Posted on 05/19/2010 5:12:05 PM PDT by Cindy
Note: The following text is a quote:
Al Qaeda Supporter Pleads Guilty to Supporting Terrorist Organization Kansas City Man Also Admits to Bank Fraud, Overseas Money Laundering
KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorist organization al Qaeda. He also pleaded guilty to bank fraud and money laundering.
“National security is the highest priority of the Department of Justice,” Phillips said. “I applaud the diligent work of our law enforcement partners from local, state and federal agencies that serve on the Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force. These agencies have made significant investments of manpower and resources to the task force, and I appreciate their commitment to defeating terrorism. Much of their work is done behind the scenes, investigating and gathering information, but they play a crucial role in preventing terrorist activities.”
Khalid Ouazzani, 32, of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to a federal information that charges him with conspiracy to provide material support to a terrorist organization. Ouazzani also pleaded guilty to charges contained in an indictment that was returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City on Feb. 3, 2010.
Ouazzani, a native of Morocco and a naturalized citizen of the United States, swore an oath of allegiance to al Qaeda in June 2008. Ouazzani admitted that, from August 2007 to February 2010, he participated in a conspiracy to provide material support or resources to al Qaeda.
Ouazzani also admitted that he personally provided more than $23,000 to al Qaeda and performed other tasks at the request of and for the benefit of al Qaeda. Ouazzani had conversations with others about various ways to support al Qaeda, including plans for them to fight in Afghanistan, Iraq, or Somalia.
“Citizens here in the heartland should be alert to suspicious activity and never hesitate to report their concerns to law enforcement. This case serves as a reminder that terrorist-related activities can occur anywhere,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian A. Truchon of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Kansas City field office.
Ouazzani agreed to contribute $6,500 to al Qaeda in August 2007. A co-conspirator, who is not identified in court documents, made that payment on Ouazzani’s behalf. Ouazzani repaid the co-conspirator in November 2007 through a wire transfer to the co-conspirator’s bank account in the United Arab Emirates. Those funds came from Ouazzani’s sale of his business, Hafssa LLC, doing business as Truman Used Auto Parts, a retail operation that bought and sold used auto parts and used motor vehicles.
In June or July 2008, Ouazzani also agreed to pay al Qaeda $17,000, which represented his profit from the sale of an apartment in the United Arab Emirates that was owned by Ouazzani and a co-conspirator (who is not identified in court documents).
Bank Fraud Scheme
Ouazzani obtained a $175,000 line of credit commercial loan from Union Bank in April 2007 for Hafssa LLC (Truman Used Auto Parts). Under the terms of the loan, the funds were to be used as working capital for his business. Ouazzani admitted that he submitted false financial information about himself and the company to obtain the loan, and used substantial amounts of the loan proceeds for various personal purposes.
Ouazzani made only approximately $13,000 in payments on this loan. In September 2008 Union Bank wrote off the loan (then in the amount of $174,028) as uncollectible. On Feb. 11, 2009, Union Bank obtained a civil default judgment against Ouazzani and Hafssa LLC in the amount of $177,001.
Money Laundering
Ouazzani admitted that he used part of the proceeds of the Union Bank loan to purchase an apartment in the United Arab Emirates with a co-conspirator.
On May 23, 2007, Ouazzani caused a wire transfer of $112,830 to be sent to a bank account in the United Arab Emirates. The funds for this wire transfer included funds obtained from the $175,000 Union Bank loan and involved a series of transactions designed to make it more difficult to trace the funds.
Ouazzani used the wire-transferred funds to purchase an apartment in the United Arab Emirates, which he later sold for a profit of approximately $17,000. Ouazzani requested a co-conspirator to pay this $17,000 to al Qaeda.
“The criminal justice system is a valuable tool for disrupting terrorist plots and bringing terrorists to justice,” Phillips said. “We must use every means—criminal prosecutions as well as intelligence and military operations—to protect the American people. Federal prosecutions not only result in long prison sentences, but yield valuable intelligence that can be used in the fight against al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations.”
Under federal statutes, Ouazzani is subject to a sentence of up to 65 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Daniel Stewart, David M. Ketchmark and Brian P. Casey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Menzel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri, with assistance from attorneys at the Justice Department’s National Security Division, including the Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Missouri Department of Social Services - Division of Legal Services Investigation Section.
Heart of America Joint Terrorism Task Force Federal Bureau of Investigation Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms Defense Criminal Investigative Service Federal Air Marshals Service IRS-Criminal Investigation Kansas City, Kan., Police Department Kansas City, Mo., Police Department Kansas Highway Patrol Missouri State Highway Patrol Overland Park, Kan., Police Department U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western District of Missouri and the District of Kansas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement U.S. Marshals Service U.S. Postal Inspection Service U.S. Secret Service
Missouri is my home state and I applaud the fine work all LE involved in apprehending this terroist supporter.
