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adnan "Jafar the Pilot" El Shukrijumah

Ciro Vitolo comes forward

By Judi McLeod
Friday, May 12, 2006

Ciro Vitolo has come forward to say he is not the FBI-hunted al Qaeda terrorist adnan "Jafar the Pilot" El Shukrijumah, who is believed to have posed as a student at Hamilton's McMaster University.

at the request of Judi McLeod, Ciro Vitolo--whose picture appears with McMaster's graduate engineering Class of 98-- checked into Canada Free Press's Elm Street office, late Thursday afternoon.

In real life, Ciro Vitolo--who admits that he bears a striking resemblance to terrorist El Shukrijumah--is a limo driver, whose next door neighbour says puts in 12-hour shifts working at Toronto's Pearson International airport.

"Your missing Ciro Vitolo is not married, does not have children, did attend McMaster and currently drives a limo," Vitolo's next-door neighbour, York Region school board trustee, Marg aldridge wrote in an email to CFP. "He can be reached at (telephone number), please prepare your apology."

Ciro Vitolo Photo: Brian Thompson aldridge did not identify herself as an elected public official when CFP responded to her email, but described herself only as "a friend of Ciro Vitolo's family".

CFP, who found it odd that a neighbour would complain on behalf of the Vitolos, asked aldridge to have Ciro Vitolo telephone CFP himself.

"at first I thought it was a joke," said Vitolo, who said a friend had emailed him that his McMaster's graduation photo had been posted on the CFP website alongside three FBI photos of El Shukrjumah, who has a $5 million bounty on his head. "Then I got angry."

Vitolo identified himself in photo number four in the rogue's gallery, but stressed that the eerie resemblance to the elusive terrorist ends there. Vitolo also said that a photograph that appeared in the Toronto Sun's Night Scrawler column by Joe Warmington was he even though CFP maintained in its story (and still does) that the picture seems that of a much older man.

Vitolo explained that the picture might not have looked like him because it had been taken from the back seat of a vehicle, making it difficult to pose for the picture.

Meeting Vitolo in the flesh and seeing different pictures of him made it obvious that he has many different looks. Having a striking resemblance to El Shukrijumah, at a time when it is believed that he may have posed as a McMaster student with other al Qaeda agents is unfortunate.

"I'm a chameleon," the look-alike said during his interview in CFP's office. "But I'm happy to just look like me."

Vitolo, the limo driver, did attend classes at McMaster for five years. "But I didn't finish," he said. He did, however receive a Bachelors of Science degree two years later in 2000.

Vitolo readily admitted that he was a resident at 47 Duke St., Hamilton, where he said he was a tenant in the basement, with two Sikh roommates,

"But my name was never on the lease and Manny dealt with Frank (Tofano). Frank Tofano was the owner of the eight-unit low-rise, known as "The David apartments" when Vitolo lived there in the mid-`90s.

CFP wrote on May 2, "If Ciro Vitolo is not Osama bin Laden's field commander adnan El Shukrijumah, then it's his twin. If the Ciro Vitolo-El Shukrijumah look-alike truly walks among us, and if it is just a coincidence that he looks like the terrorist on the FBI terrorist list, check in with CFP for a prompt and abject apology."

But Vitolo's coming forward seemed to bring as many questions as answers.

although Vitolo says he was a two-year resident at 47 Duke, building management of the day, who viewed a picture Vitolo emailed to CFP on Wednesday night, say they've never seen him before.

"There was only ever one family living in the two basement apartments at 47 Duke, and only one of the two basement apartments was rented. Those tenants were a married couple with two children. The male was called "Richard" and his wife called him "Jaf".

But Vitolo told CFP he had left 47 Duke in 1996 and commuted to McMaster from a variety of different addresses after moving out. Vernon's Directory at Hamilton Public Library lists him as a resident of 47 Duke for 1996, 1997 and 1998, perhaps in error.

When Vitolo was asked whether someone had possibly assumed his identity during the five years he spent at McMaster University, he responded, "That's a loaded question."

Vitolo did say, however that he may have lost some personal effects 10 years ago and said someone had stolen his wallet from his car five years ago.

Vitolo was polite and courteous during our office interview, indicating, "it would be just my luck" if the terrorist moved into 47 Duke after his departure.

Meanwhile, The Dunces of Doomsday author Paul L. Williams says El Shukrijumah and other al Qaeda members may have posed as students at McMaster. "In preparation for this mission (american Hiroshima) he, along with fellow al Qaeda agents anas al-Liby, Jaber a. Elbaneh and amer el Maati, was sent to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., a facility that housed a 5 megawatt nuclear research reactor, the largest reactor of any educational facility in Canada. at McMaster University, where the al Qaeda agents may have registered under fictitious names, Shukrijumah and friends wasted no time in gaining access to the nuclear reactor and stealing more than 180 pounds of nuclear material for the creation of radiological bombs."

The reality of terrorists in Canada was outlined in the prepared remarks of Janice L. Kephart, former Counsel, 9/11 commission to the House of Representatives last November.

…"The Canadian Security Intelligence Services (CSIS), indicate the threat of terrorist infiltration from Canada is real and dangerous. In July 2005, it was reported that CSIS stated that at least 50 terror groups have a presence in Canada. all types of terrorist activities go on in Canada, including terror financing, weapon and equipment procurement, "manipulating immigrant communities and facilitating travel to and from the United States and other countries."

"Canadian Intelligence is concerned about 350 jihadists in Canada. But these numbers do not necessarily include recent reporting that over 50 terrorist organizations are active in Canada nor that last year saw a sharp rise in terror financing coming from Canada–about 32 cases–through March 2005 worth about $2 billion, two and a half times the $70 million of the previous year. Much of this money came from one large business in Canada owned by a Mid East individual with terrorist ties."

and as for the elusive El Shukrijumah and McMaster University?

Reports that El Shukrijumah attempted to steal radioactive material from McMaster are not just the province of book authors and news reporters.

"There are also reports that El Shukrijumah attempted to procure radioactive material from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario," said Kephart.

Meanwhile, if Ciro Vitolo did live in the basement apartment at 47 Duke St., in the mid-90s, who is Richard, the man whose wife called him "Jaf"?

This one's for the FBI.

Previous stories:
  • adnan el Shukrijumah alias confirmed
  • Is McMaster University graduate Ciro Vitolo, FBI's most wanted adnan el Shukrijumah?
  • Osama's 'american Hiroshima' field commander studied at Hamilton's McMaster University
  • Canada Free Press founding editor Most recent by Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com


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