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Matthew Lesko Appalled Sept. 11 Terrorists Used his Book
WASHINGTON June 7 -- Information USA founder Matthew Lesko, author of "Free Money To Change Your Life," is dismayed to learn that some of the Sept. 11 terrorist highjackers used his book in attempting to obtain government loans to underwrite earlier attacks on U.S. targets.
"My book is for average American taxpayers. It's disturbing that foreign terrorists know there's government money available but the average citizen doesn't," notes Lesko, the author of more than 100 books on federal money programs.
In an exclusive interview with ABC news, USDA loan officer Johnelle Bryant said terrorist ringleader Mohamed Atta told her he had found out about such loans from a book he had seen advertised on television. Although he did not name its author, other details he provided exclude any other possibilities, Lesko says.
Bryant told ABC News that in April or May of 2000, terrorist Mohamed Atta visited her office several times seeking a $650,000 USDA loan to purchase and retrofit a crop-duster. He said he had learned about government loans from Lesko's television commercial.
"I'm appalled they tried to get taxpayers' money to kill Americans, and outraged that they might have used my book as a reference," says Lesko, whose signature question mark suit and frenetic persona have made him a staple of national talk shows. "Atta thought he could just walk into a loan office and get more than half a million dollars, in cash no less? That shows the arrogance and stupidity of these terrorists. He obviously didn't read it."
"When something like this happens to you as an individual you feel tainted," says Lesko. "I'm just glad they didn't get any money. It shows the loan system's safeguards work. I have nothing but the highest respect for loan officer Bryant. She's a hero, and we owe her all the thanks in the world for doing her job. That's what I call a good citizen."
Lesko and his researchers are combing their records in an effort to locate any of the terrorists' orders under their known aliases, and any other information that might help the FBI's investigation of Al Qaeda's activities in the U.S.
Matthew Lesko is the recipient of two "Best Reference book of the Year" Awards from the American Library Association, author of two New York Times Bestsellers and has been a columnist for Good Housekeeping Magazine and The New York Times Syndicate.
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