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Truck driver who drove too close to Pentagon gets

home detention
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A tow truck driver was sentenced
Friday to six months of home detention for carrying
false identification near the Pentagon hours after the FBI
had issued a new warning about terrorist attacks.
In February, Imad Abdel-Fattah Hamed accidentally
drove onto a highway that was closed to commercial
vehicles after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Hamed and a passenger were arrested after they were
found to have multiple IDs. Hamed was jailed for five
days before authorities determined he was not a
terrorist threat.
Hamed, a naturalized U.S. citizen, admitted last
month that he had fraudulently obtained a second
license from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
in July 2001 using the name Imad Nimer.
Defense lawyer Michael Hadeed said his client has
been treated fairly by prosecutors, but added that
"certainly at the outset, I guess if it had been someone
other than an Arab-American, it would have made a
difference in terms of suspicion."
The passenger in the truck -- Sultan Rasheed Al-
Zaabi, 23, a Virginia resident but a citizen of the United
Arab Emirates — pleaded guilty in March to document
fraud and received a year of probation.

Published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Saturday, June 15, 2002.

http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/061502/new 20020615019.shtml 4/26/2004

)aily Herald: War on Terrorism Page 1 of3

Two men in tow truck detained

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Federal prosecutors mindful of new

terrorism warnings sought the identity Wednesday
of a man charged with carrying fake identification
on a road near the Pentagon. A judge ordered the
R«d Cross man held.
Disaster Relief Fund
"There is a substantial risk of the defendant's
NEWS flight," U.S. Magistrate Judge Theresa Buchanan
said of the man, identified in court papers as "Imad
Headlines
Abdel-Fattah Hamed, aka Imad Nimer."
List of Victims
SEARCH A criminal complaint filed by the FBI revealed that
Hamed was interviewed previously by the agency,
on Oct. 22. An FBI supervisor, Steve Berry, would
NEWS TIPS not elaborate on the initial interview.
If you know someone from
this area who has been
Thi
called up for active duty, Just hours after the FBI issued a terrorist alert 27,
please contact us. Monday night, Hamed and another man were
ATTACK OVERVIEW detained by state and federal law enforcement
Photos of the attacks officials as Hamed drove a tow truck on Route 110,
which passes close by the Pentagon. The route was
Overview scene
closed to commercial and other big vehicles after
WTC scene the Sept. 11 terror attacks, one of which tore a
Pentagon scene
hole in the side of the Pentagon and killed 189
people.
MSNBC Video Gallery

Related links According to the FBI complaint, state police found a

DOWNLOADS (PDF) variety of driver's licenses and other false
government-issued documents. The men offered
9.12.01 Front Page
several explanations for why they were there and
American Flag Insert where they were going, the complaint said.
Victims Flag
"Their motivations are still unclear," Virginia State
Police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said.

The mystery rattled law enforcement and other

government officials who have been on high alert
since the Pentagon and the World Trade Center
attacks. Monday night, the FBI issued its latest
terror alert, warning of an unspecified attack
possibly as early as Tuesday.

"The timing of this apparent attempt to breach

http://www.dailyherald.com/special/waronterrorisrn/story.asp?intID=37301161 4/26/2004
 iarges Filed After Incident Near Pentagon Page 1 of 2

Charges Filed After Incident Near Pentagon

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ Return to Dr. Koontz's National Security Message Board ]

Posted by Bob (64.91.144.149) on Thursday, February 14th, 2002 at 09:06:29 GMT

In Reply to: Men in Truck Arrested Near Pentagon posted by Bob on Thursday, February 14th, 2002 at 03:55:19
GMT:

From the New York Times article linked to below:

February 14, 2002

A SECURITY BREACH

Charges Filed After Incident Near Pentagon

By DAVID JOHNSTON

ASHINGTON, Feb. 13 — A man who told the authorities he was from

Jordan was charged today with document fraud and making false
statements after he and a companion drove a tow truck into an off-limits
security zone near the Pentagon, law enforcement officials said.

Judge Theresa Buchanan of Federal District Court ordered the man,

Imad Abdel-Fattah Hamed, held pending another hearing on Friday.

Mr. Hamed and another man, whose identity was uncertain, were taken
into custody after the authorities said that false identity documents had
been found in their vehicle and that the two men had given false
information when their truck was pulled over by Virginia troopers.

