FBI and INS Raid Dozens of Jewelry Stores in Search for Terrorist Financiers

AP via APO ^ | 7/8/02 | Christopher Newton

[Jean S]

FBI and INS Raid Dozens of Jewelry Stores in Search for Terrorist Financiers and Immigration Violators

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal investigators are conducting raids nationwide on jewelry stores owned by Pakistanis and others from the Middle East, hoping to break up fronts for terrorist groups or their financial backers, U.S. officials say.

The raids have taken place in several cities over the past two weeks, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Atlanta and New York. About 75 jewelry stores have been raided, said a law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Tariq Hussain, 27, a recently discharged U.S. Army mechanic whose Intrigue Jewelers kiosk in suburban Pittsburgh was searched on June 26, said FBI agents questioned him for several hours and wanted to know if he had connections to the al-Qaida terrorist network or its leader, Osama bin Laden.

"They took everything, my paperwork, bills, my computer, my checks," he said. "I told them, 'I don't have any links to anything like that.'"

The raids were not prompted by evidence of wrongdoing by all the individuals who were questioned, another U.S. official said. More than a dozen people are still in detention following the raids.

The government had acknowledged that some raids were conducted in late June, but had refused to discuss whether they were linked to efforts to fight terrorism. Some officials referred to the raids as "immigration sweeps."

The officials said the jewelry shop owners have been asked about their accounting practices and whether they send money to any foreign organizations on a regular basis. They are also asked whether they support al-Qaida or know anyone who does, the officials said.

It is unclear how businesses are being targeted for the raids. The U.S. official said the authority to conduct the raids was under seal and declined to cite the statute that makes the raids legal.

Justice Department spokesman Brian Sierra said immediately after the raids that federal agencies were "looking at illegal immigrants working at kiosks," but he refused to elaborate.

Immigration and Naturalization Service officials would not comment on the raids, except to acknowledge that an ongoing operation was underway.

The largest raids took place between June 28 and July 2. Agents swept jewelry stores in Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Alabama, Georgia and North Carolina. Since then, two smaller raids have taken place in Texas, California and Massachusetts, officials said. Most of the raids involved the Intrigue Jewelers chain of stores.

Intrigue Jewelers franchises are licensed from a Florida company, Gold Concept Inc., which lists Orlando businessman Arif Rajan as its chief officer in state records.

Calls to Gold Concept were not returned Monday. Rajan has an unlisted phone number at his home in Ocoee, Fla.

Immigration attorney Neil Rambana, who is representing three Pakistani men arrested in a raid at the Governor's Square mall in Tallahassee, Fla., said the FBI and INS were on a "fishing expedition."

"There is no proof and no one has presented any evidence that would put these people under suspicion," Rambana said in a telephone interview. "This was all about abusing people's rights in the hopes that there were a few guilty people among them."

The raids have sparked outrage among some members of Muslim communities.

"These people are being confronted and in some cases terrorized based on no evidence," said Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "And even when the FBI says there is evidence, it is never anything anyone else is allowed to see."

In a court filing, the Justice Department has defended its right to detain people without revealing information about their identity or where they are held during terrorism investigations. The government says 74 people have been detained as part of the Sept. 11 investigation and are being held on immigration-related charges.

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Associated Press Writer David B. Caruso contributed to this report.

AP-ES-07-08-02 1714EDT

[Mo1]

Look what's in the news again

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[Husker24]

None of these people are going to be dumb enough to admit that they support Al Qeada, whats the FBI thinking. Also doesnt the FBI need probable cause and a search warrent to do all of this.

[Grampa Dave]

Sounds like we were on the right trail when we got into this.

Golly gee, it appears the Money Laundering and terrorist ATM Kiosks are going out of business.

[Dog]

Why is this back in the news again??

[Dog]

Remember the warning about terrorist and malls awhile back??

Somewhere in Gitmo or in a prison in Afghanistan someone has talked of Intrigue Jewelers...bet on it.

Feds didn't pick this chain out of the phone book..

[Shermy]

Ping.

[Mo1]

Tariq Hussain, 27, a recently discharged U.S. Army mechanic whose Intrigue Jewelers kiosk in suburban Pittsburgh was searched on June 26

Was this guy mentioned before???

[Dog]

I want to say yeah .....but would have to double check..

[summer]

Federal investigators are conducting raids nationwide on jewelry stores owned by Pakistanis and others from the Middle East, hoping to break up fronts for terrorist groups or their financial backers, U.S. officials say.

