FBI Investigating Fiery Car Death Of Woman Charged In Driver's License Scheme

Associated Press / SFGate ^

[RCW2001]

The focus of an investigation into a fraudulent driver's license scheme with possible terrorism ties has shifted to the mysterious death of a chief suspect, whose car went up in flames a day before her court hearing.

Katherine Smith, 49, was found burned beyond recognition early Sunday in a car crash that a prosecutor described as "most unusual and suspicious." Her arraignment in federal court was scheduled for Monday.

[ClaireSolt]

Affirmative action has turned the FBI into Step'n'fetch'it.

[sheik yerbouty]

What a coincidence!

[Gritty]

This woman must have known a lot more than is known and has come out. Otherwise, why is she dead?

There's something missing here. That somebody (or somebodys) is probably somebody who has NOT been named in an indictment and doesn't want to be - even to the point of murder.

[Rhetorical pi2]

This case - even if these guys are not terrorists - certainly raises suspicions.

1. All the men are Middle-eastern, and all are illegally in this country.

2. They were paying this woman $1000 each to create a driver's license with false information. They each used a bogus address that could not be traced.

3. Once they were caught, and held without bond, they assumed she would tell all, just to save herself. Therefore this "fender-bender" accident that happened on a straight, four-lane highway, after midnight, in a car that she was "buying" from this Khaled Odtllah raises suspicion.

In an accident that only slightly dents a car, the driver should be able to open the door and escape the car, even if it's on fire - if the driver is still alive.

She was identified with dental records. If she was burned beyond recognition, if would seem difficult to determine if she was already dead when the "accident" occurred.

4. That one of these guys had a pass to the WTC three days before the attack, and said he was working on the sprinkler system, in itself is astounding and suspicious.

I do not believe this was just some Saudis who "happened" to be in NYC at the time of the attack, who "happened" to drive to Memphis to get false drivers' licenses for $1000 each, who "happened" to be "selling" a car to the woman they had bribed, and she "happened" to burn beyond recognition just days before she was to appear in court in an "accident" that caused only a dent in the car.

To me, it is another example of how our Immigration and Naturalization Service is criminally negligent. We need sweeps of neighborhoods to round up illegals who may - or may not - be terrorists. Terrorists or not, we must get them out of our country.

[archy]

Related story from the Memphis Comical Apple posted *here*.

-archy-/-

[Martin Tell]

Your scenario seems plausible, but my first reaction is that she killed herself by dowsing herself with gas and lighting match. Running into the pole was to make it seem like an accident so family could collect insurance and avoid embarrassment of suicide (after she lit the fire, her foot went off the gas peddle so she was not going fast enough to make explosion from crash believable). Folks do kill themselves to avoid criminal charges and the slammer, espeically middle class folks. That said, I could be persuaded it was homicide. But how did perps set her on fire and get away immediately? Remote control incidiary device?

[archy]

Katherine Smith, top left, was charged
in a scheme to sell fraudulent driver's
licenses with five Middle Eastern men.

[Irene Adler]

"Then how do they know it was her?"

News reports say dental records.

[Irene Adler]

"Your scenario seems plausible, but my first reaction is that she killed herself by dowsing herself with gas and lighting match."

I am aware of people killing themselves by self-immolation, but it's sure a hell of a way to commit suicide. It's torture.

[LibertyGirl77]

Odtllah was a friend who had asked for help getting licenses six or seven times, Nash said....Nash said that when Sakhera Hammad was arrested, investigators found a Sept. 5 visitor's pass for the World Trade Center in his wallet, Nash said....Federal authorities learned that Odtllah drove to Memphis from New York City on Sept. 11, Nash said.

YET:

Nash said in court Monday there was no reason to believe any of the five men was a terrorist.

What??? All that evidence, and still 'no reason to believe' they are terrorists?

[AKA Elena]

Something funny about your inclusion of Flight 800 -- I started Tom Clancy's "Executive Orders" just around 9/11 and STILL have not been able to read it.

My next supply of "random books" -- (meaning castoffs) has Flight 800 as a suspicious event in the mind of its "FBI/NYPD" hero as well!

I sometimes wonder (this book I am currently reading ALSO has a Libyan terrorist wandering the country offing folks as retribution for a bombing of his country) whether the terrorists are thinking up the plots of terrorism that they are enacting on us, or getting them from our spy/CIA/special ops-type authors.

[Bush2000]

Katherine Smith, 49, was found burned beyond recognition early Sunday in a car crash that a prosecutor described as "most unusual and suspicious."

Ironically, both of her hands and her teeth were missing ... </sarcasm>

[DoughtyOne]

I have sometimes had the same thought. You can't help but wonder when some of these clever ideas come along, if they aren't fodder for weak minds.

[Grammy]

"But how did perps set her on fire and get away immediately? Remote control incidiary device?"
How about driving up next to her and shooting some incendiary device into the car while she is driving? If she, or the car, is on fire, she will of course run off the road, trying to put it out. That would also explain the smoke inhalation.

[Martin Tell]

Shooting such a device would leave traces such as a broken window, cannister in the car, etc. And pardon my ignorence of the incident, but weren't the doors locked and windows rolled up?

[_Jim]

My question - what physical evidence remains?

Is ther a bottle or bottle fragments that contained the/a flammable liquid?

What kind flammable liquid do tests indicate?

Was the car in gear - was the engine key in the 'run' position?

[testforecho]

Memphis TV 5 is reporting that the remains contain gasoline residue and that her arms and legs were mostly burned off. (this is from a different thread).

[It'salmosttolate]

Woman’s mysterious death may be linked to September 11
A mysterious car crash outside Memphis is fueling questions about possible terrorist links
involving five Middle Easterners charged with buying fake driver's licenses in Tennessee.
Full Story Click Here La Times

[Osinski]

...need we say more...

Baxter of Enron.

[DoughtyOne]

Little damage to car from the impact...