Toward New Criminal Investigations into the Events of
September 11
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APPENDIX
A7
PTECH RAID/INVESTIGATION
Compiled by Indira Singh
Table 1 - Media Coverage on Ptech
Table 2 - Media Coverage of JTTF Raid Conducted 12/6/2002
Table 3 - Articles on Indira Singh
Table 1 - Media
Coverage on Ptech
(These articles presented in no particular order, were selected from a larger
database
to illustrate conflicting or supressed facts about the truth behind Ptech,
terrorism
financing investigations that lead nowhere in this country, and 9/11)
|
SORT |
Article Information Value |
Partial Quote or Reference |
|
1 |
Ptech is a prime contractor at FAA |
Prime Contractor Information
... 15, Unitech, BIT, Calibre Systems, Inc., Conwal,
CSI, ITS, JIL, NCI, Ptech,
Quadratek, SAI ... Becky Umbaugh, (202) 484-1300, (202) 484-1510,
becky.umbaugh@faa.com. …
www.faa.gov/ara/asu530/bits/contractors/
primeinfo.cfm?primecontractorid=15 |
|
2 |
Establish Ptech in FAA with Mitre Sept 2000 |
MTR 00W0000097 MITRE TECHNICAL REPORT FAA
Data Registry (FDR) Concepts of Use and Implementation September 2000
Dr. Nels A. Broste Ronald G. Rhoades Ronald A …
http://www.caasd.org/library/tech_docs/2000/mtr00w0000097.pdf |
|
3 |
Illustrate partially, Ptech's FAA work Sep 1999 |
Adapting Information Engineering for the National
Airspace System and Its Application to Flight Planning MITRE, Center for
Advanced Aviation System Deveopment, McLean VA
http://www.mitre.org/work/tech_papers/tech_papers_99/broste_nas/broste_nas.pdf |
|
4 |
The day of the raid, these Federal Officials knew the
inside story on Ptech |
Concern that Al Qaeda may have infiltrated US government
computers examined; scenes shown from a Customs raid on the Ptech
company in Boston. [Terrorism finance expert Jonathan
WINER- says terrorist access
could lead to a breakdown in national security.] [Computer Security
Inst. Robert RICHARDSON-
says Ptech knows about government branch computers.]
http://billstclair.com/911timeline/2002/bostonglobe120702.html |
|
4 |
Consultants in FAA using Ptech: |
|
|
4a |
Josh speaks about Ptech's Flight Object |
OMG meeting in California in 1999
http://www.omg.org/docs/transprt/99-07-01.pdf |
|
5 |
Response of Government Employees: |
|
|
5a |
American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO |
... bin Laden. Ptech
has provided software and services to several federal agencies,
http://www.afge.org/Documents/GS19-1.pdf |
|
6 |
IT news report links Ptech to IBM Global Services |
"We are investigating the [situation] and are
cooperating with authorities," said Jeffrey Gluck, a spokesman for
IBM Global Services, which works with Ptech to build IT architectures
for its customers. "But it's still too early in the investigation
to know, with any degree of certainty, exactly what the allegations
are," he said.
http://unlimited.co.nz/unlimited.nsf/0/496994074071EE0FCC256C890078E951?OpenDocument |
|
7 |
IT news reports cites former CIA chief's comments on
Ptech's Mirza and Qadi |
Senior counterintelligence officials familiar with the
case said the U.S. Customs Service initiated the investigation of Ptech
after a disgruntled employee tipped off the agency to the company's
alleged hidden ownership. As a result, Customs and the FBI began
investigating Yacub Mirza, a former member of Ptech's board of directors
who also manages a number of other businesses in the U.S. "Mirza
was acting on behalf of Yassin Qadi, the Saudi financier who was on the
U.S. [terrorism] watch list and whose accounts here are frozen,"
said Vince Cannistraro, the former chief of counterterrorism at the CIA.
"Qadi is the guy behind Ptech." |
|
8 |
IT news report cites other Ptech employees also under
investigation |
"several employees and two investors are under
scrutiy for suspected terrorist ties".
http://www.irstreet.com/top/am/amfiles/e20021201_07.pdf
|
|
9 |
The source of the Ptech methodology is Martin-Odell |
[PDF] Chapter 1 Introduction
scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/
etd-353622132974710/unrestricted/dstn.PDF |
|
9a |
..source of Ptech is … |
... series of aircraft accidents on the ground has
prompted the FAA
to speed ...
Martin-Odell |
|
9b |
..source of Ptech is … |
( Ptech)
The data view stresses a binary rather than Entity-Relationship ...(Ptech)
The data view stresses a binary rather than Entity-Relationship … |
|
10a |
The origin of Ptech software is not w/ Ziade but Dr.
John Edwards - see this citation in 1992 |
Towards a Standardization of Object-Oriented Modelling
Languages? - Frank (1997) (Correct)
....Name Refs Type of Pub. Tool Support Edwards
Ptech [Edw89] T Martin Odell [MaOd92] ....
