Sunday, May 15, 2005
buzz bombers arrested in florida
Sami Al-Arian, a University of South Florida professor and nationally known Palestinian rights activist, was already secretly under investigation by FBI foreign intelligence agents at the time of the bombing.
Al-Arian had established an Islamic academic think tank, a school, a mosque and a charity for Palestinian children, but authorities were questioning whether the true mission of Al-Arian's work was to finance terrorist attacks in Israel.
In a 53-count indictment, Al-Arian, Sameeh Hammoudeh, Hatim Naji Fariz and Ghassan Zayed Ballut are accused of racketeering, conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists. Five other men have been indicted but are still at large.
more info on those arrested
USF instructor Sameeh Hammoudeh, 42. Born in the West Bank, he is now a resident of Temple Terrace and an administrator at the Islamic Academy of Florida.
Hatim Naji Fariz, 30, born in Puerto Rico and now living in Spring Hill. He is a manager at a medical clinic.
Ghassan Zayed Ballut, 41, a West Bank native now living in Tinley Park, Ill., and owner of a small business.
``We make no distinction between those who carry out terrorist attacks and those who knowingly finance, manage or supervise terrorist organizations,'' Ashcroft said. As he spoke, federal agents raided six locations in the case, including Al-Arian's mosque near USF
Communications, money, even the wills of suicide bombers were routed through the Islamic Jihad's offices in Tampa, the indictment says.
It also accuses Al-Arian of sending faxes to a Saudi company in 1996 inquiring about buying 50-kilogram packages or urea, a chemical used to make explosives. And it accuses him of trying to recruit someone into the Islamic Jihad as early as 1988.
That happened at a conference in St. Louis, the indictment says. It was the first put together by an organization Al- Arian founded called the Islamic Committee for Palestine.
Little is known about Fariz. He does not appear in previously released documents. He apparently moved to Spring Hill from the Chicago area, where he worked with the Chicago Islamic Center, founded by Ballut.
http://www.prisonplanet.com says the mosque is
Masjid Al-Qassan Mosque named after a palistinain terrorist. There isn't much to support that (they also claim that (aa) is he favorite terrorist buddy.
evidently one of aa mosque supporters was the shiek arrested in the first world trade center bombing. (One letter off comes up under qassam it may be a mispealing by prison planet).
Al-Arian had established an Islamic academic think tank, a school, a mosque and a charity for Palestinian children, but authorities were questioning whether the true mission of Al-Arian's work was to finance terrorist attacks in Israel.
In a 53-count indictment, Al-Arian, Sameeh Hammoudeh, Hatim Naji Fariz and Ghassan Zayed Ballut are accused of racketeering, conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists. Five other men have been indicted but are still at large.
more info on those arrested
USF instructor Sameeh Hammoudeh, 42. Born in the West Bank, he is now a resident of Temple Terrace and an administrator at the Islamic Academy of Florida.
Hatim Naji Fariz, 30, born in Puerto Rico and now living in Spring Hill. He is a manager at a medical clinic.
Ghassan Zayed Ballut, 41, a West Bank native now living in Tinley Park, Ill., and owner of a small business.
``We make no distinction between those who carry out terrorist attacks and those who knowingly finance, manage or supervise terrorist organizations,'' Ashcroft said. As he spoke, federal agents raided six locations in the case, including Al-Arian's mosque near USF
Communications, money, even the wills of suicide bombers were routed through the Islamic Jihad's offices in Tampa, the indictment says.
It also accuses Al-Arian of sending faxes to a Saudi company in 1996 inquiring about buying 50-kilogram packages or urea, a chemical used to make explosives. And it accuses him of trying to recruit someone into the Islamic Jihad as early as 1988.
That happened at a conference in St. Louis, the indictment says. It was the first put together by an organization Al- Arian founded called the Islamic Committee for Palestine.
Little is known about Fariz. He does not appear in previously released documents. He apparently moved to Spring Hill from the Chicago area, where he worked with the Chicago Islamic Center, founded by Ballut.
http://www.prisonplanet.com says the mosque is
Masjid Al-Qassan Mosque named after a palistinain terrorist. There isn't much to support that (they also claim that (aa) is he favorite terrorist buddy.
evidently one of aa mosque supporters was the shiek arrested in the first world trade center bombing. (One letter off comes up under qassam it may be a mispealing by prison planet).
