http://www.nydailynews.com/2001-09-25/News_and_Views/Beyond_the_City/a-126359.asp U.S. Charges Man Aided 5 Terrorists By TIMOTHY J. BURGER
WASHINGTON  he government filed the first charges for aiding the terrorists yesterday against a man who helped five of the hijackers obtain driver's licenses in Virginia.
For a measly $50, according to the complaint filed in Alexandria, Va., Herbert Villalobos signed a document Aug. 2 saying Abdulaziz Alomari lived at the Virginia home of "Manny Diaz" — a fake name Villalobos used to make money. A second man was also in on the scheme but has not been charged because he is cooperating with the feds. Authorities have indicated it's likely the men did not know whom they were helping and were doing it only to make a quick buck. In all, the two men helped Alomari — who was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, which rammed into the World Trade Center's north tower — and four other hijackers. The others were identified as Hani Hanjour, Salem Alhamzi and Majed Moqed — who were aboard American Flight 77 out of Washington's Dulles, which crashed into the Pentagon — and Ahmed Alghamdi, who was aboard United Flight 175 out of Boston, which hit the south tower in New York. According to the affidavit filed by FBI agent Brian Weidner, the five approached Villalobos and the other man in a parking lot near a motor vehicles office and asked for help getting documents proving residency. The five then went with the two men to get the documents notarized and returned for their licenses — giving them identification to show airport ticket agents. According to the affidavit, the scam is common outside motor vehicle offices and was not the first pulled by Villalobos. Driver's licenses are emerging as an important form of fraudulent documentation obtained by the hijackers to move around more smoothly. A material witness arrested in the probe, Nabil Al-Marabh — an alleged associate of suspected terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden — was arrested last week in Chicago and had five Michigan driver's licenses, authorities said. He was transferred from Chicago to New York yesterday.
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