Three curious stories of illegal alien pilots just wandering around Mexico and the U.S.:

1) From AP last week:

A day after he was expelled from Mexico, a man who once ran a Southern California aerospace company was indicted for allegedly exporting military jet parts in violation of the federal Arms Export Control Act.

Arif Ali Durrania appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Margaret Nagle, who ruled him a flight risk and ordered him held without bail. A 1999 indictment unsealed Thursday charges that Durrani’s now defunct company, Ventura-based Lonestar Aerospace Inc., illegally exported more than 150 compressor blades for J-85 military aircraft engines in May 1994 [bound for Iran].

Mexican authorities, acting on a tip from U.S. officials, captured him earlier this week as he left a restaurant in Playas de Rosarito, near the Tijuana-San Diego border. He was put on a flight to his native Pakistan, but U.S. officials took him into custody when his plane stopped in Los Angeles.

…Durrani previously served five years in prison after being convicted in the United States in 1987 of selling missile parts to Iran. He claimed to have acted as part of the Iran-Contra scandal in which the U.S. exchanged arms for American hostages held in Lebanon. After his release in 1992, U.S. immigration authorities sought to deport him based on his conviction. Six years later, he voluntarily left the country for Mexico, and authorities believe he has lived there since. Although he was not suspected of wrongdoing in Mexico, authorities deported him after he could not produce documents proving he arrived in the country legally.

2) Also via AP (hat tip - LGF):

A Lebanese-born man detained this week on Mexico’s Baja California peninsula is believed linked to extremist organizations with ties to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, Mexican prosecutors said.

Amer Haykel told acquaintances he was a pilot who was wandering the world on a tight budget. He seemed like “a straightforward person,” said Gabriel Garcia of the Cabo San Lucas fire station, where Haykel had sought shelter for several days.

Mexico’s federal attorney general’s office said late Tuesday that U.S. authorities linked the Lebanese-born British citizen “to extremist groups believed to be involved with the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, in New York.”

It did not say if he faced any charges or if he was believed to be personally involved in any terrorist actions.

On Wednesday, Mexico’s attorney general’s office said officials were trying to determine Haykel’s legal status. He was being held in Mexico City by immigration authorities.

3) Finally, remember the story of this illegal alien pilot ? Well, he’s writing e-mails to anyone who’s mentioned his story. I received one yesterday and am reprinting it in full below the jump.

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Previous:

The illegal immigration/terrorist connection, again
- Iraqi Illegal Aliens in Mexico
- The Illegal Immigration/Terrorist Connection, Part XXXLVIII
- Yes, Virginia, the Southern Border is a Problem
- The Head Choppers Meet the Hand Choppers
- What’s the Spanish Word for Terrorist?

From: “christopher hajaig”
To: malkin@comcast.net
Subject: my statement ( the alleged terrorist pilot)

Dear malkin .

I noticed the disfavor of your article ..included is a statement to the masses . indulge your readers and site users if you so wish. I must say its quite bad etiquette and unprofessional for a supposed author like you to judge and conclude . Do you not know that your actions can ruin lives and reputations …..read the facts and align your self with balanced journalism .

cheers .

Zayead Christopher Hajaig.

Dear readers .

The following statement is an effort to dispel the many lies and false allegations stemmed by various media entities. This is also a clear effort on my part to reach out and touch the humane minds amongst you . I have since the unset of all this palaver maintained my innocence and my absolute support of the authorities regardless of the unfavourable outcome and my present predicament. IN PLAIN ENGLISH I AM NOT A TERRORIST. hence I have high regards towards humanity and protectors of the said same.

I will start by thanking the proprietors of this web site for printing my side of the story, I am grateful for that level of tolerance. in lieu of what has happened I am going to endeavour to stick to the bare facts, and avoid emotional confluence. The following information I am providing can be confirmed and checked by simple credit/background checks . I have nothing to hide .

