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Site Map RANDY GLASS AND OPERATION DIAMONDBACK |
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by Cooperative Research History Commons Spring 1999: New Jersey HMO Is Possibly Funding Al-Qaeda Randy Glass is a con artist turned government informant participating in a sting called Operation Diamondback. [Palm Beach Post, 9/29/2001 -- John Pacenti, "The Individuals That Mr. Glass Has Dealt With Are Essentially Terrorists.': Taliban Showed Interest in Boca Snitch," Palm Beach Post, 29 September 2001.] He discusses an illegal weapons deal with an Egyptian-American named Mohamed el Amir. In wiretapped conversations, Mohamed discusses the need to get false papers to disguise a shipment of illegal weapons. His brother, Dr. Magdy el Amir, has been a wealthy neurologist in Jersey City for the past twenty years. Two other weapons dealers later convicted in a sting operation involving Glass also lived in Jersey City, and both el Amirs admit knowing one of them, Diaa Mohsen. Mohsen has been paid at least once by Dr. el Amir. In 1998, Congressman Ben Gilman was given a foreign intelligence report suggesting that Dr. el Amir owns an HMO that is secretly funded by bin Laden, and that money is being skimmed from the HMO to fund al-Qaeda activities. The state of New Jersey later buys the HMO and determines that $15 million were unaccounted for and much of that has been diverted into hard-to-trace offshore bank accounts. However, investigators working with Glass are never given the report about Dr. el Amir. Neither el Amir has been charged with any crime. Mohamed now lives in Egypt and Magdy continues to practice medicine in New Jersey. Glass’s sting, which began in late 1998, will uncover many interesting leads before ending in June 2001. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.] July 14, 1999: Pakistani ISI Agent Promises Attack on WTC in Recorded Conversation
Shireen Shawky holding a guided missile system (left), and Mohammed Malik (right). [Source: Getty Images] US government informant Randy Glass records a conversation at a dinner attended by him, illegal arms dealers Diaa Mohsen, Mohammed Malik, a former Egyptian judge named Shireen Shawky, and ISI agent Rajaa Gulum Abbas, held at a restaurant within view of the WTC. FBI agents pretending to be restaurant customers sit at nearby tables. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.; WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse," 5 August 2002.] Abbas says he wants to buy a whole shipload of weapons stolen from the US military to give to bin Laden. [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002.] Abbas points to the WTC and says, “Those towers are coming down.” This ISI agent later makes two other references to an attack on the WTC. [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002; WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse" 5 August 2002.; Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] Abbas also says, “Americans [are] the enemy,” and “We would have no problem with blowing up this entire restaurant because it is full of Americans.” [NBC, 3/18/2003 -- NBC, Transcript, "Stinger Missile Sting Operation," NBC Dateline.] The meeting is secretly recorded, and parts are shown on television in 2003. [MSNBC, 3/18/2003 -- NBC, Transcript, "Charges to Be Brought Against Arms Dealers Who Were Filmed in ATF Undercover Operation," MSNBC Dateline.] July 14, 1999: Pakistani Intelligence Agent Says WTC ‘Are Coming Down’ in Recorded Conversation
This unnamed Pakistani intelligence agent was captured on undercover video in January 2001. [Source: Corbis] In a conversation recorded by US government agents as part of a sting operation, a Pakistani ISI agent named Rajaa Gulum Abbas points to the WTC and says, “Those towers are coming down.” He later makes two other references to an attack on the WTC (for more details on this sting operation, (see Spring 1999), (see July 14, 1999), and (see June 12, 2001)). [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002; WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse," 5 August 2002; Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] August 17, 1999: Arms Merchants Seek Nuclear Materials in US; Report Is Sanitized
