Posted on 01/08/2002 11:26:17 AM PST by Joe Hadenuf
State Police Release Tape of Hijacker's Traffic Stop Two Days Before Terror Attacks The Associated Press Published: Jan 8, 2002 PIKESVILLE, Md. (AP) - A videotape of one of the Sept. 11 hijackers being pulled over for speeding two days before the attacks was released Tuesday by Maryland State Police, who said there were "no red flags" to justify detaining the man.
Ziad S. Jarrah was "extremely calm and cooperative" during the stop, and Trooper Joseph Catalano saw no reason to keep him, said Col. David B. Mitchell, the superintendent of state police.
"There were no circumstances to question the gentleman more than we did," Mitchell said.
On the tape, Catalano can be seen telling Jarrah he was pulled over for going 90 mph in a 65 mph zone. After a few minutes, Catalano returns and tells Jarrah the fine is $270, gives him a few instructions on how to pay the fine and tells him he is free to go. Jarrah is never seen in the tape.
"No red flags at all," Catalano said. "It was a routine traffic stop."
FBI agent Michael Clemens said Jarrah was not on any federal lists of suspected terrorists at the time of the stop.
Jarrah, identified as one of the four hijackers on United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania, had a valid visa, Clemens said. Mitchell also said Jarrah had a valid Virginia driver's license.
AP-ES-01-08-02 1354EST --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This would be just another case of law enforcement agencies dropping the ball in a big way. But you can bet the rent, *if* this is true, no one will ever admit to this damning blunder or oversight.
Well, this is in the Constitution, doncha know? (And if it isn't, the Supremes or some appellates can write you a 2000 page opinion to say that it is!)
A small change in this area would go a long way, in my opinion. A foreigner driving a car would have to have an international driver's license (the way it works in other countries,) which would immediately identify him as a foreigner. Sorry, no driver's licenses for foreign nationals. A foreigner breaking US laws like Mr Atta when he was stopped should get his ass hauled to jail and be deported, not given a gentleman's court date far off in the future that he will likely ignore. All this, I think, is the trickle down effect of the OJ/Mumia criminal justice system. It's broken, it's not about justice, it's not about the citizens' safety, it's not about the country's security, it's only and entirely about itself!
But then you don't watch the news - so you wouldn't have known that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.