Goldberg, A.; Rubin, K.S.: Object Behaviour Analysis. In: Communications
of the ACM. Vol. 35, No. 9, 1992, pp. 48-62 40
http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/context/166773/0 |
|
10b |
The origin of Ptech software is not w/ Ziade but Dr.
John Edwards - of ASSOCIATIVTE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY, 1989 |
J. Edwards. Basic Ptech skills. Course notes,
Associative Design Technology, 1989.SiteSeer.IST - Copyright Penn State
and NEC
http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/context/176990/0 |
|
11 |
Naval Postgraduate Computer Science Thesis on
exfiltration subversion |
A citation to the raid on Ptech which is commented on as
"not surprisingly, nothing was
found"
http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:KpmyLu9WgZ4J:www.cs.odu.edu/~tang... |
|
12 |
Center for Security Policy gives connection to
BCCI-Afganistan, pursuant to this article (pvt meeting) |
The Center for Security Policy: ... and a lawyer
familiar with the matter said BMI also was a Ptech investor. BMI,
in which Mr. Qadi also invested, was the subject of an FBI terrorism
probe in …
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=static&page=ptech
|
|
13 |
Dec 6th DOJ says Ptech is no Security Risk |
Justice: Ptech no security risk
... Department, NATO, Naval Air Systems Command, FBI,
Federal Aviation Administration and the House of Representatives.
Sullivan said because Ptech had provided …
http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/17_18/datastream/19630-1.html |
|
14 |
Senator Grassley gets involved with FBI over Ptech |
Grassley Worried about "Not My Job, Not My
Problem" Mentality at FBI
http://grassley.senate.gov/releases/2003/p03r01-22.htm |
|
15 |
Joe Bergantino of the I-Team, WBZ4 TV Boton station
looses Ptech scoop…reported by © 2002 The Reporters Committee for
Freedom of the Press |
NMU (12/13/02 ): Boston station loses scoop after
agreeing not to ...... After reviewing the information, the organization
thought that the government should be alerted about Ptech's ties to
terrorism. … http://www.rcfp.org/news/2002/1213wbztvh.html |
|
16 |
Perilous Power Play - the investigations into the money
behind 9/11 - pointed at Ptech - is moved into Homeland Security. Agents
concerned… |
Rita Katz & Josh Devon on FBI vs. Department of
Homeland Security ...
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-katz-devon052703.asp |
|
17 |
That Ptech employees alerted the FBI to Ptech links to
Al Qaida |
Wired News states Federal agents
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,56758,00.html |
|
18 |
Ptech's Johnson lies about Al Qadi's relationship with
Ptech after raid. |
"There isn't anything going on here," Johnson
said.
http://www.wired.com/news/conflict/0,2100,56758,00.html |
|
19 |
Ptech at FAA in 2002 prior to raid |
Agency applies enterprise architecture model to ISO 9001
challenge
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2002/0415/tec-faa-04-15-02.asp |
|
20 |
Debka - Israel's intel magazine thinks "back
doors" |
Debka File is reporting that U.S. Customs has raided a
software company in Boston called Ptech. Ptech supplies the FBI, Air
Force and other government agencies; apparently, it is secretly owned by
bin Laden supporter Qasin al-Kadi, a Saudi. According to Debka File,
Ptech is suspected of being al Qaeda's "back door to top U.S.
secrets." One thing I don't understand: Why Customs? |
|
21 |
Qadi on CIA golden chain or dirty dozen list |
American officials say al-Kadi and the other businessmen
on the CIA list all have business and personal connections to the Saudi
royal family.
http://www.g4techtv.com/techtvvault/features/19715/Hotlink_to_Terror.html |
|
22 |
The Saudi Connection - the right wing view |
Glenn Jackson's Article: It's still the Saudi's
http://www.americanreformation.org/Articles/GlennJackson/RandomThoughts.htm |
|
23 |
War on Iraq had taken 9/11 and Al Qaeda off front pages
in Dec 2002 - Ptech put it back - CNN |
Well, it's nice to see the war against al Qaeda back in
the news, because somehow in the last several weeks al Qaeda has been
knocked right off all the front pages and everything has been all about
Iraq. And I keep wondering, have we finished the job with those
responsible for 9/11?
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0212/08/sm.04.html |
|
24 |
WBZ TV story on Ptech Dec 6 2002 |
Feds Raid Software Firm
http://wbz4.com/news/topstories_story_340132238.html |
|
25 |
Tenet says no one held accountable for 9/11 failures:
Ptech mentioned in report |
Accuracy in Media Report: Crisis in Accountability
Near the end of a congressional hearing, Senator Carl
Levin asked the witnesses if anyone had yet been held accountable for
the government's failure to prevent the 9/11 disaster. Director of
Central Intelligence George J. Tenet replied, "No one." FBI
Director Robert Mueller said, "It depends on what you mean by
'accountability.'"
http://www.aim.org/aim_report/A218_0_4_0_C/ |
|
26 |
Ptech trail leads to Saudi's |
May 2003 Virginia Terror Probe Continues…
http://nationalreview.com/comment/comment-epstein052103.asp |
|
27 |
Stanley Hilton, Bob Dole's former Chief of Staff says
government ordered 9/11 |
... And now, obstruction of justice by attempting to use
a federal judge and FBI
agents to ... side note is people should check out the connections with
PTECH and PNAC …
www.fateswarning.com/fwboard/messages/16800.html |
|
28 |
Federal Government Employees state Ptech HAD access to
sensitive government agencies… |
Officials at the Association of Federal Government
Employees point to the December raid by law enforcement on federal
software contractor Ptech Inc., which U.S. Customs says may have ties to
the al-Qaida terrorist network. Ptech handles software implementation
for a number of sensitive federal agencies, including the FBI, the
Federal Aviation Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service.
