20 September 2001, Copyright © Turkish Daily News

First criminal charges filed in investigation, against men who had false immigration papers and airport diagrams

Incirlik was among bin
Laden's targets

U.S. authorities filed the first criminal charges in their investigation into the terrorist attacks on the United States, after finding three men with false immigration papers, notations on the American Incirlik base in Turkey and airport diagrams.

The notations found in a search of the residence of three men in Detroit, from Morocco and Algeria, demonstrated that besides tagets in the United States, terrorists were also aiming to strike the Incirlik base in Turkey and the Alia airport of Jordan.

The arrests occurred when FBI agents raided a house in Detroit on Tuesday looking for one of the nearly 200 witnesses being sought in the investigation. Instead, they found the three men and a cache of documents. The three were charged with having false immigration papers.

The investigation has detained 75 people for questioning and had at least four people under arrest as material witnesses, law enforcement officials said. A material witness is someone considered crucial to the investigation whom authorities may detain without charging with any crime.

The government also announced a new policy that gives immigration authorities two days, or longer in emergencies, to decide whether to charge an alien with status violations, up from one day. Many of those questioned in Tuesday's attack were being detained on immigration violations.

The Justice Department also has drafted legislation that would allow the attorney general to arrest and deport suspected terrorists without presenting evidence in a court, The Washington Post reported in Wednesday's editions.

Attorney General John Ashcroft - the top U.S. law enforcement official - promised to use "every legal means at our disposal to prevent further terrorist activity by taking people into custody who have violated the law and who may pose a threat to America."

Ashcroft said publicly for the first time that authorities were probing whether more flights than the four that crashed last Tuesday had been targeted for hijackings.

The restructuring of the investigation included the creation of anti-terrorism task forces by every federal prosecutor's office in the country.

"These task forces will be a part of a national network that will coordinate the dissemination of information and the development of a strategy to disrupt, dismantle and punish terrorist organizations throughout the country," he said.

A report Wednesday said federal authorities believe New Jersey served as the financial hub of a terrorist-funding operation that helped support the World Trade Center hijackers and their accomplices.

The Star-Ledger of Newark, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, reported Wednesday that there is evidence that suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden maintained a cadre of New Jersey operatives who redistributed wire transfers of cash to conspirators throughout the United States.

The report said authorities - using credit card receipts and other records obtained during a series of searches in New Jersey and other states - are trying to follow the suspects' financial trail, from the U.S. accounts that financed them to bin Laden's secret accounts abroad.

The overall investigation was being aided by a grand jury investigative panel in the New York suburb of White Plains that subpoenas witnesses and determines whether to file indictments against suspects. Officials said other grand juries would likely be used around the country to issue subpoenas and gather evidence.

The three men in Detroit, from Morocco and Algeria, were arrested on charges of identity fraud and misuse of visas.

During a search of the men's residence, FBI agents observed a day planner containing notations on the "American base in Turkey," the "American foreign minister" and "Alia Airport," in Jordan, according to an FBI affidavit filed in the case.

"The day planner also contained handwritten sketches of what appeared to be a diagram of an airport flight line, to include aircraft and runways," the affidavit said.

Federal documents identified the men as Karim Koubriti, 23; Ahmed Hannan, 33; and Farouk Ali-Haimoud, 21.

Among the four material witnesses under arrest was Albader Alhazmi, 34, a Saudi national and Saudi-trained doctor who was doing a medical residency in radiology at University of Texas Health Science Center, a law enforcement official said. He was being held in New York.

Alhazmi did not show up for his radiologist job on Sept. 11, the day of the attacks. He had been working at a military hospital located on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio during the week before the attacks, said an official at the medical center.

Meanwhile, evidence emerged Tuesday that the FBI had tracked the activities of one Arab man who was seeking jetliner training in the weeks before Tuesday's attacks.

The FBI came by the Airman Flight School in Norman, Oklahoma, about two weeks before the terrorist attacks, inquiring about Zacarias Moussaoui, who is now in custody in New York in the investigation.

The FBI had a picture of Moussaoui and asked if people at the school could identify him. They also asked about his mannerisms and what he did at the school, said admissions director Brenda Keene.

Moussaoui was detained Aug. 17 in Minnesota on immigration issues after he aroused suspicions by seeking to buy time on a flight simulator for jetliners at a Minnesota flight school, law enforcement officials said. Oklahoma school officials described Moussaoui as an impatient student who was not good at flying. But they said nothing about him led them to think he was connected to terrorists.