Randy Glass, holding a Stinger missile. [Source: David Friedman/ Getty Images] A group of illegal arms merchants, including an ISI agent with foreknowledge of 9/11, had met in a New York restaurant the month before (see July 14, 1999). This same group meets at this time in a West Palm Beach, Florida, warehouse, and it is shown Stinger missiles as part of a sting operation. [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 3/20/2003 -- Jon Burstein, "2 Pakistanis Indicted in Stinger Missile Deal in West Palm," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 20 March 2003.] US intelligence soon discovers connections between two in the group, Rajaa Gulum Abbas and Mohammed Malik, Islamic militant groups in Kashmir (where the ISI assists them in fighting against India), and the Taliban. Mohamed Malik suggests in this meeting that the Stingers will be used in Kashmir or Afghanistan. His colleague Diaa Mohsen also says Abbas has direct connections to “dignitaries” and bin Laden. Abbas also wants heavy water for a “dirty bomb” or other material to make a nuclear weapon. He says he will bring a Pakistani nuclear scientist to the US to inspect the material. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.; NBC, 3/18/2003 -- NBC, Transcript, "Stinger Missile Sting Operation," NBC Dateline] According to Dick Stoltz, a federal undercover agent posing as a black market arms dealer, one of the Pakistanis at the warehouse claims he is working for A.Q. Khan. A Pakistani nuclear scientist, Khan is considered the father of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program and also the head of an illegal network exporting nuclear technology to rogue nations. [MSNBC, 1/14/2005 -- Chris Hansen, "The most dangerous man in the world? Some experts argue that it's not Osama bin Laden," MSNBC, 14 January 2005.] Government informant Randy Glass passes these warnings on before 9/11, but he claims, “The complaints were ordered sanitized by the highest levels of government.” [WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse," 5 August 2002.] In June 2002, the US secretly indicts Abbas, but apparently they aren’t trying very hard to find him: In August 2002, MSNBC is easily able to contact Abbas in Pakistan and speak to him by telephone. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.] June 12, 2001: Sting Operation Exposes Al-Qaeda, ISI, and Drug Connections; Investigators Face Obstacles to Learn More
Operation Diamondback, a sting operation uncovering an attempt to buy weapons illegally for the Taliban, bin Laden, and others, ends with a number of arrests. An Egyptian named Diaa Mohsen and a Pakistani named Mohammed Malik are arrested and accused of attempting to buy Stinger missiles, nuclear weapon components, and other sophisticated military weaponry for the Pakistani ISI. [CNN, 6/15/2001 -- Terry Frieden, "Federal agents charge four with arms smuggling," CNN, 15 June 1001.; South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/23/2001 -- Jon Burstein, "Former Wall St. Bond Trader Cuts Plea Deal, Will Testify in Arms-Trading Case," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 23 August 2001.; Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002.] Malik appears to have had links to important Pakistani officials and Kashmiri militants, and Mohsen claims a connection to a man “who is very connected to the Taliban” and funded by bin Laden. [Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002; MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.] Some other ISI agents came to Florida on several occasions to negotiate, but they escaped being arrested. They wanted to pay partially in heroin. One mentioned that the WTC would be destroyed. These ISI agents said some of their purchases would go to the Taliban in Afghanistan and/or militants associated with bin Laden. [Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002; MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline] Both Malik and Mohsen lived in Jersey City, New Jersey. [Jersey Journal, 6/20/2001 -- Jennifer Morrill, "Details Emerge About Players in Arms Probe," Jersey Journal, 20 June 2001.] Mohsen pleads guilty after 9/11, “but remarkably, even though [he was] apparently willing to supply America’s enemies with sophisticated weapons, even nuclear weapons technology, Mohsen was sentenced to just 30 months in prison.” [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.] Malik’s case appears to have been dropped, and reporters find him working in a store in Florida less than a year after the trial ended. