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Thursday, November 01, 2001
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Traffic ticket offers more evidence terrorism suspect visited Las Vegas in spring

An Arizona traffic ticket issued in June appears to bolster reports that terrorism suspect Lotfi Raissi visited Las Vegas this spring.

The Review-Journal reported earlier this week that Raissi, who is accused of training four suicide hijackers in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, drove to Las Vegas with his wife on June 11 and departed on June 18.

Court records obtained Wednesday show that Raissi was ticketed on the afternoon of June 18 as he drove south on U.S. Highway 93 toward Phoenix. The highway is the main route linking Phoenix and Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas office of the FBI is conducting a massive investigation to determine why five Sept. 11 hijackers and Raissi were in Las Vegas this summer.

Those hijackers have been identified by authorities as Mohamed Atta, Ziad Jarrah, Marwan Al-Shehhi, Nawaf Alhazmi and Hani Hanjour.

All but Alhazmi are believed to have been at the controls of the four hijacked planes that crashed in New York City, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

The 27-year-old Raissi, an Algerian pilot, is currently being held without bail in London. Authorities have said they believe he provided flight training to four hijackers.

While visiting Las Vegas in June, he stayed at both the Rio and Luxor hotels, before leaving June 18.

According to court records, Arizona state trooper M.J. Forbrook stopped Raissi as he traveled south at 2:52 p.m. on June 18.

Raissi was driving a Chrysler four-door at a speed of 89 mph in a 65-mph zone, according to court records.

The traffic stop occurred near Yarnell, Ariz., roughly halfway between Phoenix and Kingman. On his driver's license, Raissi listed an address of North 23rd Avenue in Phoenix.

Published reports have indicated Raissi maintained an apartment in Phoenix as late as September 2000.

According to the traffic ticket, Raissi was ordered to appear in Yarnell Justice Court on July 18 to answer to the ticket or pay a $230 fine.

However, court records indicate that Raissi obtained a $230 money order on July 3 and mailed it to the court. The court cashed the money order on Sept. 11, the same day as the terrorist attacks.

The court records indicate the money order was issued by a a Minnesota-based financial services company named Travelers Express.

Cathy Rebuffoni, a communications manager for the company, said she could not comment on Raissi's money order.

Rebuffoni said Travelers Express provides money orders and other financial services across the nation.

Raissi was arrested in London 10 days after the terrorist attacks. Authorities have said phone records from the terrorists led them to Raissi.

Last month, a judge ordered Raissi held without bail after a British prosecutor told the court he may have helped the hijackers acquire their piloting skills.

Raissi is being held on allegations that he lied on an application for a pilot's license. But authorities have said he eventually could be charged with participating in the conspiracy to commit the terrorist attacks.

Review-Journal columnist John L. Smith contributed to this report.