An unconfirmed link to Iraq emerged Tuesday in the intelligence community.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States had received information from a foreign intelligence service that Mohamed Atta, an alleged hijacker aboard one of the planes that slammed into the World Trade Center, met earlier this year in Europe with an Iraqi intelligence agent. That information came in after the attacks and had not been corroborated by U.S. authorities, the official said.

The FBI continued to explore evidence, some of which has emerged from Saudi Arabian authorities, that some of the hijackers may have stolen the identities of other Arabs and used their names to carry out their attacks, officials said.

Authorities also detained a man in San Diego, California, who was linked through financial transactions to two of the 19 hijackers, officials said.

Also in California, investigators are questioning a foreign national who may have been a roommate of a suspected hijacker in last week's terrorist attacks. Tarek Mohamed Fayad, 33, was taken into custody Monday in Los Angeles.

In other developments:

-The FBI has asked U.S. banks and foreign banks with U.S. operations to report transactions in their records by individuals who have been named as under investigation in the attacks.

-FBI cybercrime specialists have tracked down hundreds of e-mails from the alleged hijackers and their associates, who used both public and private e-mail systems to communicate, an FBI official said on condition of anonymity.

Washington - Compiled from Wire Dispatches

Bin Laden's money haunts Southern Cyprus

The Greek Cypriot administration, who has been counting days for European Union accession, is haunted nowadays with claims that southern Cyprus has become the financial capital of Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida, Arabic for "the base", terrorism network.

The Greek Cypriot administration, a government that has a very bad record because of the bank accounts of former Yugoslavian dictator Slobadan Milosevic, has been trying in vane to convince the world that there was no money laundering in southern Cyprus, a frontrunner for membership in the next wave of European Union enlargement.

The first serious claim against Greek Cypriot connection with bin Laden and his al-Qaida was first raised by former NATO commander Wesley Clark in an interview with CNN.

The Greek Cypriot administration strongly reacted to Clark's description of southern Cyprus as a "terrorist den" refuting the charges as "groundless."

"These statements are completely groundless. No country and in particular the U.S. have never before raised the issue of terrorist activities in (South) Cyprus," Greek Cypriot government spokesman Michailis Papapetrou said.

Besides Osama bin Laden having bank accounts in southern Cyprus, the Laden family have extensive investments there. According to Greek Cypriot Public Order Minister Nikos Kochis, bin Laden's brother Salih bin Laden and his Lebanese associate have three offshore companies in southern Cyprus. Kochis said Salih bin Laden was a "clean businessmen" and activities of his companies in southern Cyprus were under strict control from the Central Bank.

The Greek Cypriot minister's assurance that Salih bin Laden was a "clean businessman" and his companies were under "strict control" from the Central Bank was an attempt to reply to recent allegations that terrorist chieftain bin Laden was hiding a "treasure" in southern Cyprus.

Ex-CIA spymaster James Wolsey triggered a local furore on Tuesday with remarks published in Italian newspaper La Republica that the Greek Cypriot administration was reluctant to cooperate with a 1998 probe into bin Laden's riches.

The sensitivity of the Greek Cypriot sector vis-a-vis the allegations stem from the sensitivity of the European Union, to which Greek Cypriots hope to join as a full member in less than two years, on terrorism and money laundering issues.

Wolsey, in remarks to the La Republica newspaper of Italy had claimed that the Greek Cypriot administration was not cooperating with the U.S. and was refusing to provide information on bank accounts and business relations of bin Laden in southern Cyprus.

According to La Republica, the U.S. was very much annoyed with the Greek Cypriot attitude and has complained to the EU. "If Cyprus (Greek Cypriots) won't provide details of bin Laden's bank accounts and trade relations to the Eu, the EU should not accept them as a member for 400 years," Wolsey had reportedly told La Republica.

The International Herald Tribune also reported this week that bin Laden was using the offshore companies in southern Cyprus to launder his money.

The island's central bank described the report as "unfounded and malicious".

The U.S. embassy in Nicosia said Wolsey, who left the service in 1995, was speaking in a personal capacity and that his remarks did not reflect government policy.

The Greek Cypriot Foreign Ministry said it was in continuous dialogue with the United States on fighting money laundering and "terrorism".

The issue of funds belonging to bin Laden's group had never been raised, it said.

"If such information exists, it should be made available immediately for necessary investigations," it said.

Greek Cypriot Central Bank Governor Afksentis Afksentiu issued a statement also stressing that accounts of bin Laden's companies in southern Cyprus were being submitted to the Central Bank for control on a routine basis in line with the laws of the island.

The EU also said on Wednesday it was satisfied that southern Cyprus was fully compliant with international practices to curb money laundering.

"The most important thing is that authorities have undertaken everything in their power to avoid money laundering taking place," said Maurer who heads the EU team negotiating with Greek Cypriots.

