by John Solomon, Associated Press
June 3, 2004
He trained in Afghanistan's militant camps and sent money to a terror camp roommate who was once a Boston cabbie convicted in a foiled plot to bomb a hotel. He boasted to an informant about plans to blow up a fuel truck inside a New York tunnel, FBI documents allege.
The Bush administration set him free -- to Syria -- even though prosecutors had sought to bring criminal cases against him and judges openly expressed concerns about possible terrorist ties.
Marabh served an eight-month jail sentence and was sent in January to his native Syria, which is regarded by the United States as a sponsor of terrorism. The quiet disposition of his case stands in stark contrast to the language FBI agents used to describe the man.
Marabh "intended to martyr himself in an attack against the United States," an FBI agent wrote in a December 2002 report. A footnote in Marabh's deportation ruling last year added, "The FBI has been unable to rule out the possibility that Marabh has engaged in terrorist activity or will do so if he is not removed from the United States."
One FBI report summarized a high-level debriefing of a Jordanian informant named Ahmed Y. Ashwas that was personally conducted by the US attorney in Chicago, signifying its importance. The informant alleged Marabh told him of specific terrorist plans during their time in prison.
Even the judge who accepted Marabh's plea agreement on minor immigration charges in 2002 balked. "Something about this case just makes me feel uncomfortable," Judge Richard Arcara said in court. The Justice Department assured the judge that Marabh did not have terrorist ties.
A second judge who ultimately ordered Marabh's deportation sided with FBI agents, federal prosecutors, and Customs agents in the field who believed Marabh was tied to terrorism.
"The court finds applicant does present a danger to national security," US Immigration Judge Robert D. Newberry ruled, concluding Marabh was "credibly linked to elements of terrorism" and had a "propensity to lie."
Neither the courts nor Marabh's attorneys were given access to the most striking allegations provided by the Jordanian informant.
|
Commentary:
Is the government lying about this man's links to terrorism?
Or are they saying, straight out, that U.S. secrets are more important than stopping terrorists -- so much more important, that the U.S. knowingly deports suspected terrorists to known terrorist countries?
It's not the first time such questions have been raised.
Incredibly, the U.S. has even been reluctant to help prosecute suspected terrorists from Sept. 11 (see the links below).
If this is the "war on terror," which side is America fighting for?
=H&HH= |
|
Asked to explain the decision to free Marabh, Justice spokesman Bryan Sierra said the government has concerns about many people with suspected terror ties but cannot effectively try them in court without giving away intelligence sources and methods.
"If the government cannot prosecute terrorism charges, another option is to remove the individual from the United States via deportation.
After careful review, this was determined to be the best option available under the law to protect our national security," he said.
|
|
|
|
Asked to explain the decision to free Marabh, Justice spokesman Bryan Sierra said the government has concerns about many people with suspected terror ties but cannot effectively try them in court without giving away intelligence sources and methods. "If the government cannot prosecute terrorism charges, another option is to remove the individual from the United States via deportation. After careful review, this was determined to be the best option available under the law to protect our national security," he said.
Internal FBI and Justice Department documents reviewed by AP show prosecutors and FBI agents in several cities gathered evidence that linked Marabh to:
|
. Raed Hijazi, the Boston cab driver convicted in Jordan for plotting to blow up an American-frequented hotel in Amman during year 2000 celebrations. Marabh and Hijazi were roommates at the Afghan training camps and later in the United States.
. The Detroit apartment where four men were arrested in what became the administration's first major terror prosecution after Sept. 11. Marabh's name was still on the rental unit when agents raided it. The men were found with false IDs and documents describing alleged terror plots.
. Several large deposits, withdrawals, and overseas wire transfers in 1998 and 2000 that were flagged as suspicious by a Boston bank.
|
|
|
The Bush administration set him free -- to Syria -- even though prosecutors had sought to bring criminal cases against him and judges openly expressed concerns about possible terrorist ties.
Marabh served an eight-month jail sentence and was sent in January to his native Syria, which is regarded by the United States as a sponsor of terrorism.
|
|
|
|
FBI documents said Marabh denied being affiliated with Al Qaeda. But he acknowledged receiving "security" training in rifles and rocket-propelled grenades in Afghan mujahideen camps, sending money to his friend Hijazi, using a fake address to get a truck driving license, and buying a phony passport for $4,000 in Canada to sneak into the United States shortly before Sept. 11.
Marabh's attorney, Mark Kriger, said yesterday he had never seen the Jordanian informant report and still doesn't believe his client had anything to do with terrorism. He said his client broke ties with Hijazi years ago after a falling-out.
|
The informant, Ashwas, who spent time in federal detention with Marabh, was debriefed by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in Chicago. He said Marabh told him he aided Hijazi's flight from authorities and sent him money, plotted a martyrdom attack in the United States, and took instructions from a mystery figure in Chicago known only as "al-Mosul," which means "boss" in Arabic.
