Page 8 The Dispatch/Maryland Coast Dispatch October 25, 2013 Murder-For-Hire Indictment Challenged By SHAWN J. SOPER NEWS EDITOR Sundays 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Featuring homemade donuts, eggs, bacon, sausage, assorted fruit and fried dough tossed in cinnamon. Along with your other classics. Fall Specials Are Here! B O O K Y O U R H O L I D A Y P A R T Y N O W Monday Chicken & dumpling pots $10 OCEAN CITY – Less than a week after an Ocean City man was indicted in a murder-for-hire plot, his lawyers this week responded, saying there is no strong evidence to support the latest charges and further denying any connection to terrorism links. In mid-May, federal officials concluded an investigation into a multimillion dollar cigarette smuggling operation with raids on two locations in and around the resort area, including the West Ocean City homes of local residents and business owners Basel Ramadan, 42, who has been called the “ringleader” of the operation, and Samer Ramadan, 40, who is being called the operation’s “enterprise treasurer.” Also indicted were 14 other alleged co-conspirators, from transporters to distributors to resellers, who were rounded up at locations all over the mid-Atlantic region on the same day in May. Last Thursday, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and NYPD Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly announced the indictment of Basel Ramadan and Yousseff Odeh, one of his alleged distributors and a trusted lieutenant, on new charges they conspired from behind bars to murder witnesses they believed were cooperating with law enforcement in the massive cigarette smuggling case against them. In an interview with The Dispatch, one of Basel Ramadan’s attorneys, Alex Spiro, of New York-based Brafman and Associates, said the new murder-for-hire charges will not stand up to scrutiny and vowed to fight them with vigor. “We are going to contest this new indictment vigorously,” said Spiro. “The allegations in this case are based on conversations that occurred while Mr. Ramadan was incarcerated and taken out of context.” Following the original indictments in May, there were references by prosecutors to a possible link between the co-conspirators and known terrorist groups, fueling speculation many of the millions of dollars generated by the cigarette smuggling enterprise could have ended up in the hands of terrorists. At a press conference in May following the raids in Ocean City and elsewhere, Kelly referenced the possible connection. “The association of some of the suspects in this case to the Ari Halbestram’s killer, the Blind Sheik and a top Hamas official concerns us,” said Kelly. “While it hasn’t been established yet where the illicit proSEE NEXT PAGE Tuesday All-You-Can-Eat Snow Crab Legs $19 Live Entertainment MARGARITA’S & CRAFT BEERS! AND DON’T FORGET MEXICAN MONDAYS! Raw Bar Bloody Mary Bar Mexican Monday H A P P Y H O U R S P E C I A L S CRABBY CHEESE DIP IN A BREAD BOWL! GROUPER FINGERS, CAESAR SALAD, WINGS, KEY WEST, MILD, MEDIUM, NUCLEAR, INFERNO, GARLIC PARMESAN, OLD BAY, BOURBON, BAR B Q, ASIAN SESAME & NAKED! Fall Happy Hour Happy Hour Drink Specials Sunday-Friday 11am-7pm • Saturday 4pm-7pm Thursday Half-priced entrees & martinis all night! Ladies only. D E L A W A R E L O T T E R Y G A M E S $1.99 Select Domestic Pints Miller Lite, Miller High Life, Coors Light $1.99 Select Domestic Bottles Miller Lite, MGD 64, Miller High Life, Coors Light, Coors Original $1.99 Rail Drinks - 12oz NFL Drink Specials $1.99 Select Domestic Pints $1.99 Select Domestic Bottles $1.99 Rail Drinks Happy Hour Food Specials DAILY 4pm-7pm Friday Half-priced chocolate pots 8 p.m.-close .75¢ Oysters & Clams (each) $6.99 1/2 lb Steamed Shrimp WINGS Bone $7.50 (10) Boneless $5.99 (Basket) NFL Food Specials WINGS Bone $7.50 (10) Boneless $5.99 (Basket) Tacos • Nachos • Quesadillas Mexican Pizza • Fajitas & Much More HALLOWEEN PARTY THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31 • OVER $750 IN CASH & PRIZES LOTSA SLIDERS, BURGERS, LEPRECHAUN LEGS, CLAMS, OYSTERS, STEAMED SHRIMP, COLD PINTS OF DRAFT BEER, 5S 2C HR DE BE IN GS Saturday Half-priced appetizers from 8 til close while you enjoy live local entertainment! ✕✡✒ ✝¤✝❘❘✡✮✌✮☛✘ Open Wednesday-Sunday Daily At 4 p.m. Sunday Osso Buco style short ribs served with rice and vegetable du jour $13 ✡✠✮✡✘✠✝❜✱¤✧❛✗✘✠✝❜¤ ✳¤✦❛✮✠✝❜w $19.00 Entrees For Everyone! The Twining Family The Newest, Freshest Most Exciting Dining Experience at the Beach Open Daily at 4:30 p.m. Reservations Accepted ✡✮✒✌✟✎¤✘✝✮✠ Just North Of O.C., Just South Of Bethany 302.436.2266 2 Miles from Rt. 1 on Rt. 54 Next to Mio Fratello 302.539.2607 • 800.362.DINE www.nantucketsrestaurant.com ✮✍✏❜✿ Full Bar featuring Specialty Martinis, Wine list, late night menu and our REAL Happy Hour