He was speaking after a meeting with George Vassiliou, the island's chief EU negotiator.

The world's No. 1 terror suspect finances his war against the citadels of capitalism with funds earned through capitalist ventures.

Although estimates of bin Laden's wealth vary widely, a report commissioned by the U.S. Congress estimated his wealth at $300 million. In addition to his investments, bin Laden inherited a family fortune and gets donations from wealthy individuals.

It's difficult to calculate at this stage how much money was spent on last week's suicide jet attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.

But experts say the whole operation -- including pilot training, accommodation, travel expenses and first class tickets for the hijackers -- couldn't have cost more than $1 million, a sum bin Laden could easily afford.

Bin Laden's wealth and his connections with prosperous families in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations were not a cause of worry to Western countries, including the U.S. in the 1980s.

Then, he was one of the good guys, using the funds to buy arms and supplies for the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, a crusade backed by the United States in battle against communism.

But at that time, experts say, bin Laden also started putting down the roots for one of the world's most extensive financial networks, one that would eventually bankroll his group, al-Qaida, Arabic for "the base."

During that period, he succeeded in persuading Muslim clergymen in several Arab countries to issue a religious edict making it legal for Muslims to offer their zakat, alms given annually to the poor, to the Arab fighters in the Afghan war.

"Money poured in from millions of Muslims who supported his quest to expel the infidels from Muslim lands," said Salman, managing editor of Beirut's newspaper As-Safir.

He believes that many of those donors are still giving money to bin Laden even though the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in 1989.

On Tuesday -- following U.S. pressure on Saudi Arabia -- Saudi businessmen said their country has started to crack down on such donations -- which usually yielded $1 million to $2 million a month.

Al-Qaida funds more than its own operations. Alex Standish, editor of Jane's Intelligence Digest, calls the group "the merchant bank for terrorism" in that it often supports small, freelance, militant groups in attacks against American or other Western interests.

Money for terrorism is likely moved around by transfers between businesses and by couriers carrying cash. Wealthy families have also indirectly financed bin Laden's operations, sending money to sons sent abroad to study.

Ziad Jarrah, one of 19 suspects in the attack, asked his family earlier this month to urgently wire him $2,000 on top of his monthly $2,000 allowance. His father, Samir, said Jarrah's sister and mother sometimes sent him money in secret.

It's been hard for authorities to track bin Laden's assets and freeze them because they're tied to front companies that seem legitimate. Standish said these businesses include food processing plants, ostrich farms, outfits dealing in diamonds and construction firms.

Experts say evidence suggests that mosques, Islamic charities and other nongovernmental organizations have diverted to al-Qaida some funds raised in the U.S., Europe and other parts of the world.

"Some of that was done under false pretenses," said Mike Ackerman, a former CIA operations officer and now an international security consultant in Miami, Florida.

"People think they're contributing to a humanitarian cause and it winds up in bin Laden's pocket," he added.

Muslim groups came under scrutiny in the United States in the early 1990s following claims they were channeling funds to the Palestinian militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad as well as to other Islamic movements.

But Western governments have been reluctant to crack down on those groups because they did not want to be seen as discriminating against Muslims.

"Also, in a democratic country it's very difficult for the government to move against an organization, especially a charity, and close it down without having some evidence," said Standish.

Knowing all they did about bin Laden, why have Western security agencies allowed his businesses to thrive?

Standish and Ackerman list two reasons. Some countries where bin Laden's companies are based -- such as Sudan -- haven't given the access needed to move against bin Laden and Western countries have not taken the terrorist threat seriously.

"We've been sort of fat and happy and very complacent in this country," said Ackerman.

Analysts say severing the financial arteries feeding a shifting array of assets attributed to the Saudi-born tycoon will also need greater curbs on money laundering in the Gulf and far closer scrutiny of charities throughout the Islamic world.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Fogg: Turkey may
surprise us

European Union Turkey Officer Karen Fogg claims Turkey is not ready for membership negotiations yet, however, she kept hopes alive by stating that Turkey had potential to fulfil its requirements for the membership in a short time.

Speaking in the "EU-Turkey Relations" conference organized by the Political and Social Researches Foundation, Fogg said the European Union had challenged a lot of problems since its establishment. She stated that the candidate countries had a long way to go for membership, however, this was not the case before, when the currently member countries had made their applications when they were ready for membership.

Fogg noted that the income-per-capita of the candidate countries were way below EU average, moreover, they come from very different cultures.

She went on to point out that the market structure had become gradually complex particularly after the introduction of common currency in the 90s, therefore candidate countries had to challenge additional difficulties. However, Fogg added, the reversion and the ease of the process depend on the performances of the candidate countries.

