http://www.recordnet.com/daily/news/articles/060805-gn-4.php
FBI links Lodi men to al-Qaida Father, son allegedly attended terrorist camp By Neil Gonzales and Jeff Hood Record Staff Writers Published Wednesday, June 8, 2005 A Lodi ice cream truck driver and his 22-year-old son were being held by authorities Tuesday on suspicion of having ties to al-Qaida. Authorities also were holding two other men, including a Lodi Muslim prayer leader, on immigration charges as part of a wide-ranging investigation. Hamid Hayat, 22, of Lodi pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Sacramento's federal court to a charge of lying to FBI agents when he initially denied having attended any terrorist camps. After that initial denial, he told agents that he had received military training and asked to return to the United States to "kill Americans," according to the federal complaint. His father, Umer Hayat, 47, pleaded not guilty to a charge of lying to the FBI about his son's participation in the training camp. The men, both U.S. citizens, are being held without bail in Sacramento. Also, Lodi Muslim Mosque imam Shabbir Ahmed and Mohammad Adil Khan of Lodi were arrested on immigration-related offenses either late Sunday or Monday morning, FBI spokesman John Cauthen said Tuesday. News of the arrests and the allegations of terrorist ties stunned the Muslim community Tuesday as federal investigators converged on Lodi to search the men's residences. The federal complaint against both Hayats, based on an affidavit by Special Agent Pedro Tenoch Aguilar of the FBI's Stockton office, states the younger man's May 29 travel from Pakistan after a monthlong stay there caught investigators' attention. The flight from Korea was diverted to Japan after he was found to be on the no-fly list, a list of people with suspected terrorist ties. After being interviewed by an FBI agent, Hamid Hayat was allowed to complete his flight to San Francisco. In an interview with agents Friday, he denied any connection with terrorists or having attended a religious school, according to the affidavit. Hayat took a polygraph test Saturday at the FBI's Sacramento office and afterward admitted he had attended a jihadist training camp in Pakistan for approximately six months in 2003 and 2004, according to the affidavit. The statement also alleges that Hayat knew the camp was supported by al-Qaida. Hayat said he received training in weapons, explosives, hand-to-hand combat and strenuous exercise. In some cases, the weapons targets included pictures of high-ranking U.S. political figures, including President Bush. Participants also took classes that detailed opposition to the United States and its allies. The affidavit also states that Umer Hayat denied his son's involvement in terrorist training Friday and Saturday but changed his story after being shown a videotape of Hamid Hayat's confession. The father told agents he knew of his son's plans, paid his air fare and sent him $100 a month. Umer Hayat told investigators his father-in-law operates a religious school that sends students to jihadist training camps in Pakistan, according to Aguilar's statement. The camp Hamid Hayat attended is run by a close friend of Umer Hayat's father-in-law, Aguilar stated. Umer Hayat previously visited several training camps to observe instruction, according to the affidavit. Cauthen said there was nothing he could reveal about the arrests. Attorney Johnny Griffin, who represented the men in court Tuesday, could not be reached for comment. A Lodi man who would describe himself only as Hamid Hayat's cousin said Hayat had spent time in Pakistan before "to kick back and get married." Hayat was working at a Lodi packing company and trying to petition for his wife to live in the United States, the cousin said. Neighbors described Umer Hayat as polite and friendly. At the mosque, a small group of men sitting at the front entrance said they didn't know what was going on. Mosque officials couldn't be reached immediately for comment. They Hayats are scheduled to return to court June 21. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
