United States v. Al Salmi

MEMORANDUM *

Faisal A1 Salmi appeals his conviction for knowingly and willfully making a materially false statement in a matter within the jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 18 U.S.C. § 1001 . He argues that there is insufficient evidence that his statement was either false or material. We review challenges to the sufficiency of evidence to determine whether, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. United States v. Wright, 215 F.3d 1020, 1025 (9th Cir.2000).

The government charged that A1 Salmi violated § 1001 by telling agents of the FBI during an interview that he had no knowledge of or association with Hani Hanjour, one of the attackers on American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. According to the government, A1 Salmi had known Hanjour and had spoken with him on several occasions, including at least one occasion when they spoke of a mutual interest in aviation.

There was sufficient evidence to permit the jury to find that A1 Salmi made a false statement to the FBI when he denied…