Boston-Area Computer Company Raided In Terror Probe

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Customs Agents Suspect Quincy, Mass., Business Of Al-Qaida Links
Updated: 8:15 a.m. EST December 6, 2002

BOSTON -- Federal agents raided a Quincy, Mass., computer company Thursday night as part of an ongoing probe into businesses that may have suspected ties to terrorists.

The company, PTech Inc., ( http://www.ptechinc.com/ ) has access to some of the government's closest held secrets.

ABC News reported that just before midnight Thursday a team of U.S. customs agents raided the company's offices.

It's the culmination of a top-secret, White House-coordinated investigation amid concerns the company is secretly being controlled and owned by al-Qaida activists or sympathizers.

Agents could be seen inside the company's offices. They suspect that the company may be linked to one of Osama bin Laden's alleged money men -- a Saudi multi-millionaire who is on the government's list of leading terrorist financiers, whose accounts have been frozen by the U.S. government.

From CNN:
Customs searches software firm near Boston
Fears that funds may have gone to al Qaeda
Friday, December 6, 2002 Posted: 11:57 AM EST (1657 GMT)

Ptech Inc. offices in Quincy, Massachusetts

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Government sources said agents searched a high-tech company in Massachusetts early Friday, looking for evidence that the software provider -- which has several government agencies in its customer base -- may have ties to al Qaeda.

No charges have been filed against the Quincy, Massachusetts, firm, Ptech Inc., which was unavailable for comment.

Sources said FBI agents are also looking into the possibility that Ptech executives may be involved in a charitable organization that sends money to the Middle East, and whether that organization's funds might be diverted to al Qaeda. One federal source said the FBI has no evidence this happened.

It was not clear if that organization was the Muwafaq Foundation -- which U.S. officials have said was an al Qaeda front -- or another Islamic charity.

U.S. Customs agents raided Ptech's headquarters at midnight in Quincy, Massachusetts, and downloaded information from company computers for further investigation, the sources said.

Officials are especially concerned that several of Ptech's customers are government agencies, including the Department of Energy, the FBI, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Postal Service, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the House of Representatives and NATO.

One government official said "absolutely no evidence" exists that the company's product had been tampered with, but the investigation was under way.

A White House official told CNN that the administration was informed about the incident.

At issue, the sources said, is Ptech's alleged connection to Yasin al-Qadi, a Saudi businessman whose name appears on the U.S. watch-list of people and organizations whose U.S. assets have been frozen. Following the September 11 terror attacks, it has been illegal for a U.S. company to do business with anyone on that list.

Al-Qadi is believed to be a partial financier of the company, which was launched in 1994 by chairman and CEO Oussama Ziadé, chief product officer James Cerrato and vice president and chief scientist Hussein Ibrahim.

Al-Qadi once headed the Muslim charitable organization called Muwafaq Foundation. He has repeatedly denied any connection with al Qaeda or its leader, Osama bin Laden.

The Muwafaq Foundation sent aid to Bosnian Muslims and shut down in 1996, al-Qadi said.

Sources said Ptech executives are believed to have been aware of al-Qadi's suspected connections but did not sever their relationship with him.

CNN Correspondents Kelli Arena and Jeanne Meserve and Producer Terry Friedan contributed to this report.

JackBenny · Sergeant Joined: Jul 12, 2002 Posts: 140 Location: USA


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