Feds fear license examiner is dead - Memphis Woman's co-defendants tied to 9/11, judge told

GoMemphis.com ^ | February 12, 2002 | Tom Bailey Jr.

[Shermy]

A missing Tennessee driver's license examiner charged with conspiring to provide licenses fraudulently was probably the victim of a "most unusual and suspicious" death, a federal prosecutor said Monday.

Asst. U.S. Atty. Tim Di Scenza also raised the possibility in court that Katherine Smith's five codefendants are involved in terrorism against the United States, citing "connections" to Sept. 11 and the World Trade Center.

A defense attorney, however, protested that the only reason the prosecutor raised the issue of terrorism is that the defendants are from the Middle East.

DiScenza told the court that the same car Smith drove when she was arrested Feb. 5 crashed in Fayette County east of Collierville early Sunday.

Although the gas tank did not explode and the car was only slightly dented from impact with a pole, a fire burned the person inside beyond recognition, FBI agent J. Suzanne Nash testified Monday.

The body had not been identified late Monday, but DiScenza told U.S. Magistrate Judge Diane Vescovo that there was a "great possibility" it was Smith. While authorities have not determined if foul play was involved in Smith's disappearance, Vescovo described the revelations as "upsetting and disturbing."

Nash testified she was called about the wreck at 1 a.m. Sunday. Smith's family told authorities she'd been missing since Saturday night.

Smith was to have appeared Monday for a detention and probable cause hearing in the conspiracy case against her and Khaled Odtllah, 31, of Shelby County; Sakhera Hammad, 24, of New York City, and Mohammed Fares, Mostafa Said Abou-Shahin and Abdelmuhsen Mahmid Hammad, for whom ages and addresses were unavailable.

Smith had been free on bond since Feb. 5. The other five defendants have been detained since their arrest the same day.

The specter of terrorism and Sept. 11 emerged in Monday's hearing when DiScenza asked Nash if documents seized from the suspects had been examined.

She responded that a visitor's pass for the World Trade Center, dated Sept. 5, 2001, was found in Sakhera Hammad's wallet. Hammad told authorities he was a plumber and worked on the center's sprinkler system, Nash said. She also said that Abdelmuhsen Mahmid Hammad and Sakhera Hammad said they were cousins, and worked together in the plumbing business.

Nash also testified that Odtllah drove back from New York City to Memphis on Sept. 11.

But Anthony Helm, attorney for Odtllah, asked Nash, "You certainly don't have any indication any of these fellows is a terrorist, do you?"

"Not at this time, no sir," Nash responded. Helm also argued that Odtllah has many relatives in New York City, suggesting it wouldn't be unusual for him to travel there.

Vescovo continued the hearing until Wednesday for three of the defendants, Abou-Shanin, Abdelmuhsen Mahmid Hammad and Fares, primarily to arrange for an Arabic interpreter. The men told the FBI they are in the country illegally. She went ahead with the hearing for Odtllah and Sakhera Hammad.

Nash testified that Odtllah and Sakhera Hammad led the driver's license scheme. She said Odtllah made the arrangements with his friend Smith, and that Hammad drove the people who bought the fraudulent licenses from New York. She said that Odtllah received $1,000 per license, and that Hammad would receive any amount paid over $1,000.

After two hours of testimony and arguments, Vescovo ordered each man held without bond until their trial. During the hearing, Di Scenza and Nash revealed details of the government's case against the six defendants.

Smith had told authorities after her arrest that Odtllah, who goes by the nickname "Kal," was a friend, and that he had asked her to help him obtain driver's licenses six or seven times before.

Odtllah has lived in Shelby County two and a half years. Until a few months ago, he owned a Phillips 66 gas station. He also buys and sells cars. Nash testified that Smith had said she was buying from Odtllah the champagne-colored 1992 Acura that crashed early Sunday.

