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FBI: Man knew hijacking suspect, lied about it

By Terry Frieden
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An Arizona resident was indicted Friday on charges of lying to the FBI about his alleged relationship with one of the suspects in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Faisal Michael Al Salmi of Tempe was indicted by a federal grand jury in Phoenix for repeatedly denying any association with Hani Hanjour, whom authorities believe was the terrorist pilot who crashed an American Airlines flight into the Pentagon.

Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the indictment Friday at a Washington news conference.

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"The Department of Justice will bring the full weight of the law upon those who try to impede or hinder the investigation of the terrorist acts of September 11," Ashcroft said.

Al Salmi is in federal custody in New York, but is expected to be returned to Arizona to face the charges.

According to the first count of the two-count indictment, Al-Salmi denied during an FBI interview that he had any knowledge or association with Hanjour, though investigators discovered that Al Salmi had spoken with Hanjour on several occasions. The two had spoken on at least one occasion of their mutual interest in aviation, the indictment says.

The second count alleges that Al Salmi made false statements to the FBI about another of Hanjour's acquaintances. Al Salmi allegedly told investigators he had not spoken with Rayed Mohammed Abdullah about an FBI interview in which Abdullah had described for agents his limited association with Hanjour. If Al Salmi is convicted on both counts he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

More than 600 people have been arrested or detained during the probe of the attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon. Police are holding some of those people as material witnesses.

Identity fraud alleged

In Detroit, Michigan, one of three men indicted on charges of identity fraud refused to reveal his nationality in federal court when a U.S. magistrate asked him twice to identify his native country.

Federal authorities said Friday they believe the man is Youseff Hmimssa. He has several other known aliases, including Michael Saisa, Edgardo Colon, Patrick Vuillaume and "Jalai," officials said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino said his office has not been able to determine if the man in custody is Hmimssa, who lived in Dearborn, Michigan. The man in custody, arrested September 28 and indicted on counts of identity fraud, misuse of visas and conspiracy to commit identity fraud, has asserted in the past he was a native of Morocco, Convertino said.

Two other men also indicted on charges of identity fraud -- Karim Koubriti, 23, and Ahmed Hannan, 33, both resident aliens of Arab descent -- also appeared in court Thursday, as their attorneys appealed an order to detain them.

Koubriti and Hannan and a third man, Farouk Ali-Haimoud, were arrested September 17 at their apartment in southwest Detroit. A federal affidavit states agents found false identification documents, passport photos and a day planner with Arabic notations about a U.S. military base in Turkey, as well as what appeared to be drawings of flight paths for an airport.

Charges against Ali-Haimoud were dismissed; he was released from federal custody Wednesday