Results by Google
Home News 

Story

Cell Phone Toy Shows Picture Of Osama Bin Laden

Posted: 4:05 pm EDT September 21, 2004Updated: 4:27 pm EDT September 22, 2004

PHOTOS OF TOYS: Look At All Three Controversial Toys

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Channel 9 has discovered another controversial toy. A local mother took a closer look at the toy and realized something wasn't right. It's a toy cell phone with a picture of Osama bin Laden on it with one word above it, "King."

The toy cell phone is tiny, only about two and a half inches long, and the picture of bin Laden is even smaller. But it infuriated a Kissimmee mother.

Channel 9 has discovered there is a connection between this toy and another toy we've told you about.

Two-and-half-year-old Carolina Vega's dad bought her a cellophane package of toys. He saw the doll, colorful sunglasses and lollipops in the package. He did not spot the picture of the most hated man in America.

Carolina's mom noticed it after she found the little cell phone in her car.

"Who would sell this knowing America went through this tragedy? Who would put this on a toy for a kid to play with," she questions.

The girl's father bought the package at a Hispanic grocery store on 17-92 in Polk County. The owner tells Channel 9 he never noticed exactly what the deliveryman was hanging.

A company called El Club Mexicano, based in Ashboro, N.C., packages and distributes the toy packs. A spokesman tells Channel 9 they stopped shipping them two months ago when they discovered the picture of bin laden. They say they received their shipment from L and M Exports in Miami.

You may remember the name. That's the same company that shipped a toy depicting a plane spinning between two identical towers, with the serial number '9011' on each one.

Vega remembers seeing our story on that terror toy. "It just hit me, with the two towers and the airplane and now this. What's going on? What else are we going to find in one of these packages?" she comments.

We called L and M Import and Export on Tuesday. They say they get the phones from China and were unaware of the picture of bin Laden. They plan to recall the toy and stop doing business with the company. It's not clear why that company would put the picture on the phone.

This is the third controversial toy. The first was a toy showing two similar towers with a plane spinning between. It was discovered in an Orange County store. The second was Osama bin Laden between the same two towers, bought in another state. The first two toys were recalled.

More Headlines

Make WFTV Your Power On

Did you ever turn your television off at night and notice the next morning that your set comes on to a different channel? You can set your cable box so that your TV comes on to the station you want. It's easy! Full Story ››
Step-By-Step Text Instructions


County-By-County News

Strange News Photos

From brilliant to bizarre, our 99-photo slideshow captures a variety of strange news. Photos are added often. Take A Look!

Get Hyper-Local On WFTV.com

Visit our County-By-County section for the latest news headlines out of your county. » County-By-County

When you take videos or photos of Central Florida news or weather events, iWitness is your place to upload them. » iWitness

Visit your headquarters for county-by-county news and resources, and a place to share community videos and photos. » 9Central

Follow WFTV On Twitter

Want to know about the latest breaking news or "can't miss" stories? Then sign up to follow us on Twitter. Learn more here!
Facebook: Be Our Fan!
MySpace: Be Our Friend