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline.] Malik’s court files remain completely sealed, and in Mohsen’s court case, prosecutors “removed references to Pakistan from public filings because of diplomatic concerns.” [Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002.] Also arrested are Kevin Ingram and Walter Kapij. Ingram pleads guilty to laundering $350,000 and he is sentenced to 18 months in prison. [CNN, 6/15/2001 -- Terry Frieden, "Federal agents charge four with arms smuggling," CNN, 15 June 2001.; Black Enterprise, 6/19/2001 -- Cliff Hocker, "Former Wall Street Star Falls From Grace," Black Enterprise, 19 June 2001.; Associated Press, 12/1/2001 -- Amanda Riddle, "Former Bond Trader Sentenced," Associated Press, 1 December 2001.] Ingram was a former senior investment banker with Deutsche Bank, but resigned in January 1999 after his division suffered costly losses. [Black Enterprise, 6/19/2001 -- Cliff Hocker, "Former Wall Street Star Falls From Grace," Black Enterprise, 19 June 2001.; Jersey Journal, 6/20/2001 -- Jennifer Morrill, "Details Emerge About Players in Arms Probe," Jersey Journal, 20 June 2001.] Walter Kapij, a pilot with a minor role in the plot, is given the longest sentence, 33 months in prison. [CNN, 6/15/2001 -- Terry Frieden, "Federal agents charge four with arms smuggling," CNN, 15 June 2001.; Black Enterprise, 6/19/2001 -- Cliff Hocker, "Former Wall Street Star Falls From Grace," Black Enterprise, 19 June 2001; Palm Beach Post, 1/12/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Two Sentenced For Money Laundering In $32 Million PlotTo Sell WEapons," Palm Beach Post, 12 January 2002.] Informant Randy Glass plays a key role in the sting, and has thirteen felony fraud charges against him reduced as a result, serving only seven months in prison. Federal agents involved in the case later express puzzlement that Washington higher-ups did not make the case a higher priority, pointing out that bin Laden could have gotten a nuclear bomb if the deal was for real. Agents on the case complain that the FBI did not make the case a counterterrorism matter, which would have improved bureaucratic backing and opened access to FBI information and US intelligence from around the world. [Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002.; MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline] Federal agents frequently couldn’t get prosecutors to approve wiretaps. [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002.] Glass says, “Wouldn’t you think that there should have been a wire tap on Diaa [Mohsen]‘s phone and Malik’s phone?” [WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse," 5 August 2002.] An FBI supervisor in Miami refused to front money for the sting, forcing agents to use money from US Customs and even Glass’s own money to help keep the sting going. [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002.] Early August 2001: Government Informant Warns Congressmen of Plan to Attack the WTC
Randy Glass, a former con artist turned government informant, later will claim that he contacts the staff of Senator Bob Graham [D] and Representative Robert Wexler [D] at this time and warns them of a plan to attack the WTC, but his warnings are ignored. [Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] Glass also tells the media at this time that his recently concluded informant work has “far greater ramifications than have so far been revealed,” and, “potentially, thousands of lives [are] at risk.” [South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 8/7/2001 -- Jon Burstein, "Former Boca Jeweler Might be Crucial To Arms Smuggling Case," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 7 August 2001.] Glass was a key informant in a sting operation involving ISI agents who were illegally trying to purchase sophisticated US military weaponry in return for cash and heroin. He later claims that in July 1999, one ISI agent named Rajaa Gulum Abbas pointed to the WTC and said, “Those towers are coming down.” [Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] Most details apparently remain sealed. For instance Glass will claim that his sealed sentencing document dated June 15, 2001, lists threats against the WTC and Americans. [WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse.] Florida State Senator Ron Klein, who had dealings with Glass before 9/11, later will say he is surprised it took so many months for the US to listen to Glass: “Shame on us.” [Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] Klein will recall getting a warning from Glass, though he cannot recall if it mentions the WTC specifically. He will say he was told US intelligence agencies would look into it. [WPTV 5 (West Palm Beach), 10/7/2002 -- Kathleen Walter, "Tip Questions," WPTV 5 (West Palm Beach), 7 