There has been many a story printed by various editors, Authors and media wells. They all seem to agree on some grounded assertions false and inaccurate as they may be. These facts stem supposedly from the various investigation branches in the states . Some how I do not think so, as a lot of the outlined allegations are false and inaccurate. I know for a fact the authorities would not risk the reputation and credibility of the agencies they represent . Call me naive or an idiot ,but the information I am wiling to provide is public record i.e.; any one can dispute, refute or reinforce the many statement rendered about me . In lieu of that I ask of you to research my assertions and to query me directly at my e-mail address listed below. If you so wish . I have nothing to hide and I will respond to your questions.

jetmad31@hotmail.com

First it has been painted to the masses that I am a terrorist pilot trainee . Fact is I am not a student pilot and obviously NOT A TERRORIST . I am a LEGAL FAA LICENSED PILOT . MY CREDENTIALS ARE AS FOLLOW .
I AM A PRIVATE PILOT MULTI ENGINE INSTRUMENT LICENSE HOLDER . WHAT DO I MEAN BY NOT BEING A STUDENT?? . WELL I STOPPED BEING A STUDENT IN 99 WHEN I GOT MY PRIVATE PILOT SINGLE ENGINE LAND LICENSE , FOLLOWED BY MY INSTRUMENT RATING IN 2000 AND THEN MY MULTI ENGINE COMPLEX HIGH PERFORMANCE WITH AND INSTRUMENT ENDORSEMENTS IN 2002. SO THERE YOU HAVE IT I AM A QUALIFIED WELL TRAINED PILOT . TRAINED BY THE BEST. I have been working on my aviation career since 1992 and it has been a life time engagement . I had planed to be an airline pilot and was working on my upgrade to a commercial license since 2002 and due to financial hardship fell short of completing the check ride in 2002. I had completed my commercial written examination and passed them twice . The first time was in 2002 and second time was in 2005 . I have also completed my ground instructor written exams and passed those too. Accordingly my plan was to become a flight instructor and teach for a While amassing the hours needed for the coveted airline pilot position . A familiar traverse to every aspiring pilot out there.
What is meant by LEGAL FAA LICENSED pilot. well the FAA required a certain set of documents and pre qualification measures which where all met according to the generally published PTS. ( practical test standards) i.e.; PICTURE ID , MEDICAL CERTIFICATE, SIGNED APPLICATION FORMS ,TEST RESULTS, ETC… that was my passport and Georgia drivers license . I presented my application forms signed by instructors and log book endorsements in addition I provided my social security card number etc.. all the following documents are legal documents issued to me by the various agencies in Georgia upon entering the united states as a legal immigrant in 1991/92 ( this is normal ). SO IN SHORT THE ASSERTION OF ME TRAINING ILLEGALLY IS INACCURATE AND FALSE. recently the TSA (a fairly new body of government) included pilot back ground checks and verification. This is as recent as 2004. So for the assertion that the FAA still allows middle eastern pilots to fly without checks post 9/11 is wrong and inaccurate and prejudice. As in any government body legislative matters take time to bare so its not the unorganised picture the media might have led you to believe . In fact aviation today in America is the most scrutinized form of travel ,commerce or profession ..i.e.; the net result regretfully is the overkill efforts you are witnessing in my case . That’s how much scrutiny had come to bare on the industry. I must admit even though I am on the receiving end of all this exaggerative policing , I am grateful for the sense of safety it promotes.

The media seem to paint me as broke with out a verifiable source of income .i.e. a sponsored terrorist . Fact is I have always worked in the USA and paid my taxes and in lieu of that I had credit cards and loans . please do the research you will find I worked for a cafe chain at Harts field Airport Atlanta(coffee klatch) from 91 to 01 . I was a general manager there . Post that I worked for another cafe chain (Seattle’s best coffee )02-03 again as a manager and recently I was an optical retail manager working for Pearle vision .Another Midas fact is, this is how I sponsored my flight training by working and paying my taxes and contributing to the American economy. by investing in a career that has cost me the better part of 62000.00 dollars since 1991. Yes mates a lot of money paid in to American flight training schools . My total savings in every way went in to my career. So for the media , feds or whom ever out there claiming that I am a financed terrorist well , run a back ground check or check my tax records in addition you could do a credit check . You will find the truth, my social security card number is 252839765. or alternatively you could contact the above listed jobs. last job was Pearle vision , Hammond drive Atlanta Georgia.

As for the Guns !!!!. My understanding is that the indictment is on three counts of assault rifles . Accordingly I am not the owner of the said rifles nor was I in custody of all said rifles at that point . Two of the said rifles where at the owners rightful address independent of my address .(I will not name this person as it not fair on them). but what I will say is that the paper work of said rifles are in his name and the address was his address. As for the third rifle that belonged to another mate at work and he had me do some cleaning and blueing on it . I believe he might have stepped forward to claim it . As for the river ..well they claim they found a hand gun in the river ,..how come the indictment is on three rifles but not a hand gun ??? ..I believe the person it belonged to stepped up and confessed . Yes I did throw the said weapon in to the river before I left . and that was the best I could do with it while in a hurry. better than it getting in to the wrong hands. SO FOR THE MEDIA TO PROTRAY ME AS STORING A WAPONS CACHE AT MY BEHEST. Well mates you read between the lines.