Officials at the union say that in the current environment contractors
need more oversight. "This raid reveals the dangers inherent in
privatizing government work," union president Bobby Harnage said in
a statement.
http://www.governmententerprise.com/article/getArticle.jhtml?articleID=17501758&pgno=3 |
|
29 |
Article on Bergantino getting out-scooped: FEAR - Fight
and Flight on the Corporate Battlefield - Muzzling the Corporate Media. |
Hold That Thought: A Boston TV news team held a story
about a software firm’s financing because federal agents asked it to.
Was that the right call?
http://www.darwinmag.com/connect/opinion/column.html?ArticleID=617 |
|
30 |
CAIR's "Discrimination" Hysteria |
By relating only half of the story, CAIR
mischaracterizes government's action as discriminatory, and obscures the
fact that terrorist elements are operating within our society.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Printable.asp?ID=9021 |
|
31 |
InfoSec News: [ISN] "Raided Firm's Software Checks
Out" Stmt is challenged |
But Michael Wendy, of the Initiative for Software
Choice, a lobbying organization that's battling to block governments
from passing legislation encouraging or mandating the use of open source
software, cautioned against making any "sweeping security
conclusions from this event or anything similar that may occur."
"It's important to note that a development model is only a
process," Wendy said. "It does not guarantee, in and of
itself, that a product produced under one type of model will be any
better than another product produced under a different model. In other
words, no single development mode inherently produces safer, more secure
software." Still others said it makes little difference whether the
government uses open source or closed software. "Having more open
source software in circulation with the government would be nice, but
open source software can be as insecure as closed source software,"
said William Knowles, senior
analyst at C4I.org, a private computer security and intelligence group.
But it'
http://lists.jammed.com/ISN/2002/12/0049.html |
|
32 |
HAMAS linked to area housing |
It was a U.S. investigation into Marzook's financial
activities in this country that led to Biheiri, BMI and Ptech, a
Boston-based computer software firm raided by customs agents in December
2002, authorities said. They said Biheiri and Yasin Qadi, a key BMI
investor, were the primary Ptech financiers.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/001303.php |
|
33 |
Saudi Stench - Steven Schwartz reveals Qadi and Cheney
connection |
Earlier in the week, Saudi spin sheikh Adel al-Jubeir,
who dislikes revealing the names of Saudi terrorists, let slip that
Al-Qadi's assets are under scrutiny by his government. In November, a
long Wall Street Journal article described Al-Qadi's involvement in
moving money around various U.S. sites and his ties to fund-raising for
Hamas, another Saudi-backed terror group.
But there are significant holes in recent media coverage
of Al-Qadi.
To begin with, Yasin al-Qadi is not a new figure in the
investigation of Saudi-backed terrorism. His name surfaced only weeks
after Sept. 11. As described in my new book "The Two Faces of
Islam: The House of Sa'ud From Tradition to Terror," Al-Qadi gave a
long interview to a Saudi newspaper in which he admitted his
acquaintance with Osama bin Laden, but had another, much more
interesting name to drop: that of Vice President Dick Cheney.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=5008 |
|
34 |
Ptech/BMI's Biheiri and Qadi have long complex
relationships with other terror funders |
Soliman Biheiri: The investigation into Marzook’s
financial activities in the United States has cast light on another
individual intimate with links to terrorist entities and “mainstream”
American Muslim groups alike. Soliman S. Biheiri is the founder of BMI,
Inc., a now-defunct Islamic Investment firm under federal investigation
for ties to designated terrorist entities. Earlier this month, Biheiri
was indicted on immigration charges that he provided false information
for his residency application. One terrorist entity with links to
Biheiri is Musa Abu Marzook, an investor in BMI. BMI’s chief investor
was Yasin Qadi, named an SDGT in October 2001 for his financial support
of Hamas and al-Qaeda. The designation was primarily the result of Qadi’s
relationship with Mohammad Salah, who plead guilty to being a Hamas
operative in Israel in 1995. Salah was employed at the Quranic Literary
Institute in suburban Illinois in 1991 when Qadi transferred $820,000 to
the group. The money was then invested in real
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=9706 |
|
35 |
Homeland Security Report #127 says Qadi listed in 2002
by Treasury for diverting funds to Bin Laden (different than SDGT Oct
12, 2001 designation) |
Qadi, a Saudi multimillionaire, was listed by the
Treasury Department in 2002 as a terrorist and is thought by authorities
to have diverted millions of dollars to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda
network through various charitable organizations.