You’re welcome BARLF and I ditto your appreciation of the LE involved here.
You've been on FR for years longer than I have, yet this is the first time I recall seeing your name.
And I was intrigued, since I misread it at first as "BARF" (like in "Barf alert").
As penance, I clicked on your About page.
You really need to come visit Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Cheers!
I actually found FR in 1997 I think. Lost my actual sign up date when I changed FR name Aka fleebag. LOL
BARLF is a combination of initials of me and my Hubby. I just call it BARF with an L.
1993 or 1994 : (SUDAN : BAYAZID aka ABU RIDA AL SURI TRIES TO OBTAIN URANIUM FOR A NUCLEAR WEAPON ON BIN LADEN'S BEHALF --See KC CELL, URANIUM, WMD, TABA INVESTMENTS {see IRAQ, SUDAN}) Bayazid allegedly tried to obtain uranium for a nuclear weapon for bin Laden in 1993 or 1994 in Sudan, according to information that came out of a trial in New York City relating to the 1998 bombing of U.S. embassies in East Africa.
Bayazid, also known as Abu Rida al Suri, is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Syria. His current whereabouts are unknown."
-------- "PROSECUTOR ALLEGES HEAD OF MUSLIM CHARITY TRIED TO GET URANIUM FOR AL QAIDA," AP via CNEWS.CANOE.ca , January 30, 2003 http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WarOnTerrorism/2003/01/30/18150-ap.html
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BUSINESSMAN MOHAMED BAYAZID, aka Abu Rida al Suri
Age: 41
Last U.S. address: Kansas City, Mo.
A nuclear bomb for Osama bin Laden was a key goal for Syrian-American Mohamed Bayazid, according to court records. Using his U.S. passport to travel, Bayazid allegedly worked as a manager for bin Laden's Taba Investments in Khartoum, Sudan, during the early 1990s, buying uranium as well as tractors and automatic weapons.
His driver's license listed for his home the same address as Benevolence International, an Illinois-based charity whose assets are now frozen.
Bayazid lived in Kansas City until about 1994 and is now variously reported to be dead or living in Sudan or Turkey.
His uncle in Kansas City, Adnan Bayazid, believes his role was limited to buying supplies for the Afghan resistance, and he says that Mohamed grew disillusioned with bin Laden. He warns that officials may have the wrong man. "Mohamed is a very popular name," he says.
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/020610/usnews/10jihad.abu.htm
JUNE 2001 : (AL-DRAIBI aka KHALID S S ALDIRIBI LEAVES KANSAS CIY MO AND HEADS TO WASHINGTON DC AREA) Al-Draibi left Kansas City in June in an old Lincoln Town Car, a former roommate told The Kansas City Star. He was arrested about 15 miles from Dulles Airport on Sept. 11 driving a similar make and model, Hutcheson said. Records in U.S. District Court in Virginia show al-Draibi also used a third name, Khalid S.S. Aldiribi.
A cab driver by the name of Khalid S. Aldiribi took flight lessons in 1998 and '99 at Bessemer Aviation near Birmingham, Ala., school officials said.
Hutcheson said his client [AL-DRAIBI] had lived in Birmingham but would not elaborate.
Bessemer marketing director Shawn Patterson said instructors refused to continue flying with Aldiribi because "he was a buffoon" who refused to follow proper procedures and wouldn't listen to teachers, Patterson said.
A man named Khalid Suleimen worked as a cab driver in Nashville, Tenn., last year but state and federal authorities could not confirm that Suleimen was al-Draibi.
