Business-Class Suspect Caught In Container (Terrorist?)

The Times (UK) ^ | 10-25-2001 | Richard Owen

[blam]

THURSDAY OCTOBER 25 2001

Business-class suspect caught in container

BY RICHARD OWEN IN ROME AND DANIEL MCGRORY

ITALIAN police were investigating last night why a suspected al-Qaeda hijacker would smuggle himself halfway around the world locked inside a shipping container with its own bed and toilet.
The bizarre discovery of an Egyptian carrying a Canadian passport was made on the dockside in Gioia Tauro in southern Italy, where detectives believe they may have foiled another hijacking.

They were questioning Rizik Amid Farid, 43, about his choice of travel and why he was carrying airport maps and airside security passes for Canada, Thailand and Egypt.

Unlike most stowaways they find, Mr Farid was smartly dressed, clean-shaven and rested as he stepped from his makeshift home.

He was, his captors said, “stunned” to be found with a laptop computer, two mobile phones, cameras, a Canadian passport, other identity documents and a certificate saying he is an aircraft mechanic.

Mr Farid was found last week but it was only yesterday that police admitted their curious discovery.

Roberto Di Palma, a prosecutor, said: “He was in possession of documents and apparatus that no ordinary illegal immigrant would have been able to afford. The average illegal immigrant does not have high-tech equipment and airport security passes. The FBI has been alerted to the discovery of Mr Farid.

Like the 19 hijackers that al-Qaeda used on September 11, Mr Farid’s name is not on Interpol’s wanted list.

The successful capture of this suspected hijacker is timely for the Italians after the admission that they had allowed nine Islamic militants to abscond from bail after a legal bungle.

Police said Mr Farid was finding it difficult to explain why he was carrying a return airline ticket from Montreal to Egypt, via Rome. Investigators said that could be an “insurance policy” enabling him to reach Canada by air in case he was discovered on the ship but managed to escape.

The priority now, police said, was to authenticate his identity and discover why he was heading for Canada. Had he not been found during a security check, Mr Farid would have faced another three weeks at sea to reach Toronto.(Looks like more of these guys on the way, huh?)

Mr Farid was discovered during a “technical inspection” of a ship from Port Said that had docked at the container port of Gioia Tauro.

The container in which Mr Farid had been hidden was “very tidy and well appointed”, investigators said. It was furnished with supplies for a long journey and had a bucket which he used as a toilet.

Magistrates said they were considering a charge of “links with international terrorism”, a new offence introduced last week as part of an emergency anti-terrorism package passed by Parliament after the attacks of September 11.

Il Messaggero, the Rome daily, said it was a “reasonable inference” that his intention had been to gain admittance to an airport in Canada and perhaps commandeer an aircraft with the help of accomplices and fly it over the border to the United States.

Michele Filippo Italiano, Mr Farid’s lawyer, denied that. He said Mr Farid lived in Montreal and had Canadian citizenship. “He had fallen out with his brother-in-law in Cairo and feared he would be prevented from leaving Egypt,” he said

[Nick Danger]

Attention FBI Lurkers!

Did this guy live on Maryland Avenue in Chicago until very recently?

Or was that a different Amid Farid?

[is_is]

what in this article ties this guy to being a hijacker?....the article states that he is not on interpols wanted list......

[Sunshine55]

This guy's real name was Amid Putrid.

[Yougottabekidding]

Around the country, ILLEGAL aliens are working at ramp level, with airside security passes - just steps away from aircraft. Most of these people are hard-working Mexicans we would not otherwise bother with. However, things changed on September 11th. What about New York? Lot's of demographic differences there...

[blam]

"What about the fact that the guy was carrying maps of airport terminals and had fake ID saying he was an airline mechanic? How can you possibly say that you think they are out of the airplane phase?"

Yes, that is a problem, huh? I don't know. If they do anything 'funny' these days, they'll be shot down. I just don't know.

[shezza]

He had Canadian citizenship, huh? All his neighbors are probably declaring that he is an upstanding citizen, a swell guy, a family man, never caused any trouble, yada yada yada. Millions of Muslims also have American citizenship. Recall the article wherein U.S.-born teeny boppers whose parents had fled places like Pakistan and Afghanistan proudly declared they would be willing to die in a jihad against America (the land of their birth, whose bounty they enjoy daily)? I think all this Muslim-hugging PC nonsense needs to stop and we all need to be veeeeeerrrrry careful about trusting any Muslim. I have yet to hear a vociferous condemnation of bin Laden, al Qa'eda, et al, coming from the mouth of a Muslim in America (except maybe Mohammed Ali). As President Bush said, "If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists. T'aint no fence-sitting on this one. Our lives, our country, our freedom are all at stake, and people are tripping over themselves to soothe Muslims' hurt feelings about being "profiled" and demanding less news coverage of the alarming state of the world and more coverage of soap operas, ball games, and sitcoms. (Shaking head...)

[ChaseR]

dangerous container trash

[NYer]

Had he not been found during a security check, Mr Farid would have faced another three weeks at sea to reach Toronto.(Looks like more of these guys on the way, huh?) Thanksgiving is 4 weeks away! A day when many Americans travel. They should scrutinize ALL airline mechanic licenses and issue newly designed ones between now and then.

[Bigg Red]

Yikes! Hope that laptop and the phones give up some intel.

[Bigg Red]

My guess is that they are out of their airplane stage.

I wish that you were right. They are definitely planning many other avenues of attack, but the plane attacks are definitely not over if only because of the "glory" of it. How many of them are just salivating at the opportunity to replicate the 911 attacks, to score another incredible body count, to be revered by their vile bretheren as immortal heroes?

[Bigg Red]

...when an Immigration Inspector opened the glove compartment there was a face staring at him....

You're pulling our collective leg, right?

[SarahW]

Sears Tower.

[rolling_stone]

That is a true story...I will see if I can get a copy of the pic...

[timestax]

bttt