http://www.mipt.org/pdf/hsr127.pdf |
|
36 |
PTECH in DARPA |
Framework. Ptech, based in Cambridge, Mass., offers an
integrated set of object-oriented tools that enable users to create
interactive blueprints of business processes. Software code can be
generated from the hierarchical layout, providing rapid and consistent
application development. The Advanced Research Projects Agency is using
Framework to help transfer commercial software methodologies to the
defense sector.
www.govexec.com/archdoc/rrg96/0996rrg5.htm |
|
37 |
TESTIMONY OF MATTHEW LEVITT, SENIOR FELLOW IN TERRORISM
STUDIES, THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY BEFORE THE SENATE
JUDICIARY COMMITTEE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM UNITED STATES SENATE
"Subversion From Within: Saudi Funding of Islamic Extremist Groups
Undermining US Interests and the War on Terror from within the United
States" 9/10/2003 PTECH FINANCED IN LARGE PART BY QADI |
The now defunct Muwafaq Foundation was run by Yassin
al-Qadi, designated by both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia as a terrorist
financier. According to U.S. court documents, al-Qadi not only
intentionally financed Hamas attacks through a U.S.-based front
organization, he also established Muwafaq as a front organization
through which wealthy Saudis forwarded millions of dollars to al-Qaeda.
Muwafaq was endowed by Khalid bin Mahfouz, a former chief of the
National Commercial Bank of Saudi Arabia and, like al-Qadi, a member of
the Saudi elite close to the royal family.[34] A Boston area computer
services company, Ptech, with sensitive U.S. government contracts was
raided on December 6, 2002 after it was determined the firm was financed
in large part by al-Qadi.[35]
http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/media/levitt/levitt091003.htm |
|
38 |
CIO COUNCIL sends warning to CIO's after Ptech |
CIO Council: Protect your architecture data - The CIO
Council yesterday reminded agency CIOs to guard their enterprise
architecture information and applications as closely as their core
systems. Energy Department CIO Karen Evans, vice chair- woman of the
council, said the memo to CIOs was a pre-emptive step. She said some
agencies have been concerned about the integrity of their architectural
plans after federal agents raided Ptech Inc. of Quincy, Mass., last
month.
http://www.onlinesecurity.com/links/links293.php |
|
39 |
Tom Brokaw's Coverage of Ptech w/ Lisa Myers on 1/6/2003
onemonth after raid |
xnbc13 1/6/03 Terrorism / Ptech Investigation / Ziade
Interview
0:02:50
(Studio: Tom Brokaw) Report introduced.
(Quincy, Massachusetts: Lisa Myers) NBC exclusive
interview held with Oussama Ziade, CEO of Ptech, the Boston software
company being investigated by the FBI on suspicion of funding terrorist
organizations linked to Saudi terrorist Osama bin Laden, presented;
details given of allegations that suspected terrorism financier Yassin
al-Qadi invested in Ptech. [ZIADE denies terrorist links; says this a
horrible mistake; recounts al-Qadi's offer to contribute to President
Bush's campaign.] [Ptech founder James CERRATO- comments on al-Qadi.]
http://www.echochamberproject.com/research/news/n20_010603.htm |
|
40 |
NPR Weekend All Things Considered December 8, 2002 (8:00
PM ET) - ties Joe Bergantino and Indira Singh to the primary media
investigation into Ptech prior to raid |
FBI's continuing investigation of Boston-area software
company Ptech and its possible ties to terrorism
http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2002/021208-secure01.htm |
|
41a |
FBI Agent Paul Bresson states Ptech raid was (1)
coordinated by White House and (2) agents informed Ptech ahead of time. |
Bresson would not comment on the details of the Thursday
night raid, which was carried out by customs agents and coordinated by
the White House, according to reports. He said Ptech was informed of the
government's intention to search its offices and consented to the
procedure.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107748,tk,dn120602X,00.asp |
|
|
|
|
|
41b |
IBM states it is surprised at allegations; [Note: not
so, four areas of IBM, three in different states, including IBM's legal
dept. was informed of the alleged Ptech connections in June 2002.] |
When asked Friday about investigators' raid of Ptech and
the firm's alleged link with al Qaeda, IBM spokesperson Jeff Gluck said
the company is "surprised." "If called upon by officials,
we will cooperate," Gluck said. However, he adds that IBM had no
knowledge of the allegations.
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,107748,tk,dn120602X,00.asp |
|
42 |
Ptech's executives told Al Qadi was owner of Ptech |
Government sources told CNN that company employees
contacted the FBI last fall when the State Department put Yasin al-Qadi,
a Saudi businessman, on a watch list of individuals and organizations
whose U.S. assets were frozen because of suspected ties to terrorists.
The employees told the FBI that they had been introduced to al-Qadi in
Saudi Arabia as "the owner" of Ptech. Sources said Ptech
executives are believed to have been aware of al-Qadi's suspected
connections but did not sever their relationship with him.
