Posted on 09/16/2005 5:58:17 AM PDT by gg188
'Scary' U of M student jailed
Possible terrorism ties under investigation
By Chris Conley
September 16, 2005
When FBI agents walked into Mahmoud Maawad's spartan apartment at 3557 Mynders # 5 on Sept. 9, they found a desk, chair, computer and a Koran.
They also found an airline pilot's uniform, a chart of Memphis International Airport, and instructional DVDs, including one called "How an Airline Captain Should Look and Act."
A federal magistrate Thursday ordered Maawad, a 29-year-old University of Memphis student from Egypt, jailed until his trial on charges of wire fraud and fraudulent use of a Social Security number.
"The specific facts and circumstances are scary," Asst. U.S. Atty. Steve Parker said, arguing against Maawad's release.
Since Maawad can't get a Social Security number, "he can't get a pilot's license, and can't go to flight school," Parker said. "But he wants to get behind the wheel of an aircraft."
Parker said "we don't know either way" if Maawad is a terrorist or connected to any terror groups.
U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Thomas Anderson ruled that Maawad be held without bond.
Though it's not illegal to buy aviation material, Anderson noted, "it is hard for the court to understand why he has a large concentration of those items, and nothing else to indicate Mr. Maawad plans to stay in the community."
Maawad has been in the country illegally since 1999, and has used a false Social Security number to enroll in schools and open a bank account, Parker said.
He's been working off-the-books for cash at a North Memphis convenience store, and was arrested by Shelby County sheriff's deputies last spring for selling alcohol to a minor.
Agents are downloading information from Maawad's computer and analyzing materials from his apartment in search of a terrorism connection.
"My school is everything," said Maawad, a clean-shaven man built like a weightlifter. "I stay in this country for seven years; I stay for the school."
Maawad said he's studying science and economics at the U of M.
Since Maawad can't work legally, he told authorities a friend would support him.
When court employees tried to reach that friend, the telephone was disconnected.
Between April and August, the penniless student ordered $3,000 in aviation materials, DVDs titled "Ups and Downs of Takeoffs and Landings," "Airplane Talk," "Mental Math for Pilots" and "Mastering GPS Flying," FBI agent Thad Gulczynski testified.
He also ordered a pilot's coat and hat, and a chart of the Memphis airport terminal area from Spotty's USA in San Diego.
When the company didn't receive payment on $2,500 worth of merchandise it had delivered, officials called the FBI, which launched an investigation, Gulczynski said.
-- Chris Conley: 529-2595
Copyright 2005, commercialappeal.com - Memphis, TN. All Rights Reserved.
Now don't jump to conclusions. Just because Mahmoud had a pilot's uniform and instructional material on how to fly an airplane, does not mean he was up to something bad.
After all, he had a Koran in his room. He's probably quite a religious little fellow.
I don't think he was financed. I do think he was a nut. Good thing AQ did not find him first, IMHO.
If they're not too busy, perhaps the FBI can make a list of businesses that sell these uniforms and books.
I totally agree. Greed first, patriotism second. I'd like to know the name of the company so I can boycott its products (which I am sure I would never buy in the first place).
I always thought it was crazy to make the cockpits impregnable for the very reason you mention.
Also, a year or so before 9/11 there was an Egyptian passenger plane that did a nosedive into the ocean right off the coast of New York, with the pilot forcing the plane into the ocean. Some theorized that the pilot was supposed to crash into a NYC target, but instead, forced his plane into the ocean.
In our country, almost every airport calls itself an "International" Airport, accepting flights that originate from foreign countries. Some of these airports are pretty deep inside our borders and the direct flights from overseas to these airports pass over vast areas of our country.
These flights come in on airlines from Egypt and Pakistan, and it worries me that a fanatic pilot could kill his cockpit crew (and while safely behind his impregnable cockpit door) pilot his plane into a nuclear or chemical plant.
Dumb@$$...
Extract the names of his supporters first.
Yeah, that's what it looks like. We wouldn't have heard of this SOB if he paid for his materials. Next time they will pay.
After all, he could just be a typical Microsoft Flight Simulator geek who likes to dress up in a captain's uniform while making the JFK-LAX run on his computer. ;)
Summary execution at half-time?
And one can assume the proprieter of this convenience store will be prosecuted for hiring illegal aliens, tax evasion and thwarting State employment laws, right?
...right??
...
...Right!!??
...
...
*crickets chirping*
I don't think humane rules should apply to people like him...I realize this is America and we don't operate like that...but anyone connected to terrorism should be destroyed publicly.
No, you're acting a little rash here.
First, you torture him to get every bit of info as possible...
...and then you shoot him.
The entire National Guard stationed along the Mexican border would not have discovered or stopped this guy. It is a lead pipe cinch he didn't come from that direction. Maybe the Northern border but most likely flew in to an Eastern airport.
Nah, shoot his toes off, one by one, and see how he sings. If that doesn't work, kneecap him.
If that fails, strap him to a dead pig...then kill him.
You're probably right. The more I think about it, he probably had an expired student visa. That seems to be the method of choice for the hadjis.
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