T5 B69 Tampa Flights Fdr- 5-24-04 Mfr- Dan Grossi- Saudi Tampa-lexington Flight

MFR for Dan Grossi

May 24, 2004

Walt Hempel Atty Cohen came on the telephone. TE asked Grossi to tell us about what happened on the day of the flight. Grossi asked if the telephone call was being recorded. TE stated that it was not but that if Grossi felt more comfortable that a recorder was available. Atty Cohen asked if there we had a stenographer. TE said we did not. Grossi said that on 9/13/01, three Saudis were being given security by off duty Tampa Police Officers, Grossi does not recall their names but that he has a business card for one of them that Manny Ramirez was given. He thinks they were students at the University of Tampa. Tampa PD Chief Brian Holder had made a decision that no on duty officers were to provide security. A Lt. in Lexington, Kentucky had called Tampa PD requesting that Tampa PD assist in getting the three Saudi students to Lexington, Kentucky. Sgt. John Salomon of the Tampa PD handled the arrangements. He contacted Dan Grossi about 2:OOPM. Grossi said he is a retired homicide and internal affairs detective and had a private investigations agency. Sgt. Salomon told Grossi that the three students were going to fly to Lexington on a private aircraft. Grossi says that he was told to go to the Raytheon hanger at the Tampa Airport. Sgt. Salomon said that two security officers were required. Grossi asked how they were going to fly when the airspace was closed. Salomon said that it had been cleared by higher authority or the White House. Grossie called Manny Ramirez a retired FBI agent to ask him to go on the trip. Grossi went to the Tampa International Airport. He arrived at the Raytheon hanger and that there was a small blue jet on the ramp. The Raytheon receptionist introduced them to the pilot who was in uniform. He was about 35 years old. There was also another pilot, about the same age, on the plane. The pilot said that they were from Ft. Lauderdale. Grossi did not see any markings on the plane. at the ramp with the three Saudis. | Ivas handling the three Saudis. | [paid-them cash for their services and cash for, the off duty Tampa Police officers. (Grossi said that the Tampa PD extra duty office has records of this.) About 4:30 PM they took off from Tampa.arid flew to Lexington Blue Grass Airport. The flight was less then two hours. He thinksiheXear had 8 or, 10 seats. It was very plush with leather seats. ::::;; ::;;; ALLSNFOR^AT?ON!CO!>JTA;:-3£p ,,,„,.,, ...,,,-, . , . = .,Is

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'"'9/11 Personal Privacy

During the flight Grossi spoke with one of the Saudi students who said that his uncle or father knew George Bush, the father, from the first Gulf War. He said that the White House cleared the flight as a favor. Grossi said that when they arrived in Lexington, the Lear jet parked close to a "short" 747 aircraft that had Arabic writing on the tail. They got off the plane. He did not recall being met by anyone from the airport staff. There was a Lincoln Town car parked on the other side of the fence. Grossi spoke to the driver and asked him if he had had any law enforcement experience. The driver said that he had not but that he met the Saudis about eight years ago in when he was a limo driver in Pittsburg. The students left in the limo. The Lear jet was refueled. Grossi said that the terminal at Blue Grass was very small with maybe 20 chairs. He went in and used the bathroom. He never met the Lt. from the Lexington PD. Twenty to thirty minutes later he got back on the plane and flew back to Tampa. They landed in Tampa about 8:30PM or 9:00 PM. He then drove home. On the way out of the airport, he thought he heard or saw the Lear departing. Grossi was asked if there was any other air traffic at Tampa when they took off or when they returned. Grossi said that he didn't remember seeing any. He was asked if the terminal was open at Tampa. He said that he didn't think so but that he went to the general aviation area and did not go through the main terminal. Grossi was asked if the Lexington Blue Grass Airport had any air traffic. He said that he didn't think so but that Blue Grass was very small. A few days after the flight he was called by a reporter from the Tampa Tribune. He discussed the flight and the reporter wrote an article. Grossi said that about two years after 9-11, Craig Unger of Vanity Fair called and spoke to him about the flight. Sometime after that flight, he was called by someone representing Michael Moore. They said that they wanted to make a movie about the Saudi flights. He said that he didn't want to be in a movie but that he would talk to them. A female from Moore's office came down to Tampa to talk to him. He thought her name may have been Michelle. Grossi said that he was disturbed by the FBI making a statement that the three students had been driven to Lexington. He said that he thought the FBI agent who made the statement was not from Tampa as he did not know him and that he had worked with the FBI on many occasions. Grossi stated again that he did fly to Lexington on the jet. Grossi said that it was his understanding that the airspace was closed but that he knew that it was "opening up".

Grossi said that he would contact Manny Ramirez and give him the telephone number for Tom Eldridge. Atty. Cohen said that he could be contacted if the 9-11 commission wanted more information. Cohen asked how the interview material was going to be used? TE stated that it may appear in the final report or in a supplement. Cohen asked about a Motorola law suit over the radios in NYC. He asked for a contact on the commission. TE provided him with a telephone number for John Farmer in NYC. Cohen asked if Farmer was a Democrat or Republican. TE said that he was independent.