ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, March 15, 1997 TAG: 9703170041
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JAN VERTEFEUILLE THE ROANOKE TIMES
He is charged with arranging to have Mixers Restaurant and Lounge on Apperson Drive in Salem burned down in 1994 to collect insurance money.
A man charged with arranging to have his nightclub burned down is the first of 10 defendants in the Abed family case to be released on bond, although he will not be allowed to return home to Canada immediately.
Ahmad Thiab, who was released on bond after a hearing Friday, will stay with a friend in Roanoke until his probation officer can make arrangements for Canadian authorities to supervise him at home.
Thiab owned Mixers Restaurant and Lounge on Apperson Drive in Salem when it was destroyed by fire in 1994. He and his partner, Riyadh Gibriel, are charged with arranging for Joseph Abed of Roanoke to burn the business down to collect insurance money.
Abed; his brother, Abed Abdeljalil of Arlington; four of their sons; and two alleged "associates" were indicted last week by a federal grand jury. They are accused of being an "organized crime family" that committed arson, murder, extortion and other crimes.
Thiab and Gibriel also were indicted by the grand jury, but only on arson and other charges related to insurance fraud.
All of the other defendants have been denied bond, with the government arguing that they are dangerous or could be flight risks.
Thiab was in London, visiting his sister and getting medical treatment, when his son called from his home in Ottawa and told him the Royal Canadian Mounted Police had a warrant for his arrest, his attorney Chris Kowalczuk said.
Thiab "immediately" called his local attorneys, who told him to come to Roanoke and turn himself in, Kowalczuk said. Thiab flew to Dulles International Airport to meet Kowalczuk on Wednesday but was arrested by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
"He's a family man who came to the United States to clear his name," Kowalczuk said. "He dropped everything in London, in the middle of medical treatment" to fly back.
U.S. Attorney Bob Crouch said Thiab's case differs from the cases of some of the other defendants, who are charged with more serious crimes. He said the government would prefer that Thiab remain in jail but didn't object to bond with "substantial restrictions."
"Certainly, to his credit, he did come back voluntarily," Crouch said. But he did object to allowing Thiab to return to London for continued treatment.
U.S. Magistrate Glen Conrad told Thiab he could return to Canada if probation officials there agree to supervise him, but "London is out."
Thiab was released after Robert Khatib agreed to put up $100,000 worth of property for his bond. The indictment alleges that Abdeljalil tried to have Khatib killed and tried to have the salad bar at his restaurant, the Brown Derby, spiked with rat poison in 1993. Khatib once was married to the sister of Abed and Abdeljalil.
Thiab testified that he had "a very bad relationship" with the Abeds and was not an associate of the family.
Kowalczuk said after the hearing that Thiab had leased the Mixers building after Abed lost it because of financial problems. As a result, he said, Thiab had "a lot of problems with the Abeds." He said Thiab and Gibriel had tires slashed and were threatened.
"This was a feud," the attorney said, but added, "We don't know who burned it down."
Meanwhile, Joseph Abed's attorney, John Kennett Jr., has asked Conrad to impose a gag order on the attorneys involved in the case, barring them from talking with reporters.
He also wants the indictment dismissed because Crouch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bondurant held a news conference about the case last week. That violates the Virginia Code of Professional Responsibility's requirement that lawyers not jeopardize a defendant's right to a fair trial, he said.
He also is seeking to have his client released on bond, as are attorneys for other defendants.
Kennett objected to Abed's being denied bond, saying in a motion, "The United States of America, in addition to using its power and prestige to have scums of the Earth testify falsely, wishes to keep this defendant incarcerated" so he cannot investigate the "bogus charges" against him.
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshot) Thiab. color.by CNB