www.heraldtribune.com The Associated Press

Venezuelan authorities said Tuesday a man arrested for carrying a live hand grenade at London's Gatwick airport showed a British court this week a forged Venezuelan identification card. The man who identified himself as Hasil Mohammed Rahaham-Alan, 37, held up the card during a court appearance in London on Monday and said he lived in Caracas, Venezuela. But Venezuela's Immigration Director Alfredo Gil said the card's number is registered to a woman living in Venezuela. Gil said authorities are investigating to determine if the man's passport is also false. Rahaham-Alan was arrested last week during a huge security alert when the army placed more than 400 troops at Heathrow airport west of London and stepped up security at other airports. Rahaham-Alan had a Venezuelan passport and arrived on a flight from Caracas, police said. Officers said they found a grenade in his luggage and shut Gatwick's North Terminal for several hours. He was charged Sunday night with possession of an explosive, possession of an article for terrorist purposes and carrying a dangerous item on a flight. His next hearing is scheduled for Feb. 24.

www.alertnet.org 18 Feb 2003 19:42

By Patrick Markey

CARACAS, Venezuela, Feb 18 (Reuters) - British anti-terrorist police traveled to Caracas on Tuesday to piece together the life of a Venezuelan man who allegedly flew from the South American country to London's Gatwick airport with a live hand grenade in his luggage.

Three officers from the Metropolitan Police were scheduled to arrive in the Venezuelan capital as part of their investigation into Hasil Mohammed Rahaham-Alan, 37, who was arrested last week after stepping off a British Airways flight from Caracas, sources close to the investigation said.

Tight-lipped Venezuelan immigration authorities say Rahaham-Alan was carrying a false domestic identification card and they could not confirm his identity.

"It's the same name, but we are not sure we are talking about the same person. We're not sure if he is a Venezuelan or not," said Alfredo Gil Romero, director of the immigration control agency.

Reuters visited the two-story green-and-white home, where Rahaham-Alan told a London courtroom he had lived. Neighbors said that a family named Rahaham had lived for more than a decade in the house, perched along a sun-scorched hillside overlooking the eastern part of Caracas.

Interpol police on Friday visited the home, which had been unoccupied for nearly a month, local residents said.

"I was surprised to hear this," said one neighbor, who asked not to be named. "They are really decent, professional people. I used to call the mother 'grandma' and she would invite me in for tea and coffee."

The elderly mother and her four children were not believed to be native Venezuelans, but residents of this middle-class neighborhood said they didn't know where the family had come from. Two sons and a daughter lived outside Caracas, but the third son had not visited the home for about three years, they said.

TERRORIST CHARGES

Rahaham-Alan appeared in a London court on Monday where he was charged with "possession of an article for the purpose of committing a terrorist act" and "possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or damage property".

He is also charged with carrying a dangerous article on a British-registered plane. He has been remanded in custody and will appear at the London's Old Bailey court on Feb. 24.

U.S. officials last year said they were concerned that extremist Islamic groups were receiving financial backing from Middle Eastern expatriate communities on Venezuela's Margarita Island, a popular Caribbean tourist haven.

The mainland shares a rugged, porous border with Colombia and has long been a conduit for drugs and counterfeit goods to and from other South American countries. Venezuelan government officials admit their troubled immigration controls need an urgent overhaul.

Rahaham-Alan, bearded with long dark hair, arrived at Gatwick last Thursday on a British Airways flight which officials said started in Bogota, Colombia and made stops in Caracas and Barbados before heading to London.

He was arrested after police allegedly discovered the grenade in his bags. Police, already on high alert due to threats of an attack, were forced to evacuate the airport's north terminal, delaying or canceling scores of flights.

