Al-Qaeda Threat in Philadelphia?

ABC Channel 6 Action News - Philadelphia ^ | June 27, 2002 | David Henry

[all4one]

Al-Qaeda Threat in Philadelphia?

Philadelphia, PA June 27, 2002 — David Henry reports from the Action Newsroom.

An Action News investigation reveals that a chain of jewelry stores operating in the Delaware Valley is being investigated by the FBI for possible connections to the Al Qaeda terror network.

A series of raids were carried out yesterday in Philadelphia and across the state of Pennsylvania.

The stores are mostly kiosks in shopping malls operating under the name "Intrigue Jewelers." They are all owned by Pakistanis under franchise agreements with a company called Gold Concepts, based in Pennsacola, Florida.

Intrigue operates stores at malls in Philadelphia, Plymouth Meeting, Harrisburg, and Monroeville. Until recently, they also had a kiosk at the Lehigh Valley Mall near Allentown. Owners and employees of the Intrigue shops at the Gallery in Center City and at the Plymouth Meeting Mall were questioned yesterday by agents from the FBI and INS. An employee at the shops in the Monroeville Mall tells us he was detained for hours yesterday.

Tariq Hussain says his home was searched and his computer was taken. He says the FBI accused him of funneling money to Ossama bin Laden's terror network. He says they questioned him about a photo he took two years ago of the NASDAQ building in New York, but he doesn't know how they knew about the photo.

The man in the photos taken at the World Trade Center just days before the attacks also worked at the Intrigue Jewelry store at the Lehigh Valley Mall. Two days before the attacks Ashar Iqbal Butt came to a photo shop in the mall looking for the pictures. The clerk says Butt seemed anxious to get them.

He was picked up on September 12th and was later charged with entering the country on a false passport just a month before the attacks.

Action News has confirmed that yesterday's sweep is part of a nationwide investigation involving at least 60 jewelry outlets. The justice department confirms that a number of people have been detained for questioning, but no charges have been filed yet.

[all4one]

FYI, Time to make sure that American's are not helping fund the terrorists! Racial profiling of the way you spend your money, I am all for it! And I have been since September.

[Dog]

Miss Marple.....was right.... something is up.

[Grampa Dave]

These guys and their worker terrorists probably voted several times for Goron in the November 2000 election in the Philly area.

[Mo1]

Please tell what Miss Marple said

This story is REALLY close to home

[Stentor]

Wouldn't be surprised if there was a lot to be found under rocks in Philly.

[Dog]

Mall arrests......

[Grampa Dave]

How long before the so called constitutionalists come out pleading for these bastards and condemning John Ashcroft, the Justice Department and the FBI as jack booted thugs.

When they do, bash the hell out of them. I have to go do some things.

[Dog]

See my post 6......its a doozy

[TomGuy]

Nationwide sweep. Also in Florida:

Malls see arrests by FBI, INS

[Dog]

Tariq Hussain says his home was searched and his computer was taken. He says the FBI accused him of funneling money to Ossama bin Laden's terror network. He says they questioned him about a photo he took two years ago of the NASDAQ building in New York, but he doesn't know how they knew about the photo.

Whoa!!!

[tutstar]

And if it is true that they are connected with Al Qaeda, and their shops are in malls that makes it very easy to see how they could pull off another large attack. Bring the explosives in as fake shipments, position them around the mall maybe in bathrooms or some other inconscipuous place with the bombs on timers and "no more mall". Since they are merchants in the mall they would not be likely to raise suspicion of mall security.

That is scary!

[Dog]

I think someone is trying to head off something that is in the pipeline......

[PsyOp]

Jewelry is a good way to bring money in and out of the U.S. without raising suspicion and is highly liquid.

[Inkie]

Didn't I hear somewhere that since Al Qaeda's bank accounts are being closed down, they are now moving money around in precious gems and gold? This would help them.

[Dog]

Something for the morning opening...

[Dog]

fyi

[Miss Marple]

Freepers in Northridge, California, Las Vegas, and Oklahoma City also should check to see if there were raids. Intrigue Jewelers at malls in all those locations.

Hi, Dog. Hubby home late, so I am investigating!

[Richard Kimball]

Bring the explosives in as fake shipments, position them around the mall maybe in bathrooms or some other inconscipuous place with the bombs on timers and "no more mall".

Good point, but they would probably put the explosives in the kiosks, run up curtains, and leave. Bathrooms tend to be in remote places in the mall, and would kill far fewer people than bombs in kiosks, which are in the most heavily travelled areas.

[tutstar]

true, but this still freaks me out......twilight zone music anyone?

[Miss Marple]

Also Talahassee, Florida and somewhere on Long Island in New York. There are a LOT of these Intrigue Jewelers.