Posted on 12/06/2002 5:33:38 AM PST by Oldeconomybuyer
Dec. 6 Federal agents have raided a Boston-area computer software firm looking for evidence that the company, which does business with key government agencies including the FBI, might have links to Osama bin Laden's terror network.
The Quincy, Mass., firm, Ptech, makes software and is allegedly secretly owned by Qassin al-Kadi, one of 12 Saudi businessmen accused of funneling millions of dollars to al Qaeda. U.S. government investigators told ABCNEWS' chief investigative correspondent Brian Ross that there are fears al Qaeda may have had access to some of the government's most closely held secrets through the company, which provided computer software for the FBI, the Navy, the Air Force and the agency that handles nuclear weapons security.
Just before midnight Thursday, in a driving snowstorm that blanketed the East Coast, a team of U.S. Customs agents raided the firm's Quincy offices.
The raid was the culmination of a top-secret investigation coordinated with the White House amid concerns that the company was secretly owned and controlled by al Qaeda activists or sympathizers.
The agents brought their own computers with them to download files from the firm's computers.
Agents could be seen inside the Ptech headquarters, searching the offices and going through the company's computers.
The company's Web site reveals a list of customers that is a who's-who of sensitive government agencies, including the Naval Air Systems Command, NATO, the House of Representatives and the Department of Energy, which handles security for nuclear weapons and material.
Looking for a Back Door
Officials believe Ptech is linked to one of bin Laden's alleged money men, a Saudi multi-millionaire named Qassin al-Kadi.
Al-Kadi has repeatedly denied any connection to bin Laden, but he is on the U.S. government's so-called "dirty dozen" list of leading terror financiers who are being investigated by the CIA, and his accounts have been frozen by the United States.
In an interview last year with ABCNEWS' John Miller, al-Kadi denied sending any money to bin Laden. "To hear such an accusation had been put on myself, this is a complete mistake, a big one," he said.
American officials say al-Kadi and the other businessmen on the CIA list all have business and personal connections to the Saudi royal family.
The Customs investigation has been given the highest priority inside the goverment and for the last few weeks, government agencies have quietly been searching their computer software to see if there are any hidden bugs or "back doors" that would make it easy for terrorist hackers to break in.
CertCode | EmpName | EmpEIN | WageRateFrom | RatePer | BeginDate | NumImmigrants | JobTitle | WorkState_1 | PrevWage_1 | PrevWagePer_1 | WageSource_1 | OtherWageSource | DetDate |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
C | PTECH INC | 043223676 | 104000.00 | Y | 10/5/01 | 001 | VP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES | MA | 89565.00 | Y | O | OES SOC WAGE DATA SURVEY | 10/2/01 |
C | PTECH INC | 043223676 | 104000.00 | Y | 10/5/01 | 001 | VP PROFESSIONAL SERVICES | MA | 89565.00 | Y | O | OES SOC WAGE DATA SURVEY | 10/11/01 |
From the company's web site:
Joseph Johnson, Vice President of Professional Services, comes to Ptech with over 15 years of professional experience and will be managing the overall delivery of professional services, including consulting and training to Ptech clients and partners. Prior to joining Ptech, Mr. Johnson was a partner at Arthur D. Little responsible for the North American Management Consulting Practice and was Vice President in charge of professional services and knowledge management domains for Cayenta, Inc., an enterprise application software and services subsidiary of Titan Corporation, where he grew the practice by 300% in less than 12 months. Prior to joining Cayenta, Mr. Johnson was the Chief Operating/People Officer at Breakaway Solutions, where he grew the company from 150 employees to well over 1,000, participated in managing its IPO (resulting in achievement of NASDAQ's top 10 in 1999), directed its $225M acquisition of Eggrock Partners, and developed the Breakaway Venture Capital fund. Mr. Johnson has also held executive positions at Cambridge Technology Partners, KPMG, worked as an investment banker at Lehman Brothers Kuhn Loeb. During his career, he has served as board level advisor to three of the Fortune 50 corporations. Mr. Johnson holds a BA in English from Holy Cross College and graduated as a Fulbright Scholar from the Edinburgh Business School.So, from what country does Mr Johnson hail? Hmmm, Holy Cross, not Holy Crescent. Fulbright scholar ...
If this deal comes up empty, then the government will have screwed a bunch of ordinary Americans. I mean, who's going to deal with this outfit after this publicity? Better get those resumes posted!
BTW, neat website you found there, FormerLurker.
So what triggered the raid on a snowy night? Why NOW if it's been a year long investigation?
nothing here. let's move on.
"Bin Ladens Own Stake In Mass Biomedical Firm"
It's Hybridion
Details on other Bin-Laden family investments and partnerships in the biological products field can be found *here,* to include Intervac L.L.C.and The Carlyle Group, a privately held corporation whose board members have included George Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker, former Defence Secretary and Deputy CIA Director Frank Carlucci, and former British Prime Minister John Major- and one of whose major investors was the Bin-Laden family...until just about a month before the WTC and Pentagon attacks.
Additional discussion of Bin-Laden family operations in the Boston area *here*.
-archy-/-
The FBI is an amazing piece of work.
It is indeed beginning to appear that the FBI has outlived any usefulness it may have once had. And just as they're now blaming Clinton for their past failures, they'll soon be blaming the Bush administration for their present ones.
-archy-/-
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