I think they should also be looking into restaurants being used as fronts for terrorists. In Belgium, the Blue Nile restaurant, an Egyptian eatery, is where the terrorists hid bomb-making materials and supplies in their plot to blow up the US Embassy in Paris. They found this stuff in the basement. I'm sure the US has plenty of restaurant basements that haven't been seen by any health inspectors in some time now...

[AmusedBystander]

Related article here.

[Jean S]

Thanks for the link. I knew I'd seen the story before. It appears that there's been more activity lately.

[Miss Marple]

Oh, I think we should send a message to local health inspectors. Perhaps the FDA could send a message.

[doug from upland]

We have to keep their feet to the fire to do what is necessary.

[MaeWest]

The shops that open up for a couple of months to sell calenders are also odd. They are run by Middle Easterners who don't seem to care if they sell anything. They also wouldn't care if someone shoplifted half their inventory as they hang out in the back room and don't even look up at customers.

[Mixer]

Glad to see them going after the right people. Now if only the airports would pull them out of line instead of 95 year old white women.

[Mixer]

Tariq Hussain, 27, a recently discharged U.S. Army mechanic whose Intrigue Jewelers kiosk in suburban Pittsburgh was searched on June 26, said FBI agents questioned him for several hours and wanted to know if he had connections to the al-Qaida terrorist network or its leader, Osama bin Laden

....to which he responded yes and they let him go.

[Grampa Dave]

FYI and looking forward to your insight and comments re these characters.

[Marine Inspector]

Also doesnt the FBI need probable cause and a search warrent to do all of this.

The U.S. official said the authority to conduct the raids was under seal and declined to cite the statute that makes the raids legal.

Looks like they have probable cause. Also doesnt the FBI need probable cause and a search warrent to do all of this.

The U.S. official said the authority to conduct the raids was under seal and declined to cite the statute that makes the raids legal.

Looks like they have probable cause.

[Marine Inspector]

Sorry, can't say much of anything about it. But you will see much more of this.

[Grampa Dave]

That is good news on the second part of your answer. I hope we see a whole lot of this type of actions.

Stay safe out there!

[LaineyDee]

the FBI need probable cause and a search warrent to do all of this.

Correct me if I'm wrong.....but if you are not a citizen of this country... you don't have any constitutional protection.

[Napoleon Solo]

Next we should go after Dunkin' Donuts, 7-11's and All gas stations. If you think this is funny, look around. They are the only ones in start-up businesses that are "Cash" and carry.

[mombonn]

The raids have sparked outrage among some members of Muslim communities.

Where was their outrage on 9/11??????? We certainly didn't hear from them then. I'm sick of these whining people.

[devildogO341]

They need to start checking car dealership's as well, there is a car dealer near me, run by some Middle Eastern folks on 2 of the dealer's POV's they have the American flag sticker displayed upside down with another bumper sticker with "Praise Allah" next to it. I know and upside down flag means distress, but still....

[Clovis_Skeptic]

The raids have sparked outrage among some members of Muslim communities.

Good! It is warranted, and about time.

[Migraine]

said the FBI and INS were on a "fishing expedition."

Better that than a hunting expedition. That's why they called the show "Dragnet" (dum-da-dum-tum).

[Iscool]

Also doesnt the FBI need probable cause and a search warrent to do all of this.

As I understand it, probable cause went out the window when the new Patriot Act came in...All that's needed is "suspicion" + nothing...This was pretty popular in Nazi Germany...

I'm glad to see someone is going after the muslims but this new law is good for everybody...It could be you next...

[Quilla]

I never paid much attention to the jewelry operations manned by Middle Easterners in our local mall (in Alabama) until 9/11. Being the mother of teenagers, I visit the mall with some regularity and have started to pay particular attention to these vendors. I have yet to see a customer at the jewelry kiosk or in the one jewelry store run by what I believe are Pakistanis. The rent for these two entities is astronomical adding even more fuel to my suspicion fire.

[RooRoobird14]

Do your patriotic duty to combat terrorism and buy your jewelry from Helzberg Diamonds (owned by Warren Buffett).

I promise to do my part to combat terrorism. LOL

[Marine Inspector]

I have yet to see a customer at the jewelry kiosk or in the one jewelry store run by what I believe are Pakistanis. The rent for these two entities is astronomical adding even more fuel to my suspicion fire.

They are out there. May be not in your area, but they are out there. Also, they are being used to launder money, so it does not mean the they will have middle eastern people running or visiting the shop.

[calcowgirl]

Immigration attorney Neil Rambana, who is representing three Pakistani men arrested... said the FBI and INS were on a "fishing expedition."

Good! I hope they keep it up and don't adopt a catch-and-release policy.