Witness to Abuse - Human Rights Watch

embassy and he is not into politics. … I contacted this man to ask him
to bring books for our mosque library in San Antonio. 288
According to press reports, anonymous federal government sources identified al-Hazmi
as a key terrorist suspect who had provided funds for the September 11 hijackers.
Nevertheless, they never brought him before a grand jury, and he was never charged
with any crime or immigration violation. 289
Omer Bakarbashat
The FBI presumed that Omer Bakarbashat had information relevant to the September
11 investigation because a year before the September 11 attacks, he had subleased the
apartment of two of the hijackers. Bakarbashat, a Yemeni national, was in the United
States on a student visa following his completion of a computer science degree in
Jordan. After seven months in the United States, his family had a financial set-back and
could no longer assist him with his tuition. Bakarbashat falsified his immigration
documents so he could work in the U.S. to support himself. He dropped out of school
and found work as a computer technician, because “I didn’t want to give up my dream.”
After spending nights in his car and with friends, Bakarbashat eventually found cheap
housing he could afford when two acquaintances from the mosque where he prayed
daily said they were looking for someone to take the last month on their six-month lease
for $400—half the rent. This was his only substantive interaction with the two men,
Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Midhar, who a year later hijacked American Airlines flight
seventy-seven, which killed 189 people when it crashed into the Pentagon on September
11. 290 When FBI agents visited Bakarbashat on September 15, 2001, he voluntarily
explained his connection to the men, whatever information he knew of them, and
disclosed that he was out of status. Bakarbashat volunteered to be polygraphed about his
knowledge and allowed the government to search his computer and his residence.
Despite his willingness to cooperate, the government presumed he had more
information and told him it would charge him for financially assisting the two hijackers
288
Interview with Dr. Albader al-Hazmi. See also Pierce, “Coming Home.”
289
Testimony of Gerald H. Goldstein before the Senate Judiciary Committee, December 4, 2001. Al-Hazmi was
arrested in San Antonio, Texas on September 12, 2001 and released on September 24, 2001. See also: Scott
Paltrow and Laurie P. Cohen, “Government Won't Disclose Reasons for Detaining People in Terror Probe,” Wall
Street Journal, September 27, 2001; Robyn Blumner, “Abusing Detention Powers,” St. Petersburg Times,
October 15, 2001; and Associated Press, “Saudi Doctor Proclaims Innocence after Release,” Washington Post,
September 26, 2001.
290
Associated Press, “Man Detained in Terrorism Probe Pleads Innocent to Fraud,” Jan. 8, 2002.
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