Feds were on to spy suspect

New York Daily News ^ | 9/26/03 | JAMES GORDON MEEK, MAKI BECKER

[kattracks]

The Air Force translator charged with spying at the U.S. military's prison camp for terrorists was under investigation even before he arrived at Guantanamo Bay, court records show. Senior Airman Ahmad al-Halabi, 24, who was born in Syria, had been under scrutiny since November 2002, apparently days before he began an assignment as a translator at the prison camp for some of the world's worst terrorists.

The Air Force Office of Special Investigations began investigating al-Halabi "based on reports of suspicious activity while he was stationed at Travis Air Force Base and while deployed to Kuwait and Guantanamo Bay," a search warrant filed with a California court states.

It's unclear what tipped off investigators to al-Halabi, but one of the 30 charges against him gives a hint: He is accused of using false information to obtain credit cards from seven banks between Jan. 26, 2000, and Nov. 15, 2002.

Air Force officials gave no explanation yesterday why al-Halabi was allowed to work at the high-security prison despite his suspicious activity.

While stationed at Gitmo, where 660 suspected members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban are being held, al-Halabi allegedly tried to download maps, blueprints and photos of the prison compound, and sent E-mails "to the enemy" containing classified information about the detainees.

Four days before al-Halabi was arrested, investigators obtained a warrant to search al-Halabi's California home, where they found mail belonging to the detainees. They also confiscated his computer hard drive, which contained more than 180 classified files, four of which he had posted on a Web site, court papers show.

The investigation into al-Halabi and Muslim Army chaplain Capt. Yousef Yee has sent probers scrambling to interview hundreds of military, FBI and CIA officers who had once served at the base, officials said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Pamela Hart, spokeswoman for the prison, said, "I can only say the investigation is ongoing and others are being looked at."

When asked whether the Al Qaeda terror network could have infiltrated the camp or persuaded Americans to help, Hart said, "It could be any of those scenarios."

With News Wire Services

Originally published on September 26, 2003

[CatoRenasci]

They probably let him work anyway because of a desparate shortage of native arabic speakers for translation. We've done the same thing with native speakers of other langauges while we trained our own.

[Consort]

FOX News said he was sent to GITMO because it was a controlled environment.

[Ichneumon]

They probably let him work anyway because of a desparate shortage of native arabic speakers for translation.

Actually, I've been wondering all along whether they put him there a) to eavesdrop on what the "detainees" would say to someone they thought was "one of them", and b) so they could trace who/what/how/where he passed along the information.

Think how valuable it would be to find out who the prisoners were trying to sneak messages to, and how. It would provide a new motherlode of leads to follow to the terrorists' nests.

[gatorbait]

Air Force officials gave no explanation yesterday why al-Halabi was allowed to work at the high-security prison despite his suspicious activity.

Well, they have to build a case, and it sometimes is better to risk a little damage to get out major damage.

[Jumper]

Controlled environment, watching every transmission of every packet and voice call as it traversed its way to another useful anti-American individual or organization - then when the useful limits of his contacts were exposed and confirmed - bam!

[getgoing]

CHARGE SHEET FOR AHMAD L AL HALABI
http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/dod/dodalhalabi92403chrg.pdf

[Mo1]

Air Force officials gave no explanation yesterday why al-Halabi was allowed to work at the high-security prison despite his suspicious activity.

If I was to take a guess .. to give him enough rope to find out who he is working with

I'll even guess that we'll be hearing of a few more arrests

[Herodotus]

Makes me wonder whether firing those dozen Arabic-language trained soldiers in 2002 because they were gay was such a good idea. If the need is there, we're going to have to turn to people who are less-likely to be trustworthy.

[Peach]

I'd love to know what those classified documents were they found on his computer.

[OXENinFLA]

Info Bump

[xzins]

Air Force officials gave no explanation yesterday why al-Halabi was allowed to work at the high-security prison despite his suspicious activity.

Why? Because Gitmo detainees, in the great scheme of things, are small potatos.

It was a good way to make someone like the Airman think they were onto some big security assignment, when in actuality it was a gaggle of footsoldier terrorists who used to eat sand in Afghanistan.

[aristeides]

FYI.

First I've heard of Al-Halabi having been stationed in Kuwait. Would that have been during our invasion of Iraq?

[blam]

"Think how valuable it would be to find out who the prisoners were trying to sneak messages to, and how. It would provide a new motherlode of leads to follow to the terrorists' nests."

Yup. I think this is closer to whats really going on. It wouldn't suprise me to find out that Captain Yee is a CIA mole. (but, we'll never know)

[wordsofearnest]

Just out "walking the dog", and seeing which a$$holes he sniffs.

[Fred Mertz]

On the last page of the charge sheet (reply #7 link), can you read the handwritten date in ADDITIONAL CHARGE III?

It looks to me like 25 September 2002, when he made a statement to OPM in California, to wit, "I became a U.S. citizen on 11/14/01 in Sacramento, California," or words to that effect.

Do you think he said that when he being vetted for duty as a translator? I think if he applied for AFSOI, they would have had that in writing. On the other hand, he could have responded that way as someone was filling out an online application or form for him.

[Blood of Tyrants]

I doubt it. It was most likely fear of being reprimanded for not being "culturally sensitive" enough.

[witnesstothefall]

First evidence I've seen that suggests this was possibly an elaborate counter-intel op. God I hope so.

[Mo1]

yep

[Eva]

Maybe the Army was eavesdropping on his conversations, Yee's, as well?