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

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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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[fivecatsandadog]

Maybe, Las Vegas was the meeting site for creating their Master Plan or schedule of events, not just planning for the 9/11 attacks. They could have planned attacks up to a year or two in advance. Didn't the FBI find that 9/11 was in the works at least 2 years? Wasn't Atta later identified as the "ring-leader"? Someone replaced him and now coordinates all this activity. Seems like Las Vegas would be the perfect headquarters. Lots of tourists, easy to blend in.

[Nexus]

This is probably nothing, but currenty 2 F/A18's are during laps over Pittsburgh. No airshows or events that I know of.

[LikeLight]

Nexus . . . keep us posted

[Nexus]

This is probably nothing, but currenty 2 F/A18's are during laps over Pittsburgh. No airshows or events that I know of.

Nevermind, yes there is an airshow starting tomorrow - "Wings Over Pittsburgh" actually... Prob practicing. Open mouth, insert foot.

[LikeLight]

Cool. Good news.

[Salvation]

"Standing in the long shadow of the Stratosphere tower, the Econo Lodge at 1150 Las Vegas Blvd. South caters to vacationing families and touts clean accommodations at bargain rates."

Let us pray that the FBI, local law enforcement, etc. are checking out the guest rosters of all the motels and hotels.

Scary.

[Nexus]

I ought to research more thoroughly before opening my big mouth, but in these times, I get worried. Esp. with stories like this circulating.

[meadsjn]

One poster surmised that it could have been someone he knew. It could have been an accidental 3-way call. One person with a new cell phone usually pushes enough buttons to reprogram the space shuttle.

[LandofLincoln]

Most of the hotels are owned by major corporations, but I believe that the prostitution, and loan sharking is still controlled by the Outfit

[ellery]

's Okay, Nexus...thanks for your vigilance.

[TwoBear]

Speaking of Treasue Island. I stayed there during part of my honeymoon. Came in one afternoon and one of the shows was going on, but nobody in the huge crowd was watching it. When I looked down they were all looking up. I looked over to the other side and there was a nude couple getting jiggy with it in the full length window.

I grabbed the video cam cause I knew noboby at home would believe me. They finsihed to one of the largest applauses I've ever heard. Afterwards the guy stands in the window full monty smoking a stogie for everyone's viewing pleasure, at least he thought.

Different place out there for sure. Although it is the only place where someone actually checked my luggage receipts to make sure they matched my luggage.

[is_is]

In all my years of having a cell phone, I have never picked up someone elses conversation. I have had static and lost connections, but never a cross link.

I have....many times.....GTE/Verizon

[windchime]

Fox News is just reporting that the cell phone guy, Michael Hamdan, has agreed to take a lie detector test.

[Marysecretary]

My thoughts exactly. Las Vegas, prepare, prepare, prepare!

[Howlin]

I just cannot understand why we are hearing ALL the details of this right out of the box. I've never seen stuff like this discussed so openly. It's very confusing.

[Marysecretary]

Well, my prayer to God is always that these plans would be thwarted. God could certainly cause something like this little glitch to happen. I don't put anything past Him!

[okkev68]

I am wondering if God would put His hand anywhere near Las Vegas. I know there are lots of His kids in Vegas but even He eventually got tired of Sodom and Gomorrah. But it never hurts to pray.

[mia]

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.

This happened to me. A friend had his cell phone in his pocket and it redialed the last number called, which happened to be mine. When I picked up my phone, all I heard was a conversation between two friends in their car.