The FBI has issued a list of 21 names to banks seeking financial transactions in the investigation that included the name Khalid Ardiribi. -- http://216.239.35.100/search?q=cache:G0TPYXX89bIC:www.newstribune.com/stories/092401/sta_0924010046.asp+%22Khalid+al+Draibi%22&hl=en sta_0924010046.asp
SEPTEMBER 10, 2001 : (RICHMOND, VA : A VIRGINIA DRIVER'S LICENSE IS ISSUED TO KHALID AL DRAIBI ) Too Close to Home, http://www.law.com/cgi-bin/nwlink.cgi?ACG=ZZZ65Y00TUC
SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 evening : (KHALID AL DRAIBI DRAWS ATTENTION WHEN HE IS SEEN DRIVING IN MANASSAS PARK, VA, DRIVING WITH A FLAT TIRE) Too Close to Home, http://www.law.com/cgi-bin/nwlink.cgi?ACG=ZZZ65Y00TUC
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On the night of September 11th, Al-Draibi was pulled to the side of the road by Virginia state police. Al- Draibi was just driving along, with a flat tire. In his car, police found his drivers' license. And then another. And another. And another. And another. And then one more. Oh, and yet another. And then one last license. In all, Al-Draibi had drivers' licenses from EIGHT different states. That's not strange at all, folks, is it? Then there was Al-Draibi's flight manual for small aircraft. This led authorities to track down this gentleman's flight training history. It appears that from 1998 to 1999, Al-Draibi was just getting by as a taxi driver in Birmingham, AL. But, he must have been saving his pennies, because he paid for a series of flight instruction classes with a wad of cash. http://216.239.51.100/search?q=cache:szOSvEsRO10C:www.americancynic.com/10292001.html+%22Khalid+al+Draibi%22&hl=en
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Khalid al Draibi was arrested near Dulles International Airport the day of the attacks and was found to have flight manuals in his vehicle. He is charged with making false statements on a visa application, and claiming to be a U.S. citizen at the time of his arrest. Judge Claude Hilton set a trial date of December 4 on the charges and al Draibi remains in custody without bond.
The lawyer said al Draibi has passed an FBI polygraph test he believes authenticates that he has no connection to the attackers and knows of no other plans for an attacks on the U.S. Hutcheson acknowledged that al Draibi did take Cessna flying lessons in the Kansas City area. The attorney said his client, who is from Saudi Arabia, had traveled about the United States for more than two years, living in Cleveland, Ohio; Birmingham, Alabama; Kansas City, Missouri; and Nashville, Tennessee.
------ http://fyi.cnn.com/2001/US/10/22/inv.saudi.arraignment/
[* My note: Given this guy's past location history- could he be related to the DC sniper case?]
Thanks for updating this thread Piasa.
1993 : (PLANTATION, FL : HASSOUN OPENS A BIF INC OFFICE --- See FT LAUDERDALE, CHICAGO CELL, PADILLA, RAED AWAD) : "Mr. [Adham] Hassoun registered the Benevolence International Foundation Inc (BIF) in Plantation, Florida, in 1992 and opened an office in 1993, according to Florida State records. [In November,] Mr Hassoun said he had severed ties with BIF when it moved in May 1993 to Palos Hills, a suburb of Chicago. 'They were looking to open here and some guy recommended me and I helped them out. But then it didn't work out.' " ------From a November [2001] story by the Daily Telegraph in Australia
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From the Miami Herald: "It remains unclear exactly when Hassoun's affiliation with Padilla began, but both men attended the Masjid Al-Iman mosque in Fort Lauderdale through much of the 1990s and both were close with its former leader, Raed Awad." ---- From the Miami Herald * Mamdouh Salim : highest ranking member of al Qaeda [IIRC, born in Sudan to Iraqi parents] who used the same phone number of Taba Investments that was found among the posessions of Hikmat Shakir the Iraqi who attended the infamous Malaysian terror summit [see 9/11 HIJACKERS, SAN DIEGO CELL]
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[Iraqi] Shakir also had an old number for Taba Investments, an al Qaeda front group. It was the number long used by Mahmdouh Mahmud Salim, the highest-ranking Iraqi member of al Qaeda. According to testimony from al Qaeda informants, [Mahmdouh ] Salim maintained a good relationship with Saddam's intelligence service. Despite all of this, the Qatari authorities released Shakir shortly after they arrested him. ------ "Stephen Hayes:See No Evil, Hear No Evil," (What the 9/11 Commission narrative left out: Iraqis) , Stephen F. Hayes, The Weekly Standard, September 5 / September 12, 2005, Posted on 08/28/2005 1:49:07 PM PDT by RWR8189
http://www.kansascity.com/2012/06/18/3664515/kc-businessman-was-part-of-al.html
“Al-Qaida | Link is clarified
Kansas City businessman was part of al-Qaida terror cell, federal officials say”
BY MARK MORRIS
The Kansas City Star
June 18, 2012
SNIPPET: “A Kansas City businessman awaiting sentencing for providing support to al-Qaida was part of a small terror cell with two New York men, federal officials said Monday.
Beginning in late 2007, Khalid Ouazzani, 34, of Kansas City, contributed money to the terrorist organization through Sabirhan Hasanoff of Brooklyn. In June 2008, another man, Wesam El-Hanafi, accepted Ouazzani’s oath of allegiance to al-Qaida, according to federal court records in New York, where Ouazzani is identified only as “CC-1.”
El-Hanafi pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy Monday in federal court in New York. Hasanoff pleaded guilty earlier this month.
A spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Kansas City confirmed the link between the cases.”
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