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/Northeast/12/06/ptech.raid/ |
|
43 |
Ptech/BMI/Kadi International in NJ; BMI under
investigation by Chicago FBI for Hamas and African Embassy bombing;
[Note: John O'Neil ex of the FBI, killed in WTC on 9/11, and the FBI H/Q
laid that at Al Qaeda's doors. See PBS: The Man Who Knew] |
Documents provided to the Globe by The Investigative
Project, a Washington, D.C.-based terrorism research organization, show
that two of Ptech's founding directors were former employees of BMI, a
now-defunct collection of Islamic finance companies that was targeted in
an investigation by the FBI's Chicago office. ''BMI was an Islamic
financial institution that would loan money in an Islamically
permissible manner,'' said Matthew Epstein, director of research for The
Investigative Project. ''According to the FBI, they were involved in
Hamas financing activities and potentially involved in the 1998 US
Embassy bombings in Africa,'' he said. BMI was targeted by the FBI's
Chicago office in a probe of alleged money laundering and funnelling of
funds to terrorist groups like Hamas. BMI also shared office space in
Secaucus, N.J. with Qadi International, an organization controlled by
Qadi. According to state records, two of Ptech's founding directors were
former officials with BMI. One of the directors, Soliman Bihei
http://billstclair.com/911timeline/2002/bostonglobe120702.html |
|
44a |
|
Know Thy Enemy: Since two of the principal backers of
Ptech have been tied to the financing of international terrorism and
"several employees already are under scrutiny for alleged terrorist
ties," according to the Wall Street Journal
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=papers&code=02-D_62 |
|
44b |
Fleischer's denials of Ptech danger immediately
challenged by experts |
What Are We Up Against?
Mr. Cid made one other, still more trenchant observation: "I think
[the Ptech case] reminds us of the sophistication and reach of our
adversary." This is a point that certainly was lost on the Clinton
Administration. As Jerry Guidera and Glenn Simpson reported in the Wall
Street Journal, General Services Administration records indicate that
"a Clinton Administration government-efficiency improvement
effort" allowed Ptech to receive the U.S. government seal of
approval in 1997 to market its services to "all legislative,
judicial, and executive branches of the federal government." The
Clinton team also gave Ptech the necessary security clearances to work
on "sensitive projects" like the Military Information
Architecture Accelerator.
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=papers&code=02-D_62 |
|
44c |
Who is in Ptech? Al-Kadi and Mirza overview |
Who's Ptech?
The raid was prompted specifically by
fears that data made available to Ptech, for example as part of its
development of a Military Information Architecture Accelerator for the
Defense Department, might have been compromised since the company
received substantial financing from Qassin al-Kadi and M. Yaqub Mirza.
According to press accounts, the former is a Saudi national suspected by
the U.S. government of funneling funds to al Qaeda. The latter is a
Pakistani immigrant who reportedly controls "a web of businesses
and charities in Northern Virginia raided by anti-terror investigators
in March" and is believed to have provided money to the terrorist
organization Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as well as al Qaeda.
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=papers&code=02-D_62 |
|
45a |
Kadi on Dirty Dozen List of leading terror financiers
investigated by CIA |
Al-Kadi has repeatedly denied any connection to bin
Laden, but he is on the U.S. government's so-called "dirty
dozen" list of leading terror financiers who are being investigated
by the CIA. His accounts have been frozen by the United States.
http://archive.infopeace.de/msg01932.html |
|
45b |
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., chairman of the Senate
Select Intelligence Committee, Shelby says "it would be a big
catch" - if allegations re Ptech and Qadi are true. |
"It would be a big catch" if it turns out the
suspicions are true,
Shelby said. "I think it points out that anybody
that's in the software business and especially dealing with sensitive
agencies of all kinds - we've got to know who owns these businesses. It
just can't be somebody overseas, an absentee owner. It's too important
for that."
http://archive.infopeace.de/msg01932.html |
|
45c |
In-fighting over who controls terror financing
investigations |
The raid was part of Operation Greenquest, a federal
counter-terrorism financial crimes task force, and was carried out by
agents from various federal agencies including the IRS, FBI and Secret
Service. The operation is run by Treasury and has been investigating the
funding of terror groups. In recent months, there has been squabbling
between the FBI and Customs Service over who should control these
investigations.
http://archive.infopeace.de/msg01932.html |
|
46a |
Chertoff on the InFighting that compromised Operation
Greenquest whose major target was Mirza |
The FBI-Justice move, pushed by DOJ Criminal Division
chief Michael Chertoff and Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson, has
enraged Homeland Security officials, however. They accuse the bureau of
sabotaging Greenquest investigations—by failing to turn over critical
information to their agents—and trying to obscure a decadelong record
of lethargy in which FBI offices failed to aggressively pursue
terror-finance cases.
“They [the FBI]
won’t share anything with us,” said a Homeland Security official.
“Then they go to the White House and they accuse us of not sharing …
If they can’t take it over, they want to kill it.”