Law enforcement officials said there was no indication so far that either
man was connected to any militant group and no evidence that they
intended any violent action against the Pentagon.

Mr. Hamed's associate, who was not charged with a criminal violation
but was detained on unspecified immigration charges, was carrying a
passport issued by the United Arab Emirates. The authorities have not
confirmed that the name on the passport is the man's correct name.

An affidavit signed by James P. Greene, an F.B.I, agent, and submitted

at Mr. Hamed's court appearance said the two men were riding in the
truck on a proscribed section of highway that passes within a few dozen
yards of the Pentagon, in Arlington, Va.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, signs posted along the road have strictly
banned commercial vehicles. The two men drove past several warning
signs before being stopped.

The affidavit said that F.B.I, agents found a fake Virginia driver's license
and other documents, including bank deposit slips and a cashier's check
for $12,700. The affidavit said the second man had a tourist visa and a
student visa, but the number on them did not match the one on his

http://www.mtelmessages.org/Messages/National_Security/Archives/Archive_04/wwwboa... 4/26/2004
FindLow
WWW.FINDLAW.COM

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

Alexandria Division

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA )

)
v. ) Criminal Number 02-82-A
)
IMAD ABDEL-FATTAH HAMED, )
a.k.a. Imad Nimer, )
)
Defendant )

STATEMENT OF FACTS

The United States and the defendant, Imad Abdel-Fattah Hamed, agree that had this
matter proceeded to trial, the United States would have proven the following facts beyond a

reasonable doubt:
1. To obtain a Virginia identification card, learner's permit, or driver's license, an

applicant must ordinarily present the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) proof of

identity and Virginia residence. The DMV requires two official identification documents as

proof of identity and one official or business document as proof of Virginia residence. Prior to
September 21, 2001, however, applicants lacking the required documentary proof of identity and

Virginia residence could complete and submit DMV forms DL6 and DL51 in lieu of the required

documents.
2. DMV form DL6 is an identity affidavit. Prior to September 21, 2001, the DMV

would accept a properly completed DL6 form in lieu of one of the two identification documents

required to apply for a license or identification card. The form requires the applicant to provide
and to swear to his name, address, and basic biographic information. The form further requires
FindLow
WWW. FINDLAW.COM

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA

Alexandria Division

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA )

)
v. ) Criminal Number 02-82-A
)
IMAD ABDEL-FATTAH HAMED, )
a.k.a. Imad Nimer, )
)
Defendant )

PLEA AGREEMENT
Paul J. McNulty, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and John T.
Morton, Assistant United States Attorney, and the defendant, Imad Abdel-Fattah Hamed, and the
defendant's counsel, Michael M. Hadeed, Jr., pursuant to Rule 1 l(e) of the Federal Rules of
Criminal Procedure, have entered into an agreement, the terms and conditions of which are as
follows:
. The defendant, Imad Abdel-Fattah Hamed, agrees to waive indictment and plead guilty
to a one-count criminal information filed with this agreement. Count one of the information
charges the defendant with identification document fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States
Code, Section 2 and Section 1028(a)(l), (b)(l)(A)(ii), and (c)(3)(A). The maximum penalty for
this offense is a term of fifteen years of imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, a special assessment,
and three years of supervised release. The defendant is aware that this supervised release term is
in addition to any prison term the defendant may receive, and that a violation of a term of
supervised release could result in the defendant being returned to prison for the full term of
supervised release.
. Before sentencing in this case, the defendant agrees to pay a mandatory special
assessment of one hundred dollars ($100.00) per count of conviction.
GW Hatchet Page 1 of 2

GW Hatchet - News
Issue: 2/14/02

INS detains possible GW student

By Drew Wiseman

A man identified as a possible GW student was arrested Monday night at the Pentagon for falsely
identifying himself and is being held for immigration violations, according to court records.

The man, whose United Arab Emirates passport identifies him as 23-year-old Sultan Rashed Sultan
Jasmon Alzaabi, was riding in a tow truck on an off-limits road near the Pentagon Monday night,
according to a court affidavit. The driver of the truck, identified as Imad Abdel-Fattah Named, was
also arrested and is being held without bond.

