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FBI investigating Las Vegas man's claim he overheard attack threat
YAHOO NEWS ^ | Fri Jun 21,12:15 AM ET | By KEN RITTER, Associated Press Writer

Posted on 06/21/2002 5:09:36 AM PDT by RaceBannon

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FBI investigating Las Vegas man's claim he overheard attack threat
Fri Jun 21,12:15 AM ET

By KEN RITTER, Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS - The FBI ( news - web sites) said it is investigating a Nevada man's claim that he picked up a conversation in Arabic on his cell phone during which someone said there would be a "hit" on the "day of freedom."

"We've initiated a full-scale investigation to determine if this constitutes a threat, and if so, what kind of threat," said FBI Special Agent Daron Borst in Las Vegas on Thursday.

Borst said agents have interviewed the man who reported the conversation, Michael Hamdan, and planned to question him again Friday.

Hamdan, 54, said he's a naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Lebanon and speaks Arabic.

Hamdan said he was trying to call his wife on his cell phone Saturday when he heard Arabic voices.

"They said in Arabic, not even a word of English, 'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution, the city of gambling, the city of unbelievers,'" Hamdan told The Associated Press late Thursday. '"We are going to hit them on the day of freedom.'"

Hamdan said the call lasted about 90 seconds before the line went dead. He said he believes the men were talking about July Fourth.

"I was frozen, absolutely cold," Hamdan said. "I was sweating. I couldn't believe what I heard."

Hamdan said he reported what he heard to the FBI early Sunday morning.

Hamdan, who is married and has two children, described himself as a semiretired businessman. He said he moved to the United States in 1976.

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TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; US: Nevada
KEYWORDS: lasvegas; terrorism
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first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 141-153 next last
To: marshmallow
'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution, the city of gambling, the city of unbelievers,'

Well, then maybe like Atta, they're off getting loaded at a strip joint. Freaking hypocrites.

21 posted on 06/21/2002 6:45:46 AM PDT by kezekiel
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To: okkev68
Maybe he meant his portable house phone, his cordless. I have intercepted a few calls on mine. One was a guy calling a 900 number for them to call him back! I was talking to my Mom at the time!! She heard it all, his phone blasted me off the air, it was louder than mine. I wrote the guy's number down when I heard it, then called him and told him! It was a riot! I searched on the web for who the number was just to satisfy my curiousity, and it was registered to a woman!

No, I didn't wait for them to call back....

22 posted on 06/21/2002 6:48:00 AM PDT by RaceBannon
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To: marshmallow
Actually, I have heard that Vegas has more churches per capita than any major city....but checking Google I came up with a link ( http://www.lvlife.com/dec1998/ features/story02.html ) that says, "Those who believe Las Vegas has the most churches per capita are in for a revelation. 'I would guess that there are 200 cities in America that have made that claim,' says UNLV sociology professor Donald Carns. 'When people perceive that they live in a sinful environment, they beef up the holy side. It's a standard sort of thing, the way we relate to our moralities and the sense of security that it gives.'" So who knows...
23 posted on 06/21/2002 6:49:09 AM PDT by pseudogratix
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To: freeperfromnj
I think we are all thinking too BIG. Think about it. 40 of these nuts, in 40 towns, at 40 fireworks....with 40 martyr bombs strapped to their bellies. All at the stroke of 8 or 9....or when the 1812 Oveture goes off.

Living in a port town, I can imagine forty of these guys walking down the street during the evening with small arms. If they dont care if they live or die...they could cause panic the likes of which this country has never seen.

24 posted on 06/21/2002 6:51:10 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: RaceBannon
The article did say "cell phone" specifically, but hey, we can trust our media to get these facts right? No?

A cordless phone and/or baby monitor would be even more likley than an accidental cell phone call. I live waaaaay out in the country and once picked up my neighbors gearing up for their next baby - if you know what I mean - on my baby monitor reciever.

25 posted on 06/21/2002 6:53:59 AM PDT by eno_
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To: RaceBannon
PING
26 posted on 06/21/2002 6:54:09 AM PDT by Nexus
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To: okkev68
I have had my cell phone pick up other conversations, several times. My call would be crossed with another call & there would be 4 of us on the line. I have never had it happen on my portable house phone.
27 posted on 06/21/2002 7:01:32 AM PDT by Ditter
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To: RaceBannon
Who would think that American technology and freedoms could be the very thing that kills us all. In this case, cell phones and the 1st Amendment. Does anyone get it?
28 posted on 06/21/2002 7:02:09 AM PDT by mikhailovich
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To: freeperfromnj
They probably view it as the infidel capital of the US.

more likely they were there to drink the free whisky and get laid.

p.s. interesting that yahoo can display full text version of NY Times piece, while FR can't???