Dear readers .. I could go on for ever mates but in short I am just a normal Joe after a normal life. I AM ONLY GUILTY BY MY ADMISSION OF OVERSTAYING MY VISA. This I believe to have been a navigable matter with the aid of a lawyer in years to follow but some how I got rattled to return home in a hurry . I was afraid of the injustice served to any one in violation of the new DHS rules post 9/11( especially when not a citizen) all I could think of was guantanamo bay. I was afraid of what has come to bare . I was afraid of the overkill policing that will have resulted from my being an over stayed visa holder and a pilot .Also of what will appear to the layman as an Arab pilot. Fact is I feared an immigration deportation hence I ran in a hurry . and more important I did not know of the feds interest in me until I had returned to the UK after I had contacted them . I was told to do so by my room mate upon the request of the feds. since they had been around to canvas the address. Initially and prior to me leaving the states I had learnt from sources at my flight school that the feds had expressed an interest in me and are querying my particulars. I had on that same day handled preliminary over the phone questions about my personal data. The FBI had showed no interest in me as I believe they concluded I am not a security problem, however they indicated that there might be an immigration issue and they would be over to chat with me on the following day.

And finally about me and my nationality. Well I am British born in west Africa . My father is British . My great grand parents are of Armenian decent exiled to Lebanon earlier in the last century ( as I understand it from some family research done 2 years ago). my religion is Christianity. yes I am a Christian.. I moved to the UK earlier in my youth and in 91 or so I started to visit the USA. I had always wanted to be a pilot and my love for aviation started when I was a child .All my toys are planes, all my books are airplane books and all my posters are about aviation . So there you go , I am just a normal passionate Aviator. Now ask your self how did the present situation come to bare folks???.. I think its the world post 9/11 and the paranoia inherent in the minds and politics of today’s society. But must we allow that to unfold unchecked and uncorrected. Yes its true the end result is primarily my fault . If I had kept up with my visa this will not have occurred or if 9/11 never happened well paranoia will not rule the day.. fellow readers… what I am trying to say is the American authorities have stopped my career dead in its tracks my life is worthless with out my career and now that’s all in ruins . As a human being I must have some pliable rights and thus rights are inherent in the constitution of the great USA . but some how I am on the receiving end of overkill justice . Suspending my pilot licenses and my career with out any due process or proof of me being a terrorist cant be humane ,this cant be justice . I can understand if the authorities have some grounded facts behind the terrorist allegations and I suppose I will face my fait. but the blatant fact is I am not a terrorist and I never in my life had anything to do with such madness . And further more, both the UK and US investigative bodies seem to agree that I am not a terrorist.
Now .. you must understand that suspending my licenses in the US precludes me from flying anywhere else in the world hence my career is not only over in America but globally. I am sure if one was to research the laws inherent in my case they will find the new TSA law to be quite controversial and inhumane. What I am trying to say to you is ..if all I am in violation off is an immigration rule ,then let the punishment suite the bill. Lest not we forget that we vowed to never let the terrorist change our countries and our form of democracy .And in doing so we have denied them victory . lest not forget the fervour dispelled by many a politician post 9/11 about freedom and equality . for god sake fellow Americans ..its your freedom and idea of equality that I cherished so much . All this power in the hands of a few is not in favourable balance to today’s democracy .. I am not against safe guarding and going above and beyond due process to secure our nations ..I am all for that but it must be done in a humane manner in a democratic scenes in a true American way .. we cant spend endless days creating bills and decrees that challenge our democratic way of life . If we do that ,they have won. Ask your selves what all this has done to me …well the following had happened . I had my reputation tarnished for life , I HAVE BEEN BRANDED AS ATERRORIST . I will never fly again ,I can never return to the states after I have been living in America for ten years. that was my adopted country , I have friends and intimate relations I will never be able to see again , all my properties are seized I will never get that back ,my credit is ruined I can never fix that if not in America . and last but not least so many folks in the states were part of my life and mine of theirs we can never indulge in that freedom again . I have lost all folks let alone the losses I have amassed in the UK due to the media madness….. AND DUE TO SOME SHOOT FIRST ASK QUESTIONS LATER POLICY ……This cant be the American way .

God bless ..

Zayead Christopher Hajaig

Zayead Christopher Hajaig

The End.

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