Nash testified that Smith had assigned four driver's license numbers in the station's computer system using forms filled out by Odtllah. But only Fares's license showed his correct name. The other three applications contained fictitious and "totally untraceable" names, DiScenza said.

"Those kind of IDs are for further criminal activities," DiScenza said.

Nash said Sakhera Hammad told her he came to Tennessee to get driver's licenses only to help people have identification so they can get jobs.

Sakhera Hammad is from Jordan, but has become a U.S. citizen, said his father, Peter Hansen of New York, who attended the hearing.

Odtllah came to the United States from Jerusalem 13 years ago, Helm said. Nash said Abou-Shahin told authorities he was from Egypt and is a carpenter.

Fares has a Venezuelan passport, but speaks Arabic, DiScenza said.

DiScenza said a key question is whether the alleged license conspiracy had a purpose greater than obtaining driver's licenses so illegal immigrants could find work. Do the circumstances in the case connect the alleged conspiracy to the World Trade Center terrorism, he asked rhetorically.

"Of course not," DiScenza said. "But, you can only have so many coincidences."

Helm argued that the case is not "connected to anything else in the world." He said prosecutors are making the terrorism implications only because the defendants are from the Middle East.

Vescovo said the "completely untraceable" licenses were a great concern to the court. "What further concerns me greatly is that Ms. Smith's vehicle has been burned and a body is inside," she said.

While no testimony Monday links Odtllah or Sakhera Hammad to Smith's disappearance, Vescovo said, "She is connected to the case against them."

- Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388

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[mafree]

Bump.

[Lion's Cub]

What evidence do you have to back this up? The PRC may be immoral and ruthless, but they aren't stupid. They would know what an Al Qaeda attack on US soil would bring. A massive deployment of US troops to Central Asia and an expansion of US military bases around the Caspian pipelines is hardly in the strategic interests of the PRC.

They might have been willing to risk that in the short run if they felt pretty certain that we would have our hands too full fighting the Muslims to do more than loudly object while they consolidated their hold on Taiwan. Remember, everyone expected a Soviet Afghan experience if we invaded. I doubt they expected more than a "Clintonian" response anyway. After all, we gave a very measured response when they kidnapped our EP-3 and crew.

As for things that raise some suspicion, see below. I also remember reading that some kind of Chinese-made weaponry was found in the caves, but I don't remember what it was and I don't have a link.

See this thread Story Changes -- Macau says five arrested not involved in US Attacks, especially the stories posted in reply #9.

Are Chinese generals misreading Bush over terrorist atrocities? :

The response of Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui, who coauthored authored Unrestricted Warfare, to the terrorist attacks on the US demonstrate my points with striking clarity. Both publicly stated that the attacks are “very likely ... the beginning of the decline of the United States, as a superpower.”

Taliban Commander in Chief : CHINA assisting us in war against US -

Taliban Commander in Chief Jalaluddin Haqqani has claimed that the militia is "in touch" with China, which was assisting them in the war against US.

Before leaving for Afghanistan after holding talks with Pakastani officials here, Haqqani, who is also Minister for Frontier Regions, told reporters "China is still assisting Taliban in the war against the United States."

AMID AFGHAN WAR, CHINA SELLS MISSILES TO M.E.

Certainly none of this constitutes any evidence of foreknowledge- but it doesn't rule it out, either, IMO.

[Grampa Dave]

Jade thanks for this thread.

In California we have one of these al Fuqra encampments. They even had a charter school serving as a money supply to launder for ?

Thanks to Clovis Skeptic, who broke this story last December. We have been on top of it. (Jihad in America Encampment/school/training facility near Fresno)

[Grampa Dave]

Jade, thanks to the heat put on the pc rulers of Fresno, the charter school which received millions of Kali tax $'s is no longer receiving money.

Thanks to Clovis Skeptic and a ton of Freepers, this has been stopped. Link: (Al Fuqra charter school in Fresno Area out of money laundering business)

[Lion's Cub]

Thanks for taking the time to post your #106. It makes a lot of sense.