By Douglas J. Hagmann
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
"Once again, mark my words: Just as the November 20, 2006 removal of the six Muslim Imams from a US Air Flightbecame a watershed event and rallying cry for "Flying While Muslim,"this event will be the watershed event for "Driving While Arab." Thegradual erosion to our national security apparatus, for fear of beinglabeled as "Islamophobic," racially and religiously intolerant in anincreasingly litigious atmosphere, will be the ultimate and most unfortunateconsequence." --Douglas J. Hagmann, Director, Northeast IntelligenceNetwork
The events of Sunday, 7 January 2007 involving acargo truck attempting entry into the Port of Miami without the properpaperwork and a bill of lading that allegedly did not match the contents ofthe cargo container is on the fast track to being the next "watershed event"for Arab Muslims: "Driving While Arab." The initial reports of a 20year-old Iraqi driver of a 45' cargo truck attempting entry into the Port ofMiami at about 8:00 a.m. Sunday morning stated that the driver, Iraqinational Amar al HADAD lacked the proper documents when asked forthem by a port security officer. Initial reports also stated that al HADADappeared nervous and would not make eye contact during routine questioning.When asked for the cargo manifest, or bill of lading, al HADAD reportedlyprovided documents that were inconsistent with the cargo contents.Authorities initially reported that the driver's manifest indicated al HADADwas carrying auto parts, but the cargo did not appear to be consistent withthat description.
Further, authorities asked al HADAD if there was anyone else with him in thevehicle. Despite his assertion that he was alone in the truck, policeofficials found two other Middle Eastern nationals hiding in the truck'scab. Those men have since been identified as Hussain al HADAD, 24,the brother of the driver and also an Iraqi national, and Hassan elSAYED, 20, from Lebanon. Initial reports from police officials at thePort of Miami also stated that there were two 55-gallon containers in theback of the truck they termed as "suspicious." Based on those events, thethree men were detained for questioning and the truck impounded for furtherinspection. Sunday morning, FBI spokeswoman Judy Orihuela said the driverand the others were placed in custody after the cargo in his truck did notmatch what was declared on its manifest. Now, the entire event has beenlabeled a "misunderstanding" based on miscommunication, perhaps due to a"language barrier." In fact, news of the event has evolved to the extentthat the current "official" version of events has become virtuallyunrecognizable from the initial reports and statements made by lawenforcement officials who were actually on the scene at the Port of Miami.
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