Posted on 07/27/2005 8:40:50 PM PDT by Bayou City
Five Egyptians yesterday were nabbed in a New Jersey apartment with New York subway maps, a video of Big Apple landmarks and $8,000 in cash after a tipster told cops one was related to infamous 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta.
But police said the men — all illegal immigrants working "menial" jobs — did not appear to be part of any terror cell, although they had not yet fully explained why they had the items in the Newark home.
One of the men was identified as Ahmed Mohamed Atta, 30. But there is no indication he is related to the fiend who navigated a plane into the World Trade Center, officials added.
"The investigation is continuing, but so far there is no nexus to terrorism," FBI rep Steven Siegel said.
The men will be deported based on their illegal status, authorities said. One of the five, Mohamed Ibrahim Gaber, had been wanted since September 2000 for jumping from an Egyptian freighter in Baltimore.
Sources said a 911 caller told Newark cops Sunday that the men had guns and knives and were planning some kind of attack. The tipster later called back and insisted one of the men was related to the hijacker.
Authorities searching the home at 246 Ferry St. in the city's Ironbound section discovered the maps, touristy video and a bag stuffed with $20 and $50 bills.
According to a police document, other seized items included: "various engineering paperwork regarding structures and railways," a Hewlett Packard computer, two Sony Handycams, two cellphones and bank papers.
All of the men claimed to be unemployed civil or chemical engineers.
One of them, Karim Ahmed Abdel Latif Ahmed, 21, told cops he needed the maps for his new job as a street vendor.
Also found was a train schedule with several stops circled. The route was one that Gaber, 34, had mapped out to get to work at a Gotham eatery, Siegel said.
No weapons were found.
Authorities believe the 911 caller had some ax to grind with the men.
The other men in custody were identified as Karim Ahmed's 19-year-old brother, Mahmoud Ahmed Abdel Latif Ahmed, and Ibrahim Mohamed Sameh Mahboub, 24.
A sixth housemate, Mohamed Talat Anwar Hozain, 24, is in the country legally, Siegel said.
Hozain last night told The Post that he had attended Egypt's Alexandria University with Mahboub to study chemical engineering and that he had been in the United States for only three weeks.
Asked if Mahboub and the other men had any terror ties, he said, "As far as I know, they just came here to make a lot of money working. . . . They worked in fried chicken.
"I think [Mahboub] is a very good man — he wouldn't [be involved in terrorism]," Hozain said.
Man, This is just , just............
Isn't it just............
figured I had better fess up - the above picture is of some guy robbing a station in a chicken suit...probably not our man, Mah-boob.
These people seem to be able to come in at will. Homeland security is such a joke.
Just last week there was a post stating that the NYC vendor licensing bureau now prohibits asking about an applicant's immigration or citizenship status.
So becoming a NYC "street vendor" now provides all sorts of cover for running surveillance, laundering money, and conducting illegal business, and even provides a semi-plausible story if one is caught in a terrorist plot.
The monumental stupidity of big-city bureaucrats is staggering.
Hozain last night told The Post that he had attended Egypt's Alexandria University with Mahboub to study chemical engineering and that he had been in the United States for only three weeks.How did he get here..Canada or Mexico?
FYI
Just last week there was a post stating that the NYC vendor licensing bureau now prohibits asking about an applicant's immigration or citizenship status.
In this bizarro PC world, it's almost as if we're saying, "Okay, we're going to fight terrorism, but we're only going to do it after first tying our ankles together with a rope, putting earplugs in our ears, putting handcuffs on our wrists and putting on a blindfold."
It would be laughable if it weren't so dangerously stupid.
What a joke. Isn't that the excuse given for all illegal immigrants? Working menial jobs? And working menial jobs and they have $8,000 dollars in hand? Let's put two and two together and what does security come up with? Poor immigrants working menial jobs. Barf.
- Five Egyptians
- New York subway maps, a video of Big Apple landmarks and $8,000 in cash
- related to infamous 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta
- Mohamed Ibrahim Gaber, had been wanted since September 2000 for jumping from an Egyptian freighter in Baltimore
- discovered the maps, touristy video and a bag stuffed with $20 and $50 bills
- other seized items included: "various engineering paperwork regarding structures and railways
- All of the men claimed to be unemployed civil or chemical engineers
- Also found was a train schedule with several stops circled
- "The investigation is continuing, but so far there is no nexus to terrorism," FBI rep Steven Siegel said
ping
Fruit? ^-^
Now if they were seen lighting a fuse they just might come under suspicion.
Some things just don't surprise one anymore, huh?
He's a legend and doesn't know it! ^-^
Yep.
BUMP!
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