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.

[r9etb]

Seven years of undergrad work....down the drain?

A picture of the suspect....

[jimbo123]

Mohohammed Atta was an Egyptian, too.

[b4its2late]

You'd think 7 years would be long enough to learn how to properly speak our damn language.

He probably wasn't studying the language. Probably studying ways to kill us.

[OldFriend]

LOCK HIM UP.

THROW AWAY THE KEYS.

[wolfcreek]

halloween costume and props?

[martin_fierro]

I'm sure there's a perfectly innocent explanation.

< |:/~

[RSmithOpt]

Give me a break.....an Arab in the US trying to pick up women impersonating an airline pilot...now that would be weird, but, the nuts are all around us. I hope he'd never try to impersonate a military officer as a fighter pilot. If his top isn't high and tight, that would be a giveaway. Now that would be another major stooooopid besides not paying his tab.

[b4its2late]

Wow. Lot's of stuff there....

[Wurlitzer]

You know, it is bad enough USA universities allow so many foreigners to enroll which only limits access to our citizens and drives up their admission costs but to allow this illegal maggot infested vermin to hide under the university umbrella is beyond the pale.

$100,000 fine for every illegal found to be employed or enrolled anywhere in the USA might just stop some of this nonsense.

[CodeToad]

"The company reported Maawad to authorities when he didn't pay for $2,500 of merchandise it had delivered"


Is there that much material available as to spend $2,500+?

[Teacher317]

Nice headline. He's just a "student", not a "Muslim illegal immigrant"

[Wurlitzer]

"Sounds like he should join his comrades in Guantanamo."

No, he should join his 9/11 comrades wrapped in pig skin.

[silverleaf]

...Seven years of college down the drain. Might as well join the f#cking Peace Corps.
Bluto, "Animal House"

[isrul]

I'll bet, even now, the ACLU is judge shopping for a Carter or Clinton pig to release this mahammedan dog on his own recognizance.

[satan]

Is this what they refer to as a "true freshman" in college football?

[MississippiMan]

Makes perfect sense. Memphis is undoubtedly one of the sloppiest run major airports in the country and an obvious target for someone who wants to infiltrate the system.

MM

[expatpat]

He sounds like a professional student, as well as a would-be pilot impersonator. Perhaps he just enjoyed the movie "Catch Me If You Can"........

[Airborne1986]

Just a joke. I think Sam Malone did it on an episode of Cheers. Also, a confidence man did it in this movie:

[KC_for_Freedom]

The plot thickens, and "24" has not started yet. This might be a case for the water board.

[Natural Law]

"I stay in this country for seven years; I stay for the school,"

He obviously failed his English requirements.