[ElephantinTexas]

Here's some more info from KENS 5 TV and The San Antonio Express-News. You have to register to their site for the page and I'll post the link if you want me to. It's at www.mysa.com but here's the entire text.

Five on small plane detained at Stinson
Web Posted: 01/25/2005 12:00 AM CST
Vincent T. Davis
San Antonio Express-News
Four immigrants and a pilot were detained after a Homeland Security Department division helped surround their plane at Stinson Municipal Airport on Monday night.
The five are being investigated in connection with a smuggling operation involving Chinese nationals, said Capt. Jeff Humphrey, San Antonio police special operations commander.
The five had been flying in a single-engine Cessna 172P south of San Antonio.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement requested help from the San Antonio Police Department, which provided a Chinese linguist to translate for the two male and two female passengers.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane is co-owned by Afzal Hameed of Dover, Del., and Alyce S. Taylor.

[Liberty Valance]

Excellent first post EinTX. Welcome to FR.
Lot's of great Texas Freepers on this board.
I'm near Kerrville...

[conservative in nyc]

Here's the plane's registration info:

AFZAL HAMEED
Co-Owned
30 OLD RUDNICK LN
DOVER, DE 19901 US
(Kent County)
1985
17276369
N98873
LYCOMING/0-320 SERIES
180 HorsePower

Fixed Wing Single Engine Info Manufacturer CESSNA
Model 172P
Code 2072436
Number of Seats 4
Number of Engines 1
Number FAA Registered 1,621

Does the 4 seats include the pilot seat, or was the plane a wee bit cramped? And was Afzal flying?

[conservative in nyc]

More: Afzal Hameed is President of Alpha Tango Flying Services, Inc. at Stinson Airport. Alyce S. Taylor is co-owner and instructor.

According to a September 23, 2001 Washington Post article, Alpha Tango was one of the 4 flight schools that trained Abdul Hakim Murad. Murad was convicted of masterminding the mid-1990s plot to fly 12 planes into the Pacific and 1 into CIA headquarters.

The article also states:

After the Sept. 11 attack, Afzal contacted the FBI about names on a published list of suspects, believing some of the hijackers might also have taken instruction at Alpha Tango, according to a report in the San Antonio Express-News.

Sounds like the FBI knows who this guy is and where to find him.

[robomurph]

5 people in a 172P? They are lucky to be alive.

[Grampa Dave]

How many air miles is Stinson from Crawford?

Thanks for your posting of this thread and welcome to FR!

[piasa]

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane is co-owned by Afzal Hameed of Dover, Del., and Alyce S. Taylor.

Texas Department of Health records:

VITAL RECORDS - ATASCOSA COUNTY, TX - MARRIAGES 1980

File #: 145953
Husband name: AFZAL, HAMEED
Husband age: 23
Wife name: TAYLOR, ALYCE S
Wife age: 45
Marriage date: 13-Oct-1980