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Afifi, who is a U.S. born citizen, knew he was on a federal watch list, largely thanks to being the child of the late Aladdin Afifi, also a U.S. citizen and president of the Muslim Community Association. Aladdin moved Yasir and his brothers to Egypt in 2003, but Yasir returned in 2008 to continue his education. But, while used to submitting to extra screening at airports, even Yasir was taken aback by the idea of having his every move monitored by the government.
The story took a particularly odd twist on Tuesday when FBI agents showed up at Afifi's Santa Clara apartment complex (in dramatic fashion, jumping out of SUVs as the student tried to leave the parking lot). Agents demanded that Afifi return the tracking device which they described as an "expensive piece" of "federal property." Wired has many details of the incident, as told by Afifi, and the agents don't come off sounding like a friendly bunch.
We can only assume one of two things, judging by the decision of the FBI to come looking for its equipment. Either the agency paid way too much for the tracker (seeing as we're pretty sure any modern cell phone is capable of the same trick), or Afifi was never considered a serious national security threat. One of the most basic rules of investigation is that you never let the target know they're a target.
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Comments
44
Subscribe to commentsJames D RoopNov 26th 2010 2:13PM
Land of the surveilled..........home of the National Security Pussies
cqdeedOct 10th 2010 6:15AM
Ooops. Somebody at the FBI just got a lower grade on his/her annual fitness report. I wonder if he had tossed it in the river, would they have tried to get him to pay for it? That last sentence should be chiseled in stone and repeated at every briefing these days. Back in olden times when I was doing something similar, a person making a major mistake would loose his clearance, loose his job and even could find himself in Levenworth. They were more serious then and there was no such thing as mercy for whistle blowers because to be a whistle blower you had to break federal law plus it was more difficult to tell the world. Senior people back then were WW2 vets that didn't put up with BS.
CooperOct 10th 2010 12:27PM
@cqdeed But I'll bed they could spell "lose" and "Leavenworth."
pjbl2223Oct 10th 2010 2:30PM
@cqdeed what are you talking about? Lower grade, olden times, no mercy for whistle blowers, senior people back then... I don't know what you are talking about and your ramblings remind me of a mad man. The persistent law breaking by Federal super agents, breaking of laws, and abuse of whistle blowers back then. WWII vets, they could and did know how to frame and write a well thought out piece. You could be more like me and aspire with humble effort and attempt to follow their lead. It is because of their education, and witnessed abuse that we have changed from back then to today. They instituted the evolution of our modern days people and courts of law. One such victory our WWII vets caused in a modern court was the acknowledgment that the targeting of a entire section of American citizenry was wrong. That court ordered a large payout's to those citizens detained out west because of their ethnicity. This is an article about another targeted group based upon ethnicity. Our modern super agents made a mess, didn't realize that simple maintance of your automobile could show that you were being spied upon. Then they made it worse by acting like bunch of avenging angels about to arrest the Green River killer. Instead of the college student and American citizen that accidentally exposed Federal Agents messing up, yet again. As the article states clearly a cell phone can be used for tracking an individual. The American people don't pay for a personal cell phone, we do for this expensive piece of junk. When 9/11 happened do you remember, or not old enough, American super agent agencies didn't even have computers? Do you complain about taxes? I do. Do you, realize that this shows a glaring problem once again in our Intel agencies. Wasting our tax dollars and showing themselves to be goof balls. It isn't funny and I thank Switched for providing intelligent information for us concerned Americans.
BeverlyOct 10th 2010 6:23AM
Just because they came to this country several years ago doesn't mean a thing. There have been stories of how some terrorist could be living next door to you for years and you would never know it. If the FBI put a tracking device on his car there was a reason for it. In this world today you can never be too careful.
TL HallOct 10th 2010 8:29AM
Yes, this is true but now that this has been published you can bet your bottom dollar that all the bad guys are crawling under their cars or taking the cars to a mechanic! lol
DanielOct 10th 2010 10:34AM
@(Unverified) It says he was born in the US, genius... just like you. Maybe they ought to track you as well ;x
mariksrarehunterOct 10th 2010 10:41AM
@(Unverified)
No there isnt, there is no reason for it at all everyone now is just really paranoid.
rsapp41Oct 10th 2010 12:07PM
@(Unverified)
Little Kenny LeeOct 10th 2010 6:47AM
Had I have found this tracker on my car I would have thrown it in a river or put it on a long haul tractor and trailer.
Little Kenny LeeOct 11th 2010 5:23AM
All Federal Employes become confused when talking about Federal Property. This Federal Property is owned by the Tax Payers on the Nation and not the so called Government. As bad as we are sometimes we are the government and owners of every bolt, nut and screw in the inventory of the government, All Government Employes work for us not the other way around .Even to the Badges the FBI show belongs to non other than We the People.
trizoneOct 10th 2010 8:25AM
@(Unverified) Owners of what? Lovely sentiment.... lose your job or get sick and can no longer pay taxes and you will see who really owns your property.
suzi AOct 10th 2010 8:50AM
@(Unverified) soooo what you're saying is, they should have knocked on your door and returned it to you once they got it from him? lol
Stop shitting on govt workers, without them who would clean up your spills, protect you from the bad guys and save your fat ass when you need it? Without your tax dollars paying them, USA would be in Mayhem. Dumbass
BradOct 10th 2010 7:03AM
I would have told the FBI, " The device is on MY car.....it's now MINE." If they want it back, they can get a court order, which will mean they will have some 'splainin to do.
jbjg24mOct 10th 2010 7:12AM
he should have carried it to the local police dept and said "look what i found "
dukeOct 10th 2010 7:21AM
I'm sure the FBI had good reason to track him. Guess what this web site is tracking you as is AOL. I think it's better that the FBI track for security reason then internet sites do for their reasons. I never heard of the FBI selling your information. AOL does. Do you know anyone wronged by FBI tracking?
JenOct 10th 2010 7:59AM
@(Unverified)
Because we all know how trustworthy our Federal Government is--just ask the Native Americans.
Christina MaraOct 10th 2010 11:46AM
First of ALL!!!... If they put the Device there it was for a reason, " The FBI..." Ferderal Investication Burough." Too many Foriegners take "American Government as Wimps!!! " In my FREEDOM of SPEECH RIGHTS AS AN American third generation born, of Native American and Italian Decent, " They Have The Right, The Intelligence And The POWER to investigate whomever they are told to investicate!!!!! " HEY FORIEGNERSSSSSS...." This is " AMERICA!!!!
SusanOct 10th 2010 2:15PM
@(Unverified) Um, says up front this boy is a US born citizen.
WayneOct 10th 2010 7:59AM
I hope the FBI is not this inept. This sounds like a case of sending a message -- both ways -- more than anything else. Otherwise, the feds have been watching too much of "The Good Guys" -- which is, by the way, one of the best shows on tv right now.