Federal agents raid Boston-area software company in terrorism investigation

Friday, December 6th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

QUINCY, Mass. (AP) _ A software company whose clients reportedly include the FBI was raided early Friday by Customs agents as part of a terrorist investigation, a federal law enforcement official said.

The company, Ptech Inc., says its clients also include Naval air systems, the Air Force, NATO, the House of Representatives and the Energy Department.

ABC News reported that the raid was coordinated by the White House and came in the middle of the night.

A federal law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press confirmed the raid.

``We're investigating whether a businessman on the list of alleged or potential terrorist financiers is a part-owner of the firm,'' the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. ``The question is whether there is a potential for U.S. government computer systems being compromised.

``For example, does the software company have the ability to access computer systems using knowledge of the software?'' The list of alleged or potential terrorist financiers is compiled by the Treasury Department.

Messages left with Quincy-based Ptech were not immediately returned, and no one could be seen at the company's office.

Boston FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz said she had no immediate comment.

A spokesman at Customs in Washington said information about the case was being handled by the U.S. attorney in Massachusetts. That office had no immediate comment.

No one answered the door or the phone Friday at the home of the company's chairman and chief executive officer, Oussama Ziade. A woman who answered the phone at the home of vice president Hussein Ibrahim and declined to give her name said he was not available.

A woman who answered the phone at the management office of the complex where Ptech is located also declined to comment, except to say the company had not been there very long.