British officials also want to determine how a hand grenade got through Caracas airport security. Sources said that the grenade was carried in a metal box that helped mask it from X-ray equipment.

www.oaklandtribune.com18651187420,00.html Article Last Updated: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 4:02:55 AM MST Hand grenade discovered in luggage By , Associated Press

LONDON -- A Venezuelan man arrested at London's Gatwick airport for carrying a live hand grenade in his luggage was ordered Monday to appear in court next week on terrorism charges.

Hasil Mohammed Rahaham-Alan, 37, identified himself during Monday's hearing and said he lived in Caracas, Venezuela. He did not enter a plea and his next hearing was scheduled for Feb. 24.

Rahaham-Alan was arrested last week during a huge security alert when the army placed more than 400 troops at Heathrow airport west of London and stepped up security at other airports.

Rahaham-Alan had a Venezuelan passport and arrived on a flight from Caracas, police said. Officers said they found a grenade in his luggage and shut Gatwick's North Terminal for several hours.

He was charged Sunday night with possession of an explosive, possession of an article for terrorist purposes and carrying a dangerous item on a flight.

In a separate hearing, a 33-year-old Algerian man was jailed for four months for having a fake passport.

Karim Kadouri and two other men were arrested in November under the Terrorism Act amid media reports that terrorists were planning a poison gas attack on London's subway system.

The government denied the reports.

www.thisislocallondon.co.uk

A terror suspect who was arrested at Gatwick Airport for allegedly carrying a live grenade in his baggage was remanded in custody when he appeared before a London magistrate.

Hasil Mohammed Rahaham-Alan, 37, from Venezuela, faces two charges under the Terrorism Act 2000 and a charge under the Aviation Security Act 1982.

During a five-minute magistrates court appearance Rahaham-Alan was told he was accused of having in his possession a hand grenade for use in the commission of an act of terrorism.

The alleged discovery of the grenade caused the evacuation of Gatwick's north terminal.

Rahaham-Alan is charged with possession of an article for the purpose of committing a terrorist act, possession of an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or damage property. A third charge of carrying a dangerous article on a British registered aircraft, contrary to section 4 of the Aviation Security Act 1982.

Rahaham-Alan has been remanded in custody until February 24, when he is due to appear at London's Central Criminal Court.

11:26 Tuesday 18th February 2003

icwales.icnetwork.co.uk Feb 18 2003

The Western Mail - The National Newspaper Of Wales   A MAN appeared in court yesterday charged under the Terrorism Act after a hand grenade was allegedly found in his luggage as he arrived on a flight at Gatwick airport.

Hasil Mohammed Rahaham-Alan was stopped by Customs officers on Thursday after arriving from Caracas, Venezuela, on a British Airways flight.

Rahaham-Alan, a 37-year-old Venezuelan, appeared at Bow Street Magistrates Court in central London to face charges of possessing an article for the purpose of committing a terrorist act, possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or damage property and carrying a dangerous article on an aircraft.

Rahaham-Alan, bearded and with long black hair, walked into court dressed in a baggy blue jumper.

He sat in the dock with a single police officer and a woman Spanish interpreter during the five-minute hearing.

His lawyer, Peter Corrigan, said he could understand the proceedings in English but the interpreter would provide clarification if necessary.

Rahaham-Alan stood and spoke in a barely audible voice as he gave his full name and date of birth to the courts.

He gave an address in Caracas, Venezuela.

The clerk read him three charges.

She said, "On the 13th of February this year within the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court you had in your possession an article - that was a grenade - for use in the commission of an act of terrorism.

"On the same day you had in your possession an explosive substance, that being a grenade, with intent to endanger life or cause damage to property.

"The same day whilst on a British registered aircraft you had in your possession a dangerous article. That was a hand grenade."

Prosecutor Susan Hemming asked for all the charges to be transferred to the Old Bailey. There was no application for bail.

District Judge Nicholas Evans concluded the five-minute hearing by telling the defendant that he was transferring the case to the Old Bailey under Section 51 of the Crime and Disorder Act.

He remanded Rahaham-Alan in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on February 24.