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FBI investigating Las Vegas man's claim he overheard attack threat
Associated Press | June 21, 2002 | KEN RITTER

Posted on 06/20/2002 11:28:41 PM PDT by HAL9000

LAS VEGAS, Jun 21, 2002 (AP WorldStream via COMTEX) -- The FBI said it is investigating a Nevada man's claim that he picked up a conversation in Arabic on his cell phone during which someone said there would be a "hit" on the "day of freedom."

"We've initiated a full-scale investigation to determine if this constitutes a threat, and if so, what kind of threat," said FBI Special Agent Daron Borst in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Borst said agents have interviewed the man who reported the conversation, Michael Hamdan, and planned to question him again Friday.

Hamdan, 54, said he's a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Lebanon and speaks Arabic.

Hamdan said he was trying to call his wife on his cell phone Saturday when he heard Arabic voices.

"They said in Arabic, not even a word of English, 'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution, the city of gambling, the city of unbelievers,"' Hamdan told The Associated Press late Thursday. '"We are going to hit them on the day of freedom."'

Hamdan said the call lasted about 90 seconds before the line went dead. He said he believes the men were talking about July Fourth.

"I was frozen, absolutely cold," Hamdan said. "I was sweating. I couldn't believe what I heard."

Hamdan said he reported what he heard to the FBI early Sunday morning.

Hamdan, who is married and has two children, described himself as a semiretired businessman. He said he moved to the United States in 1976.

Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved



TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: hamdan; lasvegas; nevada
Earlier post - Henderson Man Claims to Have Overheard Plot Against Las Vegas
1 posted on 06/20/2002 11:28:42 PM PDT by HAL9000
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To: HAL9000
I just do not understand why they TELL all this stuff.
2 posted on 06/20/2002 11:30:14 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: HAL9000
Kattracks posted this FBI Probes Man's Claim of Threat
3 posted on 06/20/2002 11:34:32 PM PDT by Libertarianize the GOP
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To: Howlin
And worse, they put out the name of the guy who reported it too- seems incredibly stupid.


4 posted on 06/20/2002 11:35:59 PM PDT by piasa
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To: piasa
I just don't understand any of this blabby talk -- Iraq, what we've discovered. I've just never seen anything like it before.
5 posted on 06/20/2002 11:37:41 PM PDT by Howlin
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To: HAL9000
"They said in Arabic, not even a word of English, 'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution, the city of gambling, the city of unbelievers,"

I wonder how much they have partaken of this 'ungodly city'.

'"We are going to hit them on the day of freedom."'

This conversation is probably taking place in several cities across the country right now.

6 posted on 06/20/2002 11:41:01 PM PDT by Canticle_of_Deborah
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To: HAL9000
'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution

Well they were obviously talking about Washington DC.

7 posted on 06/20/2002 11:43:36 PM PDT by Joe Hadenuf
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To: Howlin
I'm not buying into the ME-OKC connection just yet, but my resistance is breaking down. McVeigh's penchant for reciting Tariq Aziz's talking points gives one pause. I have no problem at all in envisaging Clinton covering up a ME angle so he could focus the blame on the right wing. Dick Morris recounted in his book how the first cabinet meeting after OKC was devoted to one end -- figuring out how to maximize the political capital to be squeezed out of the event. Still, the idea of Iraq and/or Islamacists carrying out an anonymous attack on a federal building, using local white-boy operatives, has always seemed like a stretch. And yet, today's revelations point pretty strongly in that direction.

I'm curious if there's any link to Clinton's strangely defensive remarks earlier this week -- the garbage about how Saddam is no threat to us, because his missiles can't reach the US. After 9-11, that is so absurd, on its face -- and clinton knows it:

But I think the far more likely thing is somebody representing some interest -- maybe it could be a rogue state, maybe it could be a terrorist network -- walking around a city with a briefcase full of vials, or in spray cans, you know.
I understand he's looking pretty rough, too, as does the hildabeast. So I wonder if we are edging closer to some revelations that will be acutely embarassing for the former Sink Emporer -- if he weren't completely beyond any capacity for shame, of course.
8 posted on 06/20/2002 11:59:25 PM PDT by The Great Satan
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To: HAL9000
RIP MR. Hamdan
9 posted on 06/21/2002 12:02:33 AM PDT by zarf
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To: The Great Satan
I'm not buying into the ME-OKC connection just yet, but my resistance is breaking down.

OMG.....brace yourself.......ME TOO! I never thought I'd admit that, but it's getting hard to not at the very least LOOK at it, isn't it?

Plus, re: Clinton, add in that article about Arafat deciding NOW to accept Clinton's terms for peace........from ALL those years ago.

The DOTS are there; I'm just scared to draw the lines!

10 posted on 06/21/2002 12:02:58 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: Howlin
Howlin ~~~ I'll have to sheepishly admit that I'm beginning to consider pulling the tin foil out of the drawer also .... the JohnDoe#2 pic and that Padilla (?) guy were the first thing that started me reaching for the drawer .... and other things are falling into place .... or are mind-bogglingly coincidental.
11 posted on 06/21/2002 12:07:30 AM PDT by kayak
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To: kayak
The pictures pushed me WAY over into the "camp."
12 posted on 06/21/2002 12:12:52 AM PDT by Howlin
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To: HAL9000
If there was cross talk on a cell phone as the article states and the approximate time and duration of the call is know, it would be easy to narrow a search from cell phone records held by the switch provider to a few hundred at most and probably a few dozen candidates. Clearly this is an opportunity for the FBI to show their skills and catch some bad guys.
13 posted on 06/21/2002 12:16:29 AM PDT by Ranger
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To: Howlin
Clinton just got back from Saudi with a briefcase full of cash, didn't he? Was it for services rendered or services to come?
14 posted on 06/21/2002 12:49:21 AM PDT by piasa
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