He also said Marabh told him that he and Hijazi planned to steal a fuel truck from a rest stop in New York and or New Jersey and detonate it in the heavily traveled Lincoln or Holland tunnels, but the plan was foiled when Hijazi was arrested.
Published by
Associated Press
What do you think?
This material is copyrighted by its original publisher.
It is reprinted by Unknown News without permission, solely for purposes of criticism, comment, and news reporting, in accordance with the Fair Use Guidelines of copyright material under § 107 of U.S.C. Title 17.
There's much more than this at Unknown News.
|
|
From the archives, May 20, 2004:
Whoops, you weren't supposed
to know that about Sept. 11
9/11 testimony from 2002 suddenly classified
# with comments by Barbara and H&HH
From the archives, May 19, 2004:
9/11 Commission inquiry
is full of unspoken questions
From the archives, May 15, 2004:
9/11 panelists bewildered by what Bush administration calls “classified information”
From the archives, May 6, 2004:
FAA manager destroyed 9/11 tapes
From the archives, May 2, 2004:
9/11 Commission's Presidential disaster
by Heath Honesty and H&HH, Unknown News
From the archives, April 29, 2004:
Sept. 11 widow says
"I'm 100% sure that they knew"
From the archives, April 29, 2004:
BushCheney non-testify
before 9/11 Commission
# with comments by Luke and Kathy Fisher
From the archives, April 26, 2004:
Government tries to gag FBI worker over 9/11
From the archives, April 26, 2004:
Two questions for the 9/11 Commission
by Susan Strouss, Unknown News
From the archives, April 19, 2004:
September 11, 2001:
Questions that'll never be asked ...
by Tess Ellis, Unknown News
From the archives, April 14, 2004:
FBI whistleblowers go unheard
9-11 Commission disregards
survivor families' interests
From the archives, April 13, 2004:
Ashcroft's record of
lying to Congress about 9/11
From the archives, April 9, 2004:
Why won't the U.S. cooperate
with Sept. 11 prosecutions?
# with comments by H&HH
From the archives, April 9, 2004:
The pre-9/11 blunder
you’ve probably never heard of
From the archives, April 2, 2004:
FBI whistleblower says Rice is lying:
Bush knew al-Qaida was planning attack
From the archives, March 28, 2004:
Conflict of interest at heart of the 9/11 'investigation'
From the archives,
March 25-26, 2004:
Rice contradicts CIA,
Cheney, Armitage, herself
From the archives, March 22, 2004:
After 2 ½ years asleep,
Wall Street Journal notices
a few oddities about Sept. 11
# with comments by H&HH
From the archives, March 14, 2004:
High-ranking government
officials took Sept. 11 souvenirs
# with comments by John C. and H&HH
From the archives, March 4, 2004:
U.S. stonewalling may let
another terror suspect off the hook
German prosecutor calls
U.S. conduct "incomprehensible"
# with comments by John C. and H&HH
From the archives, Feb. 10, 2004:
Daschle still says Bush & Cheney
asked for no 9/11 investigation at all
From the archives, Jan 31, 2004:
White House seizes notes
from 9/11 investigators
# with comments by H&HH
From the archives, Nov. 13, 2003:
Victims' families rip 9/11 secrecy deal
# with comments by H&HH
From the archives, Oct. 26, 2003:
Bush administration obstructs
investigation into Sept. 11
From the archives, Sept 17, 2003:
Two years of lies about Sept. 11
The new Warren Commission
by Helen & Harry Highwater, Unknown News
From the archives, Sept 10, 2003:
Hijacked 9/11 jets flew past
several US military bases
From the archives, Sept 4, 2003:
While all other planes were
grounded across the US ...
White House OK'd flight home
for Bin Ladens in Sept. 11 aftermath
From the archives, Aug. 13, 2003:
Germany warned CIA about
Sept. 11 terror pilot, Stern says
From the archives, Aug. 9, 2003:
White House ordered EPA to
lie about 9/11 pollution danger
From the archives, July 24, 2003:
9/11 families say: Tell us the full story
From the archives, July 16, 2003:
Bush blocks investigation
into September 11 attack
From the archives, July 1, 2003:
60 days prior to Sept. 11, 2001|
|
"The attack will be spectacular and designed to inflict mass casualties against U.S. facilities or interests. Attack preparations have been made. Attack will occur with little or no warning." --CIA Intelligence Report for President Bush, July 2001
|
From the archives, June 18, 2003:
"Fighting the White House" to get at the truth about Sept. 11
From the archives, May 9, 2003:
"An interesting day:"
Bush's movements and actions on Sept. 11, 2001
From the archives, March 31, 2003:
Sept. 11 victim's wife
asks uncomfortable questions
From the archives, March 29, 2003:
Increased funding brings investigation's budget to $12-million
# with comments by H&HH
From the archives, Oct. 21, 2002:
Cheney instrumental in blocking independent Sept. 11 commission
From the archives, Oct. 12, 2002:
Lawmakers say Bush is
blocking Sept. 11 investigation
|
|
|