Alzaabi and Named carried several forms of false identification and were taken into custody after
Virginia state troopers arrested them for driving on Route 110, which runs east of the Pentagon.
Trucks have been prohibited there since Sept. 11, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit reads: "Named said he met the passenger at the Northern Virginia Community
College, although the passenger was now at George Washington (University)."

GW officials cannot confirm whether the passenger, whose real name is still in doubt, is a student.
The University has records of two former students with similar names to those found on two
different licenses Alzaabi had.

According to the University, a man listed as Sultan R. Al-Zaabi took classes in 1998. One license
found in the truck with Alzaabi's picture lists him as Sultan Rasheed Al-Zaabi.

The University also has record of a 2001 graduate named Abdulla R. Al-Zaabi. The other Virginia
license found on the passenger's person with a photo resembling him lists the man as Abdulla
Rashed Al-Zaabi.

Virginia State Trooper Robert Hindenlang stopped the truck at about 10:30 p.m. Monday.
According to court documents, both men "appeared to be Middle Eastern males in their late 20s or
early 30s."

The driver said he had not seen signs warning that trucks were prohibited and gave the officer a
Virginia license with the name Imad Abdel-Fattah Named and an address in Manassas, Va.

Police found the first license, with an Arlington, Va., address, on a rear tire of the truck. When
asked how the license got there, Alzaabi said he threw it there because it was suspended.

Officers ran a background check on the license and found the man "might be wanted" by the
police, according to the affidavit.

Hindenlang searched the passenger and found the second Virginia driver's license, a Virginia state
identification card, a GW phone card, a United Arab Emirates passport and a British Airways
Executive Club card. He also had two student visas - one with a different passport number from
the UAE passport - and a tourist visa. Alzaabi said the license found on his person belongs to his
brother.

The GW phone card had the same name on it as the license the passenger claimed belongs to his
brother. While it is unclear what the card is, some GWorld cards have AT&T calling plans on them.

FBI agents on the scene found a cashier's check for $12,700 and a business license in the truck,

http://www.gwhatchet.com/global user_elements/printpage.cfm?storyid=l 83661 4/26/2004

 Page 1 of2

TheBostonChannel.com
Identities of Pentagon Suspects Questioned
One Man Held Without Bond; Another In INS Custody
Authorities have more questions for two men taken into custody in front of the
Pentagon Monday night. One man is identified as Imad Named, who is also known
as Imad Nimer. Prosecutors said they're unclear about the man's actual identity.

Prosecutors said Named was behind the wheel of a red tow truck that drove onto a
restricted road in front of the Pentagon Monday night. Just hours after the FBI
warned there could be a new terrorist attack, prosecutors said the driver ignored a
security checkpoint. According to a criminal complaint, when the truck was
stopped farther down Route 110, Named agreed to let troopers search the tow
truck.

That's when the troopers said they found a Virginia driver's license, not with the
two men in the cab of the truck, but tucked into the right rear tire. The license
belonged to the passenger. The name on the license was Rasheed al-Zaabi.
According to the affidavit, he first told police the license must have fallen out of a
toolbox in the bed of the truck. He said he fell through a crack in the bed onto the
tire. Upon further questioning, he told authorities he had hidden the driver's
license there because it was suspended. When police later checked al-Zaabi for
weapons, they found another Virginia driver's license, a Virginia identification card,
and a UAE passport.

According to an FBI affidavit, al-Zaabi said he went to school with Named and said
he was in the United States on a student visa that had expired. He said he
dropped out of school after the events of Sept. 11 but said he didn't know any
terrorists or any terrorist organizations. Al-Zaabi is now in the custody of the INS.

As for Hamed, he was found to be carrying two different driver's licenses, with two
different dates of birth. He told authorities he was headed to a garage in Maryland,
but he didn't know the name of the garage or where in Maryland it was located.

During a brief appearance in Alexandria federal court today, Hamed said he needs
to find a lawyer. He said he's of Jordanian descent, but says he's now an American
citizen.

Hamed is charged with felony identification document fraud. He could be

sentenced to a federal prison for 15 years, if he's convicted.

: Federal investigators are looking into his identity and

r^f- his citizenship claim. He's been ordered to appear for a

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/print/1234312/detail.html?use=print 4/26/2004