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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
FBI investigating Las Vegas man's claim he overheard attack threat
Fri Jun 21,12:15 AM ETBy 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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To: Howlin
I am glad they have made this public. For two reasons...
1. If this is true, then at least people will be aware of what they are doing on that particular date and be extra vigilant.
and 2. Perhaps making this very public will make the perps think twice about going through with their plans, knowing now that alot of people will be looking out for them. Of course it could all be a lie, but just in case, it's great to know...
81
posted on
06/21/2002 9:34:34 AM PDT
by
ecru
To: mia
When I picked up my phone, all I heard was a conversation between two friends in their car.
But that conversation did not involve a third cell phone. Thats the part that baffles me, and that's what seemed to happen to this guy in Las Vegas.
To: RaceBannon
'We are in the city of corruption, the city of prostitution, the city of gambling, the city of unbelievers,' Chappaqua?
To: freeperfromnj
They probably view it as the infidel capital of the US. Yeah, but they'd have a heck of a time finding 49 virgins in the entire city. No wonder they're hoping for the afterlife.
To: RaceBannon
Wish this guy's name had not been publicised.
Because this was an conversation inadvertently overhead, perhaps it carries more credibility. OTH, could be a couple of Arab high rollers, hopefully.
To: RaceBannon
That's right Race! It's only a matter of time before we take another 1 or 2 hits.
They are here and have been here for a while.
They can pick and choose their targets after months of surveillance.
My question would be, if there are no terrorist survivors left after a strike and they came from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Yemen, who do we hit?
The enemy is here, and their backers are all over northern Africa, the middle east Indonesia and the Phillipines.
86
posted on
06/21/2002 9:44:08 AM PDT
by
johnny7
To: swarthyguy
WE were in Vegas last weekend at the Stratosphere and I was at the pool and was hearing 2 guys talk in Arabic...needless to say, I was NERVOUS about their being there
To: RaceBannon
YOu know, its not that offbase for them to be gloating if the whole thing is accurate. We just got a report yesterday that the NSA picked up a similar violation of opsecurity conversation on Sept 10 that was translated into English on the 12th.
To: pseudogratix
"Actually, I have heard that Vegas has more churches per capita than any major city...."It would be a fairly simple matter to just get a Las Vegas telephone book and count the churches listed there...
89
posted on
06/21/2002 9:51:14 AM PDT
by
redhead
To: okkev68
they were talking arrogantly and carefree because they knew no one could understand what they were saying It could be amusing in such a circumstance to remark, not into their conversation of course, but to another person in line, "From their accent they could be Egyptian, possibly Al-ismailiya."
To: princess leah
There have simply been too many of these 'weird' incidents like those five guys praying at a Discount Superstore BJ's in Massachusetts. You would think Arab men would have the discretion to not speak Arab too loudly. But vegas has always depended on Arab highrollers. So who knows at this point -- even all these warnings, if fake, do serve the purpose of terrorising the US population.
Wake UP, America, They're heeeeeeeeeere! And plotting our destruction!
To: VA Advogado
Nobody said it invovled a third cell phone. Certainly the person overhearing the conversation could not know if the people speaking were in the same room or on different phones. It would be vanishingly improbable for the cell phone network to create a three way call by accident, or to add a party to a call. The plausible malfunctions all are in the radio network - phones on the wrong channel/time-slot - etc. And, of course, unintentional dialing is far more probable than a network malfunction of any type.
92
posted on
06/21/2002 9:58:32 AM PDT
by
eno_
To: aristeides
Correct. It doesn't have to be a pack-nuke, dirty nuke or suicide airliner.
A small scale “Tet Offensive” sounds more possible. Small attacks all-over the US.
Gas stations, hotels, hospitals, power facilities and powerlines, bridges and airports.
Done on a large scale, it could inflict 100s of casualties and cause untold panic.
93
posted on
06/21/2002 10:05:23 AM PDT
by
johnny7
To: Catspaw
"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."I thought of that, too. But where else would you have so MANY people, around the clock? A good bomb in a popular casino could take out at least as many as were killed in New York. The "importance" of the town wouldn't have much to do with it. I am still convinced they want shock value and high body counts.
94
posted on
06/21/2002 10:10:32 AM PDT
by
redhead
To: Born in a Rage
"I thought that the mob was basically out of Vegas...don't big corporations own most of the major hotels now?"Now, why would they leave the biggest little moneymaker in the world? According to the family members I have who live or have lived in Vegas, the MOB is as deeply entrenched as ever.
95
posted on
06/21/2002 10:13:39 AM PDT
by
redhead
To: ravingnutter
The only thing I can think of in Las Vegas that a terrorist would love to destroy and could cause horrible damage is Hoover Dam! Of course I hope this has already been thought of and security will be stepped up even more. But they could also be planning suicide bombers in casinos.
To: johnny7
John, I ask myself, "Is this just crazyness, like the whole Y2K hysteria, or is there really a threat?" As I turn things over in my mind again and again, I am forced to conclude that storm clouds are gathering. Does this mean a storm will definitely strike? No. But, based on the history of previous storms (let's say OKC through 911, just to keep it simple), it seems likely that a storm is brewing. Certainly, the clouds are there.
To: patriot31u
I am skeptical about something happening in a Vegas casino. The eye in the sky is watching everywhere in Vegas, including outside their doors. If you have ever seen those shows about Vegas on Discovery or Travel channel, their security is unbelievable and very precise. I can't imagine an ME male not being zoomed in on by security and followed extensively outside or inside a hotel with the state of alert we have been in.
98
posted on
06/21/2002 10:22:49 AM PDT
by
Lanza
To: patriot31u
Of course in Las Vegas, the most likely scenario would probably be suicide taxi drivers ;-) Outlaw all taxis on July 4th!
99
posted on
06/21/2002 10:24:31 AM PDT
by
SOSCEO
To: RaceBannon
Beware a terrorist feint.Increase secrity presence in and around Las Vegas.
More important, watch the Hoover Dam/Lake Meade for terrorists in boats on the water. The al-Quada did not buy scuba gear so they can go spear-fishing on Sunday afternoons. Lake Meade if released would do catastrophic damage all the way downstream to Yuma. Hoover Dam is one of the wonders of the modern world and thus automatically a terrorist target.
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