Man accused of providing ID to hijackers

A man accused of providing fake identification to two of the September 11 hijackers was arrested at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport today after returning from Egypt.

Mohamed el-Atriss was taken into custody by Customs agents.

El-Atriss, a naturalised US citizen from Egypt, has been charged with conspiracy and manufacturing and distributing phony documents.

New Jersey Prosecutors said he sold hundreds of fake drivers licences and ID cards.

Federal authorities have not charged el-Atriss, but Michael Drewniak, a spokesman for the US attorney’s office, said: "he remains of interest to us."

El-Atriss flew to Egypt in July, hours before New Jersey police went to arrest him in a 31 raid on his home and businesses.

According to the FBI, el-Atriss gave phony IDs to Khalid Almihdhar, who was on the airliner that crashed into the Pentagon, and Abdul Aziz Alomari, who was on board one of the planes that hit the World Trade Centre.