Three held after making terror claims at bar
By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA
Copyright 2002 Houston ChronicleSan Antonio Bureau
SAN ANTONIO -- Bonds of $2 million were set Tuesday for three men jailed on state terroristic threat charges after a dancer in a topless bar said the men claimed they were Arab terrorists here to attack military installations.
Officials said a preliminary investigation did not uncover any bona fide connection to terrorism but more checking would be done.
The arrests were made late Monday at the XTC Cabaret Club, where an employee summoned police to report that the men who said they were Arabs were "giving her a lot of money while she was dancing" and appeared to be serious when they said "they were in San Antonio `to blow up the military bases,' " according to the arrest report.
The club worker quoted the men as saying, "We are having a good time and spending our money," just like some of the Sept. 11 terrorists had done on the eve of their attack.
Arrested were Ribhi Abdalla, 25, and Jadallah Abdallah, 21, of San Antonio; and Makram Sayel Hijaz, 20, of Mesquite, police said. Suspicions grew when they saw that the men's two vehicles had out-of-state license plates, from Florida and North Carolina.
The FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service were notified, and while the FBI later said it was not taking over the investigation, the INS said it would put immigration detainers on the men if warranted.
"You have to take everything serious, and they (police) obviously did," said FBI special agent Mark Rich.
Police spokesman Sandy Gutierrez said that based on the initial probe "it doesn't look like there is any connection to a terroristic group."
"Nevertheless, when things were set in motion, everyone responded appropriately," she said. "With everything that is going on, they're not taking anything lightly."
By ARMANDO VILLAFRANCA
Copyright 2002 Houston ChronicleSan Antonio Bureau
SAN ANTONIO -- Bonds of $2 million were set Tuesday for three men jailed on state terroristic threat charges after a dancer in a topless bar said the men claimed they were Arab terrorists here to attack military installations.
Officials said a preliminary investigation did not uncover any bona fide connection to terrorism but more checking would be done.
The arrests were made late Monday at the XTC Cabaret Club, where an employee summoned police to report that the men who said they were Arabs were "giving her a lot of money while she was dancing" and appeared to be serious when they said "they were in San Antonio `to blow up the military bases,' " according to the arrest report.
The club worker quoted the men as saying, "We are having a good time and spending our money," just like some of the Sept. 11 terrorists had done on the eve of their attack.
Arrested were Ribhi Abdalla, 25, and Jadallah Abdallah, 21, of San Antonio; and Makram Sayel Hijaz, 20, of Mesquite, police said. Suspicions grew when they saw that the men's two vehicles had out-of-state license plates, from Florida and North Carolina.
The FBI and Immigration and Naturalization Service were notified, and while the FBI later said it was not taking over the investigation, the INS said it would put immigration detainers on the men if warranted.
"You have to take everything serious, and they (police) obviously did," said FBI special agent Mark Rich.
Police spokesman Sandy Gutierrez said that based on the initial probe "it doesn't look like there is any connection to a terroristic group."
"Nevertheless, when things were set in motion, everyone responded appropriately," she said. "With everything that is going on, they're not taking anything lightly."