October 2002.] Senator Graham later will acknowledge that his office had contact with Glass before 9/11, and was told about a WTC attack: “I was concerned about that and a dozen other pieces of information which emanated from the summer of 2001.” However, Graham will say that he personally was unaware of Glass’s information until after 9/11. [Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] In October 2002, Glass will testify under oath before a private session of the 9/11 Congressional Inquiry, stating, “I told [the inquiry] I have specific evidence, and I can document it.” [Palm Beach Post, 10/17/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Intelligence Panel Hears From Glass," Palm Beach Post, 17 October 2002.] July 2002: Militants Tied to Al-Qaeda and ISI Indicted by US, but Little Effort Is Made to Find Them The US secretly indicts Rajaa Gulum Abbas and Abdul Malik for attempting to buy $32 million in Stinger missiles and other military weaponry in an undercover arms-dealing investigation. However, a US official states that Abbas is an alleged member of the ISI, and is thought to have ties to Middle Eastern militant groups and arms-trafficking operations. He also appears to have foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks. Abdul Malik is said to be Abbas’s money man. Abdul Malik is not related to Mohammed Malik, another Pakistani targeted by the undercover operation. The chief US informant in the case, Randy Glass, says that both men also have clear ties to al-Qaeda, and the arms were going to be funneled to al-Qaeda and used against American targets. [Palm Beach Post, 3/20/2003 -- Susan Spencer-Wendel and John Pacenti, "Pakistani Accused of Illegal Arms Deals," Palm Beach Post, 20 March 2003.; South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 3/20/2003 -- Jon Burstein, "2 Pakistanis Indicted in Stinger Missile Deal in West Palm," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 20 March 2003.] The indictment is not revealed until March 2003; both men still remain missing and are presumed to be in Pakistan. The US says it is still working on capturing and extraditing Abbas and Malik. [NBC, 3/18/2003 -- NBC, Transcript, "Stinger Missile Sting Operation," NBC Dateline.] NBC seems to have no trouble reaching Abbas in Pakistan by telephone. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline; NBC, 3/18/2003 -- NBC, Transcript, "Stinger Missile Sting Operation," NBC Dateline.] The indictment “makes no mention of Pakistan, any ties to Afghanistan’s former Taliban regime or the ultimate destination of the weapons.” [Palm Beach Post, 3/20/2003 -- Susan Spencer-Wendel and John Pacenti, "Pakistani Accused of Illegal Arms Deals," Palm Beach Post, 20 March 2003] August 2, 2002: ISI Tried to Buy Nuclear Material for Bin Laden
MSNBC airs recordings informant Randy Glass made of arms dealers and Pakistani ISI agents attempting to buy nuclear material and other illegal weapons for bin Laden. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline] Meanwhile, it is reported that federal investigators are re-examining the arms smuggling case involving Glass “to determine whether agents of the Pakistani government tried to buy missiles and nuclear weapons components in the United States last year for use by terrorists or Pakistan’s military.” [Washington Post, 8/2/2002 -- John Mintz, "U.S. Reopens Arms Case in Probe for Taliban Role," Washington Post, 2 August 2002.] Two such ISI agents, Rajaa Gulum Abbas and Abdul Malik, are already secretly indicted by this time. But Glass still says, “The government knows about those involved in my case who were never charged, never deported, who actively took part in bringing terrorists into our country to meet with me and undercover agents.” [Cox News Service, 8/2/2002 -- John Pacenti, "Con Man Turned Patriot Tells All," Cox News Service, 2 August 2002.] One such person may be a former Egyptian judge named Shireen Shawky, who was interested in buying weapons for the Taliban and attended a meeting in July 1999 in which ISI agent Rajaa Gulum Abbas said the WTC would be destroyed. [MSNBC, 8/2/2002 -- MSNBC, Transcript, "Trail of Terror: Never Before Broadcast Tapes of How Arms Merchants Who May Have Links to Terrorism Are Buying Arsenals of Weapons, Even Components for Nuclear Bombs," MSNBC Dateline; WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), 8/5/2002 -- WPBF 25 (West Palm Beach), "Informant: Terrorists Warned Of WTC Collapse," 5 August 2002.] Others not charged may include Mohamed el Amir and Dr. Magdy el Amir. |
