Suspect in supplying fake IDs to hijackers arrested

A man accused of providing fake identification to two of the Sept. 11 hijackers, including one who boarded a flight in Portland, Maine, was arrested at New York’s Kennedy Airport, authorities said Tuesday.

Mohamed el-Atriss, who was returning from Egypt, was taken into custody by U.S. Customs agents when they noticed a warrant from Passaic County, N.J., said Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Newark.

El-Atriss arrived in New York either late Monday or early Tuesday and faces extradition to Passaic County, Drewniak said.

Federal authorities have not charged el-Atriss, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Egypt. However, “because of our ongoing investigation, he remains of interest to us. Beyond that, I can’t comment,” Drewniak said.

El-Atriss flew to Egypt hours before Passaic County authorities came to arrest him in a July 31 raid on his home and businesses, investigators have said.

According to the FBI, el-Atriss sold phony IDs to Khalid Almihdhar, who was on the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon, and Abdulaziz Alomari, who boarded a flight in Portland and was on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center. Authorities have said they didn’t know if el-Atriss knew of the hijackers’ plans.

Passaic County authorities have charged el-Atriss with conspiracy, and manufacturing and distributing phony documents. They said he sold hundreds of fake driver’s licenses, identification cards, auto titles and license plates.

County Sheriff Jerry Speziale, who conducted the raids on the home and businesses of el-Atriss, said in a statement that the arrest “marks the successful end of a lengthy investigation.”

During the raid, investigators at the Paterson office of All Services Plus found rolls of plastic laminating sheets and backings used to make driver’s licenses for several states. A sign outside the building identified it as a provider of international driver’s licenses and ID cards, notary public, fax and passport services and a money transfer station. Three employees at el-Atriss’ stores were arrested during the raids. They were charged with manufacturing and distributing fraudulent documents and conspiracy.

Speziale had invited some media, including The Associated Press, to observe the raids. A federal law enforcement official later described the move to The New York Times as a grab for media attention that destroyed an FBI investigation.

A week later, the state attorney general ordered all terrorism-related search warrants to be cleared through federal authorities.