Fogg continued: "Compared to the former process, Turkey does now have to challenge a more complex one. There are criteria to comply with, the first being the Copenhagen Criteria. All the candidate countries have to apply common EU rules and policies, and adapt the criteria to the domestic policies. The other criteria are the political ones, in other words, the enhancement of an effective democracy in all the candidate countries. The economic criteria briefly means the requirement of a healthy market and competitive economics."

Turkey's candidacy is not convincing

Fogg stated that budget, agriculture, regional policies and the conditions of negotiation were the most difficult issues to be determined by the candidate countries. Fogg said Turkey's application was not as convincing as the other candidates considering the criteria above.

Fogg related that Turkey is in the pre-membership phase since 1999, there is a common impression that the European Union doesn't help Turkey, however, the aid increased twice after the Helsinki Summit. Fogg stated that the European Union is to donate $170 million to Turkey, plus loans to the Small and Medium Enterprises for infrastructure.

She added: "One of the most important prerequisites of negotiations is the fulfilment of the political criteria. Turkey is not a candidate for negotiations yet. There are 30 topics for Turkey to assess on her legal status for the adaptation to the European Union. Despite the general impression being different, we observe the positive steps taken by Turkey for membership. However, these are not apparent for the moment."

November report likely to arise discussions

Fogg said legislation on tenders in the candidate countries are among the most important issues. Fogg stated that the state intervention to the electricity and telecommunication institutions must be ended, and the Constitution must be modified consequently.

Fogg stated that the annual EU report, expected to be issued in mid-November is likely to provoke discussions. She said the nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and private sector are ready for the relations with the European Union, and followed: "My personal view is that the economic performance of Turkey in the next couple of months is crucial. If the economic achievements cannot be performed, other aspects will also be challenging than ever."

Fogg noted these aspects as political and international aspects, Cyprus issue in particular and stressed the importance of Cyprus talks under EU surveillance to come to a conclusion; and said if no compromise would be achieved until summer, hard times await all the relevant parties.

Fogg concluded her speech by saying Turkey always has a potential to surprise everyone, and claiming Turkey is facing a very complex process, which will turn either to a great acceleration or to a halt.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

IDEF Fair opens a week later

Russians hope to sell Erdogan this time

It was a flop for the Russians when they couldn't sell helicopters named 'Erdogan', particularly to the Turkish military, despite being the center of attraction in the previous International Defence Fair (IDEF).

Now things are different. The context of IDEF, which is likely to be both shadowed and boosted by the recent terrorist attack in the United States, is to change a lot; and the Russians, encouraged by the new prospects in the aftermath of the terrorist act, will try their best to sell 'Erdogan' this time.

Rosoboroneksport, the official weapon export company from the Russian Federation, briefed the Turkish press about preparations for IDEF 2001 which will be held in Ankara between Sept. 17 and 20.

Russians optimist on the tender

Anatoly Axenov, Chief Consultant from the General Director, and Russian defense industry entrepreneurs participated in the briefing, in which it has been stated that more than 180 weapons are to be shown. These weapons include KA and MI type helicopters, missile defense systems such as TOR and Phoenix, and armored vehicles.

Russian officials also expressed their optimism on the helicopter tender that Turkey submitted but they have to compete with the Americans. Axenov told the press that their offer includes many advantages such as they will not only sell the helicopters, but also give the production technology,; furthermore, they will not introduce a restriction to the sale to the third countries.

Valeri Litvinov, representative from the Russian Kamov company, stated that they impose no restrictions and conditions for the use of the helicopters, and these guarantees are not given by the Americans. Litvinov also said that another advantage is the low cost of the helicopters, compared to the U.S. offer.

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

Cem speaks with Arafat, Peres

Soon after the ending of clashes between the Israelis and the Palestinians, top officials from these two countries spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, in an effort to evaluate the recent situation.

Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres called his Turkish counterpart on Tuesday, praising the Turkish efforts which ended with the current situation.

Cem called the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Wednesday afternoon and asked for the continuation of contact, Turkish officials said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered the army to halt attacks. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat ordered his forces not to fire in self defence.

"We want the steps taken yesterday to be permanent," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Huseyin Dirioz said during the weekly press conference at the ministry on Wednesday. Cem told Peres Turkey supported peace and stability in the Middle East and would do whatever was in its power to help the process, Dirioz said.

Cem had a chain of telephone conversations in the midst of the critical countdown in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks against the United States.

Cem evaluated the recent situation together with the Greek Foreign Minister Yorgo Papandreu, Austrian Foreign Minister and the Jordanian Foreign Minister during telephone conversations.