Posted on 04/23/2002 2:07:10 AM PDT by kattracks
A Staten Island mailman who was a follower of the blind terror sheik tracked down confidential addresses of FBI agents and prosecutors pursuing Al Qaeda, according to court records and federal sources.
Ahmed Sattar, described by federal prosecutors as a point man for a major terror group in America, was spotted by one federal agent near his home. The agent moved his family from the area.
Sattar also was put on the federal payroll, receiving thousands of dollars to be a paralegal for Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman during his 1995 terror trial, government officials said.
Even though federal investigators became suspicious of Sattar as early as 1993, he had the authority as a mailman to deliver and pick up express mail from Kennedy Airport, giving him access to restricted areas barred to the public.
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Sattar was reassigned to a post office in a remote section of Staten Island with no access to the airport.
The FBI arrested Sattar two weeks ago along with the sheik's lawyer Lynne Stewart and two others on charges of providing support to a terrorist group.
The charges contrast sharply with Sattar's image as a mild-mannered 15-year veteran of the Postal Service quietly raising four children with an American wife on Staten Island.
But a review of documents and interviews with federal officials reveal that for years, Sattar has been under suspicion for his activities on behalf of al-Gama'at al-Islamiyya, a particularly vicious terror group that slaughtered 58 tourists in 1997 at Luxor, Egypt.
Sattar's affiliation with terrorism surfaced in 1993, as the FBI zeroed in on the sheik's involvement in an al-Gama'at conspiracy to blow up New York landmarks such as the Holland Tunnel and the United Nations.
The English-speaking Sattar became the spokesman for the blind cleric.
The FBI knew in early 1993, shortly after the World Trade Center bombing, that an FBI informant named Emad Salem told the bureau that Sattar said he obtained the unpublished home address of a lead agent in the sheik's investigation.
Salem told the agent, John Anticev, who then recalled seeing Sattar in a postal uniform near his home. Fearing for his children's safety, Anticev moved, court records state.
Sattar also was investigated for obtaining the home address of other agents and prosecutors looking into the origins of Al Qaeda, a federal source told the Daily News.
Nevertheless, he was allowed to continue delivering mail to a facility inside a restricted section at Kennedy Airport.
Postal Inspector spokeswoman Pat Bossert confirmed that Sattar had access to Kennedy in picking up express mail, but insisted he did not have "special access" to other restricted areas.
She declined to discuss the FBI's investigation of Sattar's efforts to obtain addresses of agents and prosecutors.
'Cleaned Up Everything'
Investigators also discovered that Sattar was involved deeply with Trade Center bomber Mohammed Salameh. The informant Salem said Satter became agitated when he learned Salameh had been arrested.
"As soon as he had heard about Salameh's arrest, he had run home right away and 'cleaned up everything,'" Salem told the FBI. Later, Sattar asked Salem "if there was a way to clean chemicals off the body so that no residue was left behind," according to court documents.
Sattar's wife, Lisa, doesn't believe the charges. She describes him as a quiet man, a devoted father who works two jobs to pay for their small rented apartment.
"Supposedly all this stuff went on from the home. It's highly unlikely," she said. "Our apartment is very small. I can hear him talking on the phone."
Remember that the Clintons/Janet Reno made sure that AKAL got contracts for security for several courts.
interesting point sal. maybe it's time to get what's left of the ol AKAL gang back together for this one?
I wonder if he speaks Arabic. If so, she wouldn't know anything he's saying.
What is there remaining, 4 of us? Besides, I'm turning all of youse guys in for "un-patriotismistic actions". Or something. That's my Stratergery for getting a warm coat for next winter at the camp.
I'll start looking a bit later. 'Til then ---
"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream."
—LaCrosse, Wis., Oct. 18, 2000
Lincoln, 60, is employed by Akal Security, a Santa Cruz, N.M., company that provides armed security officers for federal courthouses in 10 states and the District of Columbia. Akal Security officials did not return phone calls Friday.
[snip]
FIRM RAN SECURITY AT OKLA. BOMB SITE
I hope I'm not going too far off topic.
They've known about OBL since '93 as well. They only do something when they feel like it.
I do wish those that rightly criticize Ruby Ridge would realize that most federal law enforcement agents are very good, very professional people who really do put their lives on the line.Sorry but that statement ranks right up there with "Most Catholic priests are fine..." and "Most Moslems are peaceful and do not subscribe to the bloodthirsty and retrograde aspects of Islam." It may be true in the strictest numeric sense, but the ones with serious problems have, at least, become such a large minority that the whole structure of how LEOs are recruited trained and managed has to be called into question, along with the priviledges enjoyed by LEOs.
Also, if the majority of LEOs are so good, why don't they do more to reform the systemic problems caused by the WoD and by legal double standards? Why no outcry among LEOs about, for example, the FBI agent who shot that kid in the face? Why aren't the LEO unions asking for fewer SWAT teams and less militarization of LEOs? Why the blue wall of silence? It is these facts that make it hard to believe most LEOs deserve support.
This is random, but might lead somewhere for somebody else. I'll keep looking and familiarizing to see if I find an Outside Security Contractor, but with what this one case shows is that the papers flow like water, and about any info you might want will be somewhere in them.
"Sattar also was investigated for obtaining the home address of other agents and prosecutors looking into the origins of Al Qaeda, a federal source told the Daily News.
Nevertheless, he was allowed to continue delivering mail to a facility inside a restricted section at Kennedy Airport.
Postal Inspector spokeswoman Pat Bossert confirmed that Sattar had access to Kennedy in picking up express mail, but insisted he did not have "special access" to other restricted areas." <<<<<< SNIP >>>>>>
"After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Sattar was reassigned to a post office in a remote section of Staten Island with no access to the airport.
She declined to discuss the FBI's investigation of Sattar's efforts to obtain addresses of agents and prosecutors."
<<<<<< SNIP >>>>>>>
"that might require certain services rendered such as access to certain people and/or records (jurors' names?). Chances are IMO that IF it is AKAL, there will be a subsidiary with a different name IF certain specific type services are required..."
This one was interesting for it's parallel potential and possibilities ------
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Press Release
For Immediate Release October 4, 2001 |
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney Southern District of New York Robert Strang
(718) 422-5526 Joseph V. De Marco (718) 422-5364 Marvin Smilon, Herbert Hadad PAO (718) 422-5518
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MARY JO WHITE, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that YEAZID FARRAJ pled guilty in Manhattan federal court late yesterday to conspiracy to commit computer fraud, wire fraud, and interstate transportation of stolen goods in connection with his scheme to sell to opposing counsel a confidential trial plan....................... From - http://www.cybercrime.gov/farrajPlea.htm |
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An interesting notice on the above site is that the Court is Deemed Inaccessable from Oct. 22 'til as recently as April 22nd -- "
Notice
Because the U.S. Postal Service facility servicing the court has been closed, the Clerk's Office is deemed inaccessible on October 22, 2001, pursuant to Fed. R. App. P. 26(a)(3)."
I just ran across an old article that covers a "Terrorism Court" that was set up by Clinton in '96 that is NOT FISA. I'll post the article and flag you to it.
I'm curious WHY they're pushing the "Tribunal" military bit when this thing has been around for years (and BTW, NEVER USED). I'll be on it shortly.
L
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