ITALY - Down here at the Texas Best Smokehouse, it was business as usual Friday - except for the horde of media vans and photographers.
COURTNEY PERRY/DMN
Ray Taylor and his son Jayden Hooks, 2, live in the same rental dome complex, Morgan Meadows, where Hosam 'Sam' Smadi resided. Smadi would sometimes baby-sit Jayden.Most patrons at the sprawling complex - it's a barbecue restaurant, hamburger joint and gas station all rolled into a long building - had heard about the foiled terrorist bomb plot in Dallas. But few knew that the man accused of the crime actually worked there.
Strangers weren't the only ones shocked by Thursday's arrest of Hosam "Sam" Maher Husein Smadi, a soft-spoken Jordanian national who federal authorities say was in the country illegally.
Photos by COURTNEY PERRY/DMN
Hosam 'Sam' Smadi worked at Texas Best Smokehouse, a travel stop that includes a Shell station and a Sonic hamburger outlet as well as the barbecue restaurant. A statement on behalf of Texas Best Smokehouse praised the work of the FBI but did not mention Smadi."He never caused any trouble down here. I didn't think he wanted to - there were too many of us," said Bill Zimmer, 56, who lived near Smadi in this hamlet of about 2,200 people 45 miles south of Dallas.
It's still not clear what drew Smadi, 19, to Ellis County or his job at Texas Best Smokehouse, a large facility with a Sonic restaurant, a Shell gas station and a shop that sells beef jerky. The travel stop, just off Interstate 35-E on Dale Evans Drive, sells everything from alligator jerky to kitschy "Official Texas Passports."
The property is owned by Saldena Properties LP, a company owned by Ellis County businessman Ali Sharaf. Saldena Properties leases the building to Andrew and Cindy Burch, restaurant proprietors who also operate the popular Dove's Nest restaurant in Waxahachie.
Sharaf could not be reached for comment Friday, but Harold Green, a spokesman for his company, released a statement saying that it had nothing to do with Smadi or his employment at Texas Best Smokehouse.
"Neither Victron Energy Inc. nor Saldena Properties LP are responsible for the hiring or firing of any employee at that location and they have no relationship with the individual being accused," the statement said. "No employee or member of the management of Victron Energy Inc. or Saldena Properties LP has any personal or business relationship with the accused."
Green said that a Red Oak gas station owned by Victron was raided by federal immigration officials several years ago as they searched for an illegal immigrant.
Records show that Sharaf has donated more than $23,000 to Texas politicians or political action committees since 2001, including more than $11,000 last year to Texans for Rick Perry. He has given more than $12,000 since 2003 to Republican U.S. Rep. Joe Barton, whose district includes Ellis County.
Barton's press secretary, Sean Brown, on Friday acknowledged that Sharaf has contributed to the campaign but declined to say whether Barton had ever intervened on Sharaf's behalf with federal immigration officials or other federal agencies.
"Regarding your questions about casework, our office considers the casework it does on behalf of constituents confidential. This is a courtesy extended everyone who lives in the 6th District," said Brown.
The Burches, who records show have a long business relationship with Sharaf, also could not be reached Friday. But a statement on behalf of Texas Best Smokehouse that came from a fax machine tied to Andrew Burch expressed shock and sadness "by the attempted act of terrorism in downtown Dallas."
"We applaud the efforts of the FBI and United States attorney, and are thankful that the authorities were able to catch the individual and prevent a tragedy," it stated. "We are grateful for their hard work, and we are committed to working with them in their investigation."
The three-paragraph statement did not mention Smadi by name.
Staff writers Mike Drago and Todd J. Gillman contributed to this report.
