Posted on 02/14/2002 9:07:25 PM PST by JohnHuang2
February 15, 2002
F.B.I. Says Arson Killed Woman Accused in License Scheme
By REUTERS
EMPHIS, Feb. 14 A deliberately set fire caused the death of a driver's license examiner who had been accused of illegally selling licenses to five Middle Eastern men who were being investigated for possible ties to terrorism, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has said.
Gasoline was poured on the clothing of the examiner, Katherine Smith, before she burned to death on Sunday in an automobile accident, J. Suzanne Nash, an F.B.I. agent, said on Wednesday.
Ms. Smith died one day before she was to have appeared in court with her five co-defendants after being arrested last week on charges of conspiracy to obtain driver's licenses illegally.
In a federal court hearing here on Wednesday, Ms. Nash said an accelerant had been found in Ms. Smith's car, adding that her death was "not an accident."
Investigators have said the gasoline tank of the automobile did not explode. Ms. Nash also said witnesses had reported that the interior of Ms. Smith's car was on fire before the vehicle struck a utility pole, causing just minor damage to the car.
Ms. Nash told the court on Monday that the Federal Bureau of Investigation was looking into whether the five men who were arrested had ties to terrorist groups, citing connections to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.
The five men, one of whom said he was a plumber at the trade center and had a visitor's pass to the towers dated Sept. 5, are being held without bond.
A lawyer for one of the defendants has denied that they had any connection to terrorism and said they were seeking documentation to work in the United States.
I don't think that she understood just what kind of people she was dealing with (and that holds whether it was Middle Eastern terrorists, the Dixie Mafia, etc.).
Some witnesses saw the car on fire before impact.
The flames were intense enough that she inhaled fire and burned her lungs.
The body was burned to such a degree that she had to be identified from dental records.
I do not know if the witnesses called in the accident or relayed the information after the case began to grow.
I do not know when the fire occurred or how long it was before the police/fire department arrived. I do not know how long after they arrived that they managed to get the fire under control.
The fire looks like it was intense (judging from the shell of the car). It seems like she had to cook awhile to burn to that degree but than again, if the fire is hot enough it may not be the case. We aren't talking about an explosion here because the fire continued to burn after the initial flashpoint. It had to be sudden since most people will try to flee a burning vehicle unless they are otherwise impaired. The car was mobile when the fire torched (she crashed afterwards, with little impact).
I'd say they made a deal to exchange licenses for the Acura.
And perhaps it was still in Odtllah's name because she hadn't done enough licenses to consumate the deal.
1992 Acura Legend 4 Dr LS Sedan | |||
Prices for: | Trade-In | Private Party | Dealer Retail |
Base Price (excludes options) |
$6,768 | $8,011 | $10,083 |
It's been stated that she would get $1,000 per license in this transaction (and that he would keep "the rest" for negotiating the deal).
I'm wondering if she was driving with the windows rolled down.
Simplest thing to do would have been to drive alongside her and toss an open container of gas thru the window along with a cigarette.
I've started a new thread for today's article on the Fire Department's finding at the time of the fire:
Car fire set off suspicions as crew fought it (Smith Tennesee License Scandal)
They are comparing it to some older cases they've seen (could even indicate the work of someone like the Dixie Mafia with an established presence in the area).
I just thought that the name had changed from "Extended News" to "Front Page News" (as opposed to "Breaking News")
This driver's license scheme will be held up to the sheeple as the reason for implementing the National ID card. We will be told that it is "fool-proof" and "fraud-proof" and that it is only for our "security".
The arson story will fade into the background...
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