Randy Cassingham's Blog

Posted by Mark, Yorba Linda, CA on December 17, 2010:

I must be hard to see where you're going when a bomb has just gone off in front of your face!

---

Yep: running into the dark after having that flash, it's no wonder he didn't see the pole. But he probably clearly saw stars after hitting it! -rc

Posted by Josephine, Tunnel Hill, GA on December 17, 2010:

Looking at the video, I don't think the brick went through the glass. It looks like it hit, cracked it, hung there briefly, and then dropped straight down like a ... well, like a brick. And the brick-thrower (Amir Ali) bent down and reached over to pick it up and try again. Meanwhile, his as-yet-unknown compatriot didn't realize the brick didn't go though, so went ahead and tossed the bomb, which, of course, bounced off and did what bombs do.

Posted by Phil, San Antonio, Texas, USA on December 17, 2010:

I'm surprised that a bump on the head is all he got for his trouble. He should have been burned by the fireball at least.

---

Yeah: I was surprised he had eyebrows in his mug shot. -rc

Posted by Kevin A. Kansas City, MO on December 17, 2010:

Wonder if they will use this in the sequel to "Dumb and Dumber". Also, notice the Dumb smirk on his Face.

Posted by Bill, Hanover, MD on December 18, 2010:

Looks like two "terrorists". They could have been upset by an alcohol-serving establishment in their neighborhood. Or maybe they were refused service....

Posted by Mike from Dallas on December 18, 2010:

The firebomb bounceback was funny enough, but running into the lamp post was straight out of a Road Runner cartoon. Apparently the Coyote wasn't such a far-fetched character, after all.

Posted by Pierce, Gainesville FL USA on December 18, 2010:

"Despite the video evidence, Amir Ali, 28, denied being involved...."

How the hell could the cops, or anyone, claim to identify either of the perps from this footage? As RC notes, Ali doesn't seem to have any burn marks - unless he showed up at the clinic wearing a white, scorched, hoodie and smelling of kerosene, the case against him looks very weak from here.

---

The story doesn't say that anyone claimed to have identified him from the video. There were criminal convictions before the age of security cameras, yaknow? The quoted sentence could be interpreted the way you suggest, but the video is more informative about "what happened" than "who did it", and I'm quite sure the conviction is based on other evidence. -rc

Posted by Laurence, Crawley on December 18, 2010:

This happened not far from where I live and I know the area - Broadfield Barton - quite well. A significant proportion of the local populace are the type of people who would fire-bomb a pub for fun - and the fact that the culprit denied it despite the proof just adds proof of the lack of brain-cells.

Posted by MarioneTTe, Virginia on December 18, 2010:

The only way this could have been better is if he had been knocked out and caught on the scene.

Posted by Lynda-Marie, Auburn WA on December 20, 2010:

I think I would have pleaded "No Contest" just to avoid the humiliation of a Prosecutor and jury giggling at me during a trial.

---

Of course if it were you, you wouldn't have done it in the first place. You're smart enough to have the ability to write a complete sentence. I suspect that guy isn't.... -rc