If nothing else, the battle over Greenquest illustrates
the bureaucratic tensions that still plague the war on terror. The
creation of the Homeland Security Department was supposed to put an end
to such turf fights. The new department took over a diverse assortment
of federal agencies that had various responsibilities for combating
terrorism, including the Customs Service, the Immigration and N
NEWSWEEK: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3068377/site/newsweek/ |
|
46b |
The investigation into Ptech was a "train
wreck" due to in-fighitng |
The Ptech case turned into an ugly dispute last year
when company whistleblowers told Greenquest agents about their own
suspicions about the firm’s owners. Sources close to the case say
those same whistleblowers had first approached FBI agents, but the
bureau apparently did little or nothing in response. With backing from
the National Security Council, Greenquest agents then mounted a
full-scale investigation that culminated in a raid on the company’s
office last December. After getting wind of the Greenquest probe, the
FBI stepped in and unsuccessfully tried to take control of the case.
The result, sources say, has been something of a train
wreck. Privately, FBI officials say Greenquest agents botched the probe
and jeopardized other more promising inquiries into Al-Qadi. Greenquest
agents dismiss the charges and say the problem is that the bureau was
slow to respond to legitimate allegations that an outside contractor
with terrorist ties may have infiltrated government computers.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3068377/site/newsweek/ |
|
46c |
Why no was was arrested - potentially due to in-fighting |
"And as if to retaliate against what they perceive
as a FBI power grab, NEWSWEEK has learned, Homeland Security officials
have questioned whether FBI agents have the power to arrest terror
suspects under immigration laws. In an effort to bolster the FBI’s
antiterrorism powers late last year, Attorney General John Ashcroft
signed a special order giving FBI agents the power to arrest suspects
under federal immigration statutes. But Homeland Security lawyers now
argue that Ashcroft’s order became invalid when the INS, formerly part
of Justice, moved to Homeland. Under Homeland’s interpretation of the
law, unless Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge issues a new order
giving the FBI immigration arrest powers, any immigration busts made by
the FBI today could later be deemed illegal.
So far, Ridge hasn’t done so."
Source: Newsweek |
|
47 |
Object Business Investors |
Ziade, using the same corporate address as Ptech's, also
was formerly associated with another firm, Object Business Investors
Inc., which dissolved in August 1998.
http://www.siliconvalley.com/mld/siliconvalley/news/editorial/4682169.htm |
|
48 |
Focus of JTTF raid on Ptech was the charities not
software |
Another
U.S. law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity,
said there was no evidence of any compromise of government computers or
any coding embedded in the software sold to the government that would be
of benefit to terrorists. The official also said that the investigation
was focused on links between Ptech officials and certain charitable
groups. |
|
49 |
IT projects and developers are the largest security hole
in the nation, not viruses etc. |
Article written on true nature of threat:
The largest security hole in the country's information
technology infrastructure is not some new type of virus or an outside
hacker trying to get into corporate or government systems; it's
developers working on software projects all over the world. In the
current technology downturn it has become very popular to turn to
offshore outsourcing, sending IT projects all over the world using the
Internet as the conduit. Every Fortune 500 company and U.S. government
office uses software created by people of unknown backgrounds and
intentions. It is a standard practice on large technology projects for
one company to act as the prime contractor and have multiple specialty
companies act as subcontractors. For example, Microsoft regularly has
source code written in India.
There are absolutely no development security standards
in place anywhere in the industry. What is checked is that the price is
as low as possible and that the code works. Nobody ever checks with the
FBI, CIA...
http://www.sys-con.com/WebSphere/articleprint.cfm?id=204 |
|
50 |
This Security Source states focus of raid was still to
look if Ptech products could be used to compromise government |
InfoSec Briefs
Software Firm Raided for Al-Qaeda Ties
Federal authorities are investigating whether software
supplied by a Massachusetts company may contain backdoors that are or
could be leaking sensitive government information to Al-Qaeda. FBI and
Customs agents raided PTech offices in Quincy, Mass., last Thursday
night, searching for evidence that one of the owners of the privately
held company is also an Al-Qaeda terrorist. PTech makes software for
coordinating the design and implementation of physical and IT
infrastructures. The company supplies software to key government and
military agencies, including the U.S. Navy and Air Force, NATO, the U.S.
House of Representatives and the Department of Energy. Government
officials say the PTech code was checked for backdoors prior to its
deployment, but sources quoted by the Associated Press say investigators
are looking to see if PTech products could be used to compromise
government systems.
http://infosecuritymag.techtarget.com/2002/dec/digest09.shtml |
|
51 |
This Industry source states focus of raid was money
laundering to Al Qaeda |
Ptech, a tiny, $10-million-a-year software company.
According to the Boston Globe, among the investors in Ptech, a maker of
network software, is a Saudi Arabian on the list of individuals with
whom it's illegal to do business. The Globe's source said federal
officials are investigating whether investor Yasin al-Qadi is passing
funds through the company to support charities that give money to Al
Qaeda members. Among Ptech's clients? The FBI.
http://www.imakenews.com/mediaunspun/index000024401.cfm |
|
52 |
John Jay College Law Enforcement News states Federal
agencies are disagreed as to the infiltration capabiltiies Ptech
software had, and the focus of the raid was both the software and the
financing. |
Ptech creates software that provides a type of blueprint
for how an organization operates, allowing users to cull and analyze
information in various databases, according to The Times. Its clients
include the Navy, the FBI, the Air Force, the Department of Energy and
NATO. Federal agencies seemed to disagree as to whether the software
could be used to infiltrate federal databases. While the FBI described
it as “off the shelf,” and posing no risk, other law enforcement
agencies, including the Customs Service, said the inquiry “has the
potential to be a big deal” both in terms of financing and software,
said one law enforcement official.
http://www.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/len/2002/12.31/page8.html |
|
53 |
Some report Ptech software as Financial Tracking and
Budgeting software |
Ptech Linked to al-Qaida?...re a small software company.
