DOMESTIC SECURITY: Man is 'terrorist or a thief,' DeKalb says - Booked rooms near CDC with 5 others

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 11-3-2001 | Ben Smith - Staff

[FreedomPoster]

One of six men questioned by the FBI last month for allegedly booking a hotel room across from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is being held until authorities can figure out who he is.

The 20-year-old man, being held at the DeKalb County Jail under the name Abu Abdullah Qastalani, "is either a terrorist or a thief," said DeKalb County District Attorney J. Tom Morgan.

"If's he's a terrorist, he's the feds' problem, and if he's a thief, he's DeKalb's problem," Morgan said.

Local authorities were alerted to the six men, all from foreign countries, when they ran up nearly $1,000 in hotel bills shortly after booking three rooms at the Emory Inn and Conference Center on a bogus credit card.

The Emory University police, the DeKalb County District Attorney's office and the FBI apprehended the men on Oct. 5. They arrested Qastalani the next day on credit card theft charges but had no grounds to hold the other five.

The new anti-terrorism law went into effect a week ago Friday. It gives law enforcement officials broad powers, including permitting the detention of immigrants up to seven days who have not been charged with anything. But that law was not in effect, Morgan said.

Authorities say Qastalani and his compatriots flew to Atlanta from Paris on tickets purchased a day before on a fraudulent credit card. Morgan said Qastalani has had passports with multiple identities and was holding credit cards under eight names, one tied to a bank in Israel. The Immigration and Naturalization Service is investigating his background.

The men told authorities they had flown to Atlanta from Paris to transport heavy equipment from a Sam's Club to a restaurant. While in metro Atlanta, the group rented a U-Haul truck in Gwinnett County and visited several area strip clubs. The truck was discovered in the hotel parking lot.

Qastalani, who claims to be a British citizen born in Pakistan, was arrested a year ago by Doraville police on a traffic violation under the name Fahie Aziz. He never showed up for court, Morgan said.

--- Staff writer Jane O. Hansen contributed to this article.

[FreedomPoster]

It looks like a possible terrorist attack on the CDC was averted here.

Can someone explain why non-citizens in cases like this aren't grabbed by the military and dealt with under martial law? I am not buying the alibi line that "we came from Paris to move some equipment from Sam's to a restaurant". The five compatriots should have been held for a substantial investigation. All six of these guys should be in custody, the way I read this. Am I crazy, or is our government?

[DWSUWF]

(Assuming these were terrorists...)

Once again they've been tripped up by their moronic inattention to the 'money detail'.

It's like being attacked by unemployed people who've just gone through a bankruptcy... They're apparently broke, trying to grift their way as they go.

If they were shooting at us they'd be shoplifting the bullets at Wally World.

You almost want to write them a check so that they can afford to mount a decent attack on us. At least that way we could say, "Hey, they coulda been contenders!" when confronted on the subject.

[IceGirl2]

These people were allowed in the country AFTER 9-11. I have sent a copy of this to my Congressman and have told him that if Immigration does not stop allowing people to enter this country on bogus reasons then I will work so hard to get him UNELECTED that he won't know what happened to him. No MORE QUESTIONABLE people with passports from any country should be allowed in the States. These people are TERRORISTS. These people are killers. All six of them should be in JAIL and throw away the key.

IF they enter this country on false passports I consider them ENEMY ALIENS and as far as I am concerned they should be SHOT on sight.

Venting in this forum is nice--but it will only be if we let our Congressmen and Senators (Republican or Democrat) that we will start posting their actions in response to these threats on our site and we will track their reactions so that their constituents are aware if they let these types of violations continue.

Be vigilant. Watch and report.

I think one of the most important laws that we can pass is to tie up the assets of anyone sponsoring someone who comes into this country by making them issue a bond. If the people they sponsor do anything illegal or our found to be carrying (multiple!!!) false passports then these people will lose their homes and businesses.

If someone doesn't have a sponsor then they can go visit Afghanistan. We don't need them.

[NautiNurse]

This certainly sounds like another cell was captured. I
didn't see when the group actually arrived in the U.S.

[livius]

Captured, yes - but then they set them loose again. Go figure. Doesn't make any sense to me.

[NautiNurse]

Groan--that gives me a sick feeling in my gut. Reaching for the Pepto Bismol again...

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

The CDC should be located in a secure area with serious protection similar to a prison or secure military base. They have dangerous biological agents stored at their location. We should asked why CDC has a hotel across the street. CDC should be isolated and guarded like the Fort Knox gold vault.

[RippleFire]

While in metro Atlanta, the group ... visited several area strip clubs.

Same MO too!

[FreedomPoster]

Yeah, I noticed that, too. Of course, the Federal Government closed down the Gold Club, in a case that involved many famous pro athletes. Much more important work for the past few years than, say, hunting down terrorists.

[layman]

Their story should be easy enough to check out. Do the Sam's Club owner and the restaurant owner back it up? And, if so, can they explain why they would fly people from FRANCE to do the job? Did they realize these people were using phoney credit cards?

Their story is implausable. The Sam's Club owner, if he backs up their story, should also be thoroughly checked out. My guess is that his name is something like Mohammad Abu Abdula.

I'm getting real frustrated with the impotence of our law enforcement agencies and the gutlessness of our lawmakers. We're just going to have to take care of it ourselves.

[FreedomPoster]

I think if there's another serious event, that's exactly what's going to start happening.