Stonewalled: Al Qaeda 'Commander' Probe

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Terrorist Stonewalls Hunt for 'Field Commander'

By Vic Walter

April 3 — An imprisoned terrorist from South Florida is refusing to provide information in the worldwide manhunt for a suspected al Qaeda operative, sources told ABCNEWS.

On March 20, ABCNEWS featured an exclusive story on Imran Mandhai, who was convicted last year of plotting terrorist attacks in areas of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Miami.

During an undercover FBI investigation of Mandhai in early 2001, federal agents discovered a connection between Mandhai and Adnan El Shukrijumah, sources said.

El Shukrijumah, who is from Saudi Arabia, is wanted by authorities in connection with possible terrorist threats against the United States. He has been described to ABCNEWS as an al Qaeda "field commander" on the level of Mohamed Atta, the lead Sept. 11 hijacker.

In undercover tape recordings, Mandhai is heard discussing his relationship with El Shukrijumah during the time both men lived in neighboring South Florida communities.

FBI agents were unable to implicate El Shukrijumah in the Florida terror plot, and shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks he disappeared.

Authorities now want to interview Mandhai about his knowledge of El Shukrijumah, but so far, sources said, Mandhai, who is serving nearly 12 years in an Alabama federal prison, is not willing to answer any questions. Mandhai was convicted of a conspiracy to bomb South Florida power plants, the National Guard, Jewish businesses and Mount Rushmore.

Sources also tell ABCNEWS that following the Sept. 11 attacks Mandhai was given a lie-detector test.

During the polygraph exam, Mandhai was asked if he personally knew anyone who was involved in the attacks.

Sources said he failed that test question when he answered no, and when told that the polygraph had indicated he lied about his answer Mandhai told authorities he was actually thinking of El Shukrijumah in response to the question.