Muslim Activist Accused Of Eavesdropping On Sheriff

JOLIET (STMW) -- A self-styled Muslim activist who has waged a long, if ineffectual, campaign against the justice system in Will County is now wanted for allegedly recording a telephone call with the sheriff and posting the conversation on the Internet.

Saad Noah, 52, formerly of Crest Hill, faces a felony charge of eavesdropping for recording a Jan. 13 chat with Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas.

Noah, an Iraqi immigrant, allegedly recorded the conversation without the sheriff's knowledge, then posted it on YouTube as part of a series of videos, "TheShinyBrightTruth."

In the videos, Noah rants about the evils perpetrated by America. At one point he says that "Osama Bin Laden will [expletive] you all one day.''

The charge against Noah was made public earlier this week. Sheriff's department spokesman Pat Barry said the sheriff "had a warrant a long time ago. He was threatening the sheriff and everybody."

Noah's history with the department stems from several incidents in the last few years.

In interviews, Noah has admitted to the March 2006 defacing of the Crest Hill home of his ex-wife when he spray-painted Muslim slogans in protest of how his divorce was handled in court and also cited "religious persecution in this country."

Soon after vandalizing his ex-wife's house, Noah appeared in court on a resisting arrest charge. Twice while at the county courthouse, he complained of chest pains and was hospitalized. During his second stay at the hospital, he launched a short-lived hunger strike to call attention to injustices perpetrated by "the judges, [Will County State's Attorney] James Glasgow and Paul Kaupas."

"Maybe if I die from this, people will see," he said at the time. "Things will get bigger."

But Noah did not die, and he actually started eating again pretty quickly.

Barry said that at some point, Noah headed to Norway. When he returned, Barry said, immigration officials grabbed and detained him in New York.

But authorities do not know Noah's current whereabouts, said Charles B. Pelkie, the spokesman for the state's attorney's office.

If Noah is found and apprehended, Pelkie said, he will be arraigned on the eavesdropping charge, which could land him in prison for up to 15 years.

(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2010. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)