Cedar Rapids To Host Terror Suspect Trial

There is an interesting story unfolding right here in eastern iowa. On July 16th, Abdel-liah Elmardoudi, a 41 year old Moroccan, is to go on trial in federal court, in Cedar Rapids, on charges of conspiring with others to create fake visas, alien registration cards, and other documents. He also is accused of obtaining fraudulent Social Security numbers and cards for foreign nationals living in the United States, and being part of a terror cell, with plans against the United States.

Mr. Elmardoudi is trying to get the federal court to dismiss his case here in Iowa, because the ket prosecution witness is a known liar.

This case is also intertwined with federal charges in Michigan and Minnesota, so we shall see how it all plays out over the next few weeks. It is the first case of its' kind post 9/11. The scheme supposedly started in July 2001, shortly before 9/11, when Youssef Hmimssa, a computer expert and scam artist, and at least 20 people were brought to Iowa to get Social Security cards, backed up by counterfeit documents. Elmardoudi is accused of getting at least two of the Social Security numbers for himself under different aliases. His known aliases are Abdullah, Hussein Mohsen Safieddine, Egyptian national George Labibe, and French national Jean-Pierre Tardelli. He then used the Social Security cards to open bank accounts , got jobs, found housing, applied for credit cards, and obtained identification cards or driver's licenses in Iowa and elsewhere.

Mr. Elmardoudi has tried to say that his charges must be dropped, because he has not been given a speedy trial, even though he has been causing delays all through the process. He had fled in 2001, and he has asked for or agreed to continuances, and has refused efforts to negotiate a plea agreement that would have encompassed charges in Iowa, Michigan, and Minnesota, according to assistant United States Attorney Kandice Wilcox, who will be prosecuting the case against Mr. Elmardoudi.

There is much more extensive coverage of this case on the news and I am sure it will be written about extensively as the trial begins. It should be interesting to see just how easy it was for these people to operate under our laws and obtain documents that made them appear to be legal citizens. Just one more argument against immigration reform and its' TAMPER PROOF identification cards!!