ABC is backtracking on the "convert" information. He very well may be a Jordonian national and a graduate of Damascus University. Brian Ross said that he may be a life-long Muzzie and that this is his birth name.
Even more interesting, then. A Jordanian named Nidal. Time to start snooping around to see what sort of connection this man had to the ANO. I can’t be the only one thinking of Abu Nidal, here. Notorious, 30+ organized terror attacks worldwide.