NJ police caught, released NY terror suspect sizing up I-80 bridge

homelandsecurityus.com

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Passing truckers had reported a man with Middle Eastern features taking photographs of the bridge.

A background check showed his name on the federal list.

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Submitted by admin on Wed, 2007-09-12 16:55

A man who was questioned by New Jersey State Police on Monday and then let go after he was found taking photos of the Delaware Water Gap bridge was later discovered to be on the FBI's national terrorist watch list.
The unidentified man, of Middle Eastern descent, claimed he was on vacation with his family after he was spotted on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River photographing the bridge, which connects Interstate 80 between New Jersey and Pennsylvania, said Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine.
COMPLETE ARTICLE:

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Reporting by Josh Drobnyk and Matt Birkbeck

The Morning Call

3:52 PM EDT, September 12, 2007

A New Yorker on an FBI terrorism watch list was questioned along the Interstate 80 bridge over the Delaware River Monday afternoon and then released, according to New Jersey State Police.

Imrah H. Ahmed, 25, told officers he had stopped so his wife could feed their baby and was admiring the Delaware Water Gap scenery, police said.

Passing truckers had reported a man with Middle Eastern features taking photographs of the bridge, triggering police interest.

Ahmed's car was searched after a background check showed his name on the federal list, police said, but no camera was found, and Ahmed was allowed to continue along his way.

"We conferred [with federal anti-terror authorities] and there was no further reason for detention," said Capt. Al Della Fave, of the New Jersey State Police.

State and local law enforcement authorities in Pennsylvania said they later were told New Jersey police had detained and then released a suspect who'd been taking photos of the bridge.

http://www.mcall.com/news/local/all-terror-sept12-cn,0,4701457.story?coll=all_tab01_layout