What we do doesn't give us access to information that is top secret.
Ptech provides sophisticated financial tracking and budgeting software
to big companies and to numerous government agencies, including the FBI,
Energy Department, Air Force, Navy, NATO and the House. Th... ...
(Wired)
http://powerserve.ws/Software/Budgeting-Software.html |
|
54a |
The last we hear is it is operating as a virtual company
under the name go-agile. [Note: even at the height of their business
they never had a 50 person work force.] |
So it laid off the last of its 50-person work force in
October, shuttered its office, and now markets its technology through a
third party.
‘‘We thought this was in the best interests of
everybody,'' Ziade, of Quincy, said. ‘‘We lost 10 percent of our
customers, and this was because of the innuendo that happened. People
were concerned that the company would not survive.''
While most of the company's clients, including several
federal agencies, did not drop Ptech as a vendor, recruiting new
customers was difficult.
‘‘There was no growth,'' said Ziade, now the
company's sole employee. ‘‘We were basically a company in high-tech,
where you have to get the biggest market share or you will not
survive.''
http://quincymass.com/sqlquincymassportal/news/newsDetail.asp?id=273 |
|
54b |
GOVERNMENT LIMITED PUBLICITY ABOUT PTECH INVESTIGATION |
Ziade said, however, he doesn't think government
investigators acted improperly and appreciates that they tried to limit
publicity about the investigation.
http://quincymass.com/sqlquincymassportal/news/newsDetail.asp?id=273 |
|
54c |
UNCLEAR AS TO STATUS OF PTECH INVESTIGATION |
Although no one associated with the company has been
charged, the U.S. attorney's office has never issued a statement
exonerating the company or ending the investigation.
http://quincymass.com/sqlquincymassportal/news/newsDetail.asp?id=273 |
|
54d |
PTECH IS STILL IN THE WHITE HOUSE |
‘‘We still have government agencies as customers,''
he said, ‘‘including the White House.'' [Indira: the article stated
he had no hard feelings; I'm sure the 9/11 families are relieved to hear
that.]
http://quincymass.com/sqlquincymassportal/news/newsDetail.asp?id=273 |
Back to Top - Media
Coverage on Ptech
Forward to Table 3 - Articles on Indira Singh
Table 2 - Media Coverage of JTTF
Raid Conducted 12/6/2002
|
PTECH STRONG MEDIA COVERAGE - DEC 2002
ON THE JTTF
RAID CONDUCTED 12/6/2002 |
|
(This Administration can shut down and did shut down
media coverage this strong into the money behind 9/11) |
|
SORT |
MEDIA |
LINK |
|
1 |
ABC BRIAN ROSS |
Terrorism/Al Qaeda/Computers/Ptech/ (Brian Ross) http://www.echochamberproject.com/... |
|
2 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
3 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
US Downplays 'Terror' Link at Boston-Area Firm |
|
4 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
5 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
6 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Boston-Area Firm Raided for Suspected 'Terror' Tie |
|
7 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
8 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
9 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Boston-Area Firm Raided for Suspected 'Terror' Tie |
|
10 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
11 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Boston-Area Firm Raided for Suspected 'Terror' Link |
|
12 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
13 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Boston-Area Firm Raided Over Suspected Qaeda Links |
|
14 |
ABC News - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Boston Company |
|
15 |
ABC News - 07
Dec 2002 |
Al-Qaida Probe Leads to Mass. Company |
|
16 |
Aberdeen American News, SD - 06
Dec 2002 |
US Downplays 'Terror' Link at Boston-Area Firm |
|
17 |
Aberdeen American News, SD - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror investigators raid Boston company |
|
18 |
Albany Times Union, NY - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Boston Company |
|
19 |
Albany Times Union, NY - 07
Dec 2002 |
Link no longer active |
|
20 |
Albany Times Union, NY - 07
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
21 |
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES |
CONTRACTOR COMPROMISES NAT. SEC. http://www.afge.org/Index.cfm... |
|
22 |
Anchorage Daily News, AK - 06
Dec 2002 |
Massachusetts company with FBI links raided in terror
probe |
|
23 |
Arizona Daily Star, AZ - 07
Dec 2002 |
Feds raid tech firm in probe of alleged terror financier |
|
24 |
Atlanta Business Chronicle, GA - 06
Dec 2002 |
Software company raided in terror probe not from Atlanta |
|
25 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
26 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
27 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
28 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
29 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
30 |
Austin American Statesman, TX - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
31 |
Baltimore Sun, MD - 06
Dec 2002 |
Software company raided in terror probe |
|
32 |
Baltimore Sun, MD - 06
Dec 2002 |
Software company raided in terror probe |
|
33 |
Baltimore Sun, MD - 07
Dec 2002 |
Software firm probed for possible terror tie |
