South African Woman Confirmed on Watch List
EFL:
NEWSCHANNEL 5 confirms that the name of a South African woman taken into custody while trying to board an airplane in McAllen last week appears on an FBI watch list. A senior Homeland Security official confirmed that 48-year-old Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed is a "person of interest." This information follows on the heels of Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Texas) telling NEWSCHANNEL 5 Wednesday in Brownsville that Ahmed is "on a list of persons (investigators) wanted to talk to and possibly on a list of terrorists."
From the description, she sounds like a courier... | "She is a person of interest," Ortiz said. "Thank God for the professionalism of these people from the border patrol, the customs officials who were able to detain this lady."
Investigators are trying to confirm Ahmed's identity and nationality, while attempting to determine whether she has any ties to terrorism. Government officials said that name is on an FBI watch list and that it was put on the list after it surfaced during an investigation of an overseas terrorist incident. Ahmed was in court Tuesday for a probable cause hearing on charges of illegal entry into the United States, falsifying a passport and making false statements. A judge denied her bail at her Tuesday court appearance. At last report, Ahmed was being held in a federal prison located in Willacy County.
She's now waiting for a mouthpiece to show up and announce her innocence... |
Posted by: Steve 2004-07-29 |