Terrorists roommate deported

last updated 8 January 2015

Auckland, New Zealand

New Zealand said this week it had deported a man who had close contacts with 9/11 hijackers. Rayed Mohammed Abdullah, a Yemeni, was on international watch lists because he had roomed with one of the terrorists who flew a plane into the Pentagon. He apparently got past New Zealand immigration officials by adding “Ali” to the end of his name. Officials caught him during a check of people taking flight training, and he has been deported to Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Helen Clark said that the deportation was justified, even though the man was accused of no crime. “Personally I consider it a no-brainer,” she said. “Someone who has been a roommate of a 9/11 terrorist and is having pilot training is here for no particularly good purpose.”