29 posted on 06/21/2002 7:06:04 AM PDT by thinden
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To: SpottedBeaver
Mine too, SB, as well as both my brothers and their families..........this makes me nervous!....
30 posted on 06/21/2002 7:10:09 AM PDT by hunyb
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To: RaceBannon
This seems pretty unlikely to me. A serious plan to hit Las Vegas in a couple of weeks would be in its final stages, and not something that would need to be discussed in this manner on a cell phone.

This guy may have heard this conversation, but if he did, it wouldn't have been al-Qaida. Possibly it's something planned by some two-bit terrorist wannabe.

31 posted on 06/21/2002 7:10:49 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: eno_
But the most likely scenario of all is that he wants his 15 minutes.

It's hard for me to believe that a person of ME descent, US citizen or not, would intentionally draw attention to himself by lying to the FBI. I suppose it's not out of the question, but that's a strange way for an arab-speaking Lebanese-American to get his 15 minutes.

32 posted on 06/21/2002 7:12:06 AM PDT by GnL
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To: Vermont Lt
That is my guess. I don't think they have the ability to pull off a single WMD type of attack. Even 911 was fairly simple, using our technology and openness as a country against us.

I am betting on fairly coordinated suicide bombings or shooting attempts in several cities at once. And there is no other day like the 4th were large groups of people are gathered together all across the country.

I still believe that as soon as these guys get their hands on a WMD, Israel will be the first target.

33 posted on 06/21/2002 7:23:07 AM PDT by okkev68
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To: NautiNurse
I caught the FNC interview with the man this morning. He sure seemed credible.

Its nice to finally find an Arab man who seems to put his country of residence ahead of his country of origin.

34 posted on 06/21/2002 7:24:12 AM PDT by VA Advogado
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To: Poohbah
agree, it all sounds suspect.......
35 posted on 06/21/2002 7:27:12 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
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To: eno_
Here is a more-likely scenario: He knows one of the people he overheard. Their phone dialed his accidentally. This is very common. People's phones make accidental calls all the time due to being jostled in their trousers pocket or briefcase. He could have overheard two people talking, not knowing a cell phone had made a call.

So what you're saying is their phone made a three way call? Called him, put him on hold and called the intended party? Thats more than I can do with my phone and I know how to program my VCR.

36 posted on 06/21/2002 7:27:25 AM PDT by VA Advogado
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To: pseudogratix
Actually, I have heard that Vegas has more churches per capita than any major city

LOL Having a lot of Elvis chappels and marriages, doesn't instill morality. I still love that city though.

37 posted on 06/21/2002 7:30:18 AM PDT by VA Advogado
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To: Poohbah
If these guys are stupid enough to hit Las Vegas, let them. If they think the US military is mean, wait until they meet the Goodfellas. The rats in the sewer meet the rats in the sewer
38 posted on 06/21/2002 7:35:14 AM PDT by LandofLincoln
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To: ravingnutter
Atta was in Las Vegas on three different occasions last summer, with the apparent purpose of coordinating with the other pilots.
39 posted on 06/21/2002 7:36:20 AM PDT by denydenydeny
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To: aristeides
I don't think Vegas is that important. If the terrorists are going to attack there on July 4th, I suspect they are going to attack a lot of cities. Maybe that's the plan.

As I dug out the factoid that Atta and henchmen met in Las Vegas, I also note the Vegas was where they probably planned the attacks, not where the attack took place.  That doesn't mean that Vegas is not a target, but if they follow true to form, Vegas is a place where plans are plotted, not where the attack's going to take place.

 

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA  

Mohamed Atta made several trips to Las Vegas in the months leading up to the attack in New York. Investigators say that Atta, along with Marwan Al-Shehhi, Hani Hanjour, Nawaf Alhazmi and Ziad Jarrah were all in Las Vegas at various times from May to August. Four of the five men were on separate flights on September 11, leading to suspicions that Las Vegas was a meeting place to work out the final details.


40 posted on 06/21/2002 7:36:24 AM PDT by Catspaw
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