U.S. seeking to deport material witness

AP ^ | 11-17-01 | SETH HETTENA

[Oldeconomybuyer]

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Federal officials have asked an immigration judge to deport a Yemeni national who knew two of the Sept. 11 hijackers and worked with one of them.

Authorities have filed an order asking an immigration judge to expel Omar Bakarbashat from the United States for allegedly overstaying his student visa, a federal law enforcement source told The Associated Press. He also is charged with working illegally in the United States, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Drain all the swamps, at home and abroad.

[mrsmith]

My intuited opinion is that he's being sent to Yemen for harsh questioning.

[Dudoight]

What is taking so long? Why aren't we deporting every middle eastener who are here illegally? I don't care whether they knew the terrorists or not, get the illegals out of here.

[nygoose]

One down, nine million to go.

[GuillermoX]

Now that's not a very sensitive position now, is it?

[kcvl]

Abdussattar Shaikh...could he be related to the two doctors from Chester, Pa. whose houses were raided by the FBI, Irshad Shaikh and Masood Shaikh?

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

for allegedly overstaying his student visa

Yeah, allegedly. This seems pretty cut and dried, as in--visa expiration date = January, 2000; today's date=Nov, 2001, or something similar. If I send in my income taxes in May instead of April, the IRS doesn't say that I am allegedly late. The fine and penalties are already printed out.

We need to have every person in this country who has been granted a visa report to the nearest police station to show that they have not violated the terms of the visa. Whoever doesn't show up should immediately be put on a list of fugitives. Anyone who shows up with an out of date visa should be put on the next boat home.

[kcvl]

Bakarbashat was living with Shaikh in Lemon Grove on an expired student visa when he was arrested.

The pair also lived together at a complex on Saranac Street on the San Diego-La Mesa border with other material witnesses. The time line was sketchy.

Melani Kent was dismayed to learn yesterday that her address appeared on the list because a student who rented a room in her Pacific Beach townhouse likely was Bakarbashat. She knew the young man as "Omar," and he rented from her for a couple of months in 1998 or 1999.

He was taking English classes at ELS Language Centers downtown, Kent said. She rented to several students from the Middle East through a company called Home Placement Services. Neither the language school nor the company could be reached for comment yesterday.

Kent said Bakarbashat never gave her any reason for alarm.

"I wouldn't say I ever thought there was anything shady, but he did remain in this country after this student thing ran out," Kent said.

"It's upsetting to know that you might have any kind of peripheral connection to any of these twisted sickos."

The FBI recently paid a visit to a former residence of Hussein Al Hassan Al-Attas, whose name appears on the list and whose current residence is unknown. He lived in several apartments in City Heights in 1999 and 2000, then moved to a small house in North Park, where he remained until July, several former neighbors say.

According to the list, Al-Attas used at least 13 other names. Neighbors said he seemed like a typical student, giving them no reason to be suspicious.

James Spry, a neighbor from 35th Street, said he knew Al-Attas as Atila Koxil. The name was printed on his checks.

"We shared the same laundry and split the energy bill," Spry said.

[kcvl]

Alhamzi later rented a room at the home of Abdussattar Shaikh, a Muslim leader in San Diego. Shaikh helped Alhamzi open an account at a Bank of America branch, and also helped him post a personal ad on the Internet after Alhamzi expressed a wish to marry. The ad drew no responses.

[dennisw]

They sure like to come here and screw around don't they? America is not tolerant of such shenannigans these days! Give 'em the boot ASAP!

[FITZ]

and also helped him post a personal ad on the Internet after Alhamzi expressed a wish to marry

He didn't want to wait for the 72 virgins?

[gaspar]

For a decade San Diego has been known as the home of a group of Muslim extremists. Literally millions of dollars have been collected and sent to radical mujahideen operations from the Philippines to Kosovo. Hopefully, the FBI will finally take the problem seriously and clean out the nest of vipers.

[FITZ]

It's amazing how over and over the terrorists are described by their landlords, neighbors, and instructors as being the nicest, most polite people, paying their rent on time, etc. And other people still think they can size up other Islamics and decide they aren't up to anything bad. It's like Ted Bundy or Jeffrey Dahmer, people just don't suspect until it's too late.

[Brownie74]

Bump for later read. CYA!!

[Lion's Cub]

Indexing

[Valin]

No flame intended. Where are they? You've got to find them first.

[Valin]

It's amazing how over and over the terrorists are described by their landlords, neighbors, and instructors as being the nicest, most polite people, paying their rent on time, etc.

Well of course they would want to keep a low profile. Of course some of them stood out like a sore thumb, the fbi has one of them caught here in Mn. he was at a flightschool and told the instructor that he diddn't want to learn to land or take off just controle the plane in flight.

[timestax]

bump to the top

[Semaphore Heathcliffe]

thanks for the flag, Dennis. Like the astute poster further up said, one down, nine million to go.