorenson said. The other agencies have not yet tallied their costs.
The ship was allowed to sail to the Big Island on April 24. Investigators remained on board and arrested Ferguson Saturday when the ship was in Maui.