|
34 |
Baltimore Sun, MD - 07
Dec 2002 |
Software firm probed for possible terror tie |
|
35 |
Belleville News-Democrat, IL - 06
Dec 2002 |
US Downplays 'Terror' Link at Boston-Area Firm |
|
36 |
Belleville News-Democrat, IL - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror investigators raid Boston company |
|
37 |
Billings Gazette, MT - 07
Dec 2002 |
Federal search targets terror financier |
|
38 |
Biloxi Sun Herald, MS - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror investigators raid Boston company |
|
39 |
Bismarck Tribune, ND - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs Agents Raid Boston-Area Software Company As Part
of ... |
|
40 |
Bismarck Tribune, ND - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs Agents Raid Boston-Area Software Company As Part
of ... |
|
41 |
Boston Business Journal, MA - 12
hours ago |
Ptech says it doesn't fund terror groups |
|
42 |
BOSTON GLOBE |
http://billstclair.com/911timeline/2002/bostonglobe120702.html |
|
44 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Channel 4, first on the story, abided US request not to
air it |
|
45 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Connections of 2 men are detailed |
|
46 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Ptech kept low profile, big clients |
|
47 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Sensitive data vulnerable via US contractors |
|
48 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
|
|
49 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
FBI reportedly didn't act on Ptech tips |
|
50 |
Boston Globe, MA - 07
Dec 2002 |
|
|
51 |
Boston Globe, MA - 08
Dec 2002 |
Tracking terror funds complex, low-key |
|
52 |
Boston Globe, MA - 08
Dec 2002 |
Federal probe raises questions in Middle Eastern
community |
|
53 |
BUSINESS AP WIRE |
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news... |
|
54 |
Business Times, Singapore - 06
Dec 2002 |
World Watch |
|
55 |
BusinessWeek - 7
hours ago |
|
|
56 |
Canada.com, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
US federal agents raid Boston-area software firm in
terrorism ... |
|
57 |
Canada.com, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
Federal agents raid Boston-area software company in
terrorism ... |
|
58 |
Canoe News, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror links at software firm? |
|
59 |
Carlisle Sentinel, PA - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs Agents Raid Boston-Area Software Company As Part
of ... |
|
60 |
Carlisle Sentinel, PA - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs Agents Raid Boston-Area Software Company As Part
of ... |
|
61 |
Carlisle Sentinel, PA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Suspected Terror Financier Is Target of US Search of ... |
|
62 |
Carlisle Sentinel, PA - 07
Dec 2002 |
Suspected Terror Financier Is Target of US Search of ... |
|
63 |
CBC News, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
US federal agents raid Boston-area software firm in
terrorism ... |
|
64 |
CBC News, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
Federal agents raid Boston-area software company in
terrorism ... |
|
65 |
Charlotte Observer, NC - 07
Dec 2002 |
Agents look for links to Saudi |
|
66 |
Chicago Sun Times, IL - 06
Dec 2002 |
Chicago Sun Times, IL - 06
Dec 2002 |
|
67 |
Chicago Sun Times, IL - 07
Dec 2002 |
Feds seek ties to Saudi at Mass. software firm |
|
68 |
China Post, Taiwan - 07
Dec 2002 |
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/detail.asp?onNews=1&GRP=A&id=17154 |
|
69 |
CNET News.com - 13
hours ago |
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-976493.html |
|
70 |
CNN |
http://archives.cnn.com/2002/US/Northeast/12/06/ptech.raid/ |
|
71 |
CNN |
http://www-cgi.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0212/06/bn.02.html |
|
72 |
CNN Asia, Asia - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs searches software firm near Boston |
|
73 |
CNN Europe, Europe - 06
Dec 2002 |
Feds raid suspected terror-linked firm |
|
74 |
CNN Europe, Europe - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs searches software firm near Boston |
|
75 |
CNN - 06
Dec 2002 |
Customs searches software firm near Boston |
|
76 |
Columbia State, SC - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror Investigators Raid Mass. Company |
|
77 |
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, GA - 06
Dec 2002 |
US Downplays 'Terror' Link at Boston-Area Firm |
|
78 |
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, GA - 06
Dec 2002 |
Terror investigators raid Boston company |
|
79 |
CommWeb - 06
Dec 2002 |
US Software Firm Part Of Terror Probe |
|
80 |
ComputerWorld - 06
Dec 2002 |
Feds turn up heat on high-tech industry links to
al-Qaeda |
|
81 |
ComputerWorld - 06
Dec 2002 |
Feds raid Mass. software firm with possible ties to
al-Qaeda |
|
82 |
ComputerWorld - 06
Dec 2002 |
Report: Software firm raided for al-Qaeda ties |
|
83 |
CRN |
http://www.crn.com/sections/breakingnews/dailyarchives.jhtml?articleId=18820737 |
|
84 |
CTV, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
US tech firm raided over alleged terror link |
|
85 |
CTV, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
US tech firm raided over alleged terror link |
|
86 |
CTV, Canada - 06
Dec 2002 |
Boston softwar | |
