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Newspaper: Saudi family 'baffled' by FBI's search of their Palm Beach home

The Associated Press

Members of the Saudi family whose Palm Beach County home was searched this week by the FBI denied any connection to terrorist groups and said the FBI and their neighbors overreacted.

Madawi Almasri, eldest daughter of Mohamad Almasri, told The Miami Herald it was only a coincidence that the family left their Greenacres home and returned to Saudi Arabia shortly before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"The FBI misunderstood the situation," Madawi Almasri, 26, told the newspaper for Friday editions. "Everything is OK now. It's all going to end peacefully."

At least 15 FBI agents converged on the home and combed the property with metal detectors, dug holes in the backyard and removed a silver Mitsubishi Mirage from the garage. A judge issued a sealed warrant authorizing the search.

Neighbors had called the FBI to report concerns that the Saudi family had abruptly abandoned their home on Sept. 9, 2001. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, quoting a source in Washington, reported Thursday that the FBI based the search on neighbors' reports.

The Herald, quoting federal sources, reported Thursday that agents were investigating whether Mohamad Almasri has links to Muslim groups they suspect of bankrolling the terror plot.

In her interview with the Herald, Madawi Almasri, who teaches English to children in Jeddah, denied the family had any connections to terrorist organizations, and said FBI Agent Waldo Longa apologized for raiding her family's home.

She added that the FBI pledged to repair any damages to the house.

"He said it was a mistake. I don't blame anyone," she said. "We feel so bad because this has affected our family. We are very clean."

Mohamad Almasri, 57, echoed his daughter's comments: "We are clean."

Madawi Almasri told the newspaper that her family kept money at Suntrust, the same bank used Mohamed Atta, one of the 9-11 hijackers, but said she had no idea whether it was the same branch.

Madawi Almasri said the family left when they did because their summer vacation had ended and it was time to return home. If the family appeared to be leaving in a rush it was because they were worried about missing their flight, she said.

Madawi Almasri said her brother, Turki Almasri, had initially intended to remain in the United States to continue flight training, but decided to leave after the attacks, fearing an anti-Arab backlash.

On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Bob Graham and U.S. Rep. Mark Foley demanded that the FBI answer questions about the search.

Foley, a Republican from West Palm Beach, said it was "troublesome" that the FBI's search of the home came 16 months after the attacks.

Graham, a Democrat, noted that "the neighbors had reported this just a few days after Sept. 11, but it was almost a year before the FBI showed any interest."

The Almasris plan to return to their home soon and have no intention of selling it, Madawi Almasri said.

"We like it," she said. "We enjoy Florida."

Hey, these Saudi's don't lie. I am certain of it..(sarcasm)

I thought they searched this place before. Regardless, I'm glad they searched it.

The "we're very clean" statement doesn't make sense???

A judge issued a sealed warrant authorizing the search.

If the warrant is sealed, I think that means it's based on (presumably classified) information that the feds don't want to become public.