Student Arrested After Pilot Uniform Found

SF Gate & AP ^ | September 16, 2005

[SmithL]

Memphis -- A university student from Egypt was ordered held without bond after prosecutors said they found a pilot's uniform, chart of Memphis International Airport and a DVD titled "How an Airline Captain Should Look and Act" in his apartment.

The FBI is investigating whether Mahmoud Maawad, 29, had any connection to terrorists. He is awaiting trial on charges of wire fraud and fraudulent use of a Social Security number.

Maawad, who is in the United States illegally, told the judge during a hearing Thursday that he is studying science and economics at the University of Memphis.

"My school is everything. I stay in this country for seven years; I stay for the school," he said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker said Thursday that the airport-related items were found during a Sept. 9 search.

[radiohead]

You'd think they could at least, at the very, very, very least, have maken sure that all their MUSLIM students were here LEGALLY.

All I can say is yes. Profiling or not, we need to know where those folks are all the time.

[davidosborne]

BTTT

[neutronsgalore]

"Put him in the back seat of a QF-4, converted from one of the Navy models, with no controls in the rear seat."

Do just like the French did in Algeria, torture the scumbag until you've wrung out every last bit of useful info and then execute him.

[wildcatf4f3]

Lamp post justice

[pepsionice]

Well...it is possible that the dude was using the suit and act to get babes. We know that airline pilots simply have to show up in a bar...talk flying...and five or six women will invite him for a drink. I don't want to know this guy until I hear more evidence...like getting funding from questionable sources to pay for his student requirements (which I haven't heard a hint of...and you have to ask how he was paying for college).

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

Yeah, but what if he paid his account in full?

I suspect they wouldn't have said a word.

[Yaelle]

Sounds like he is a Jihadist, or at least in sympathy. So glad we caught him... Who are we missing???

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

Memphis. Straight shot up to Chicago.

Sears Tower is probably the next target.

[txhurl]

bttt

[Cougar66]

nice find.

[dr_who_2]

Red handed.

[Denver Ditdat]

I'm a seasoned Avionics technician.

Spark chaser, sparky, tweak, conehead, twidget, ditdat, wirehead... lots of names for us. It's good to see another fellow tron here on FR.

[A CA Guy]

Subject him to interrogation with drugs and such and find out who all his contacts are, and who else might be working with them.

[Cougar66]

Speaking of Byck The Assassination of Richard Nixon $708,776 gross as per boxofficemojo.com no wonder penn was running around NOLA with a shotgun

[DoctorMichael]

Swift trial.

Swifter execution.

[Denver Ditdat]

The real question is, why didn't they report him when he bought the stuff? Why only when he didn't pay for it?

Because it's perectly legal for Sporty's Pilot Shop to sell any of the items offered in thier catalog to anyone with the money. Why would they report a paying customer for conducting business with them?

[Walkin Man]

Maawad, who is in the United States illegally...

Just doing the jobs Americans refuse to do. /sarcasm

[newzjunkey]

Glad he was picked up. Let's hope there's a case to be made.

Maawad, who is in the United States illegally

I'm shocked! (/sarcasm)

[6SJ7]

"And now, Mr. Salesperson, I would like to buy the airline pilot uniform. I am big, important airline pilot and need new uniform to impress the foxes. What you just stand there for? Get uniform NOW you infidel!"