Sun, Dec 7, 2003 at 9:10:31 pm
Newly released court documents allege that Saudi national Sami Omar Al-Hussayen, while working on a computer science degree at the University of Idaho, may have gained access to a campus lab containing radioactive material: Saudi Student in Idaho Isotope Lab Probed. (Hat tip: TS.)
COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho Dec. 7 — A University of Idaho graduate student who is under investigation for suspected terrorism ties obtained unauthorized access to a campus lab containing radioactive material, court documents allege.Sami Omar Al-Hussayen, a Saudi national working on his computer science doctoral degree, quietly moved his student office from the Computer Science Department into the school's engineering isotope lab, apparently without his adviser's knowledge, according to the documents.
"The investigation of Sami Al-Hussayen has, from its outset, been focused on suspected material support to terrorism, particularly to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda network," FBI agent Michael Gnecknow said in the documents.
"I have yet to see any piece of evidence, when viewed as part of the totality of information developed, that would dissuade me from believing that Sami Al-Hussayen is supporting terrorism," Gnecknow said.
FBI agents say they were worried the nuclear waste could be used in a "dirty bomb." Such devices involve the use of conventional explosives to spread around radioactive waste.