Ptech Inc. was a Quincy, Massachusetts-based provider of business process modeling software that was closed down in late 2003 as a consequence to the media frenzy following the consented search on December 5, 2002 by federal authorities under the auspices of Operation Green Quest. The search was related to the relationship of the company to businessman Yasin al-Qadi, a multi-millionaire from Jeddah, trained as an architect in Chicago, IL.[1] He is the son-in-law of Sheikh Ahmed Salah Jamjoom, a former Saudi Arabian government minister with close ties to the Saudi royal family.[2][3][4] Contents [hide] 1 Business domain 2 Federal investigation 3 Notable clientele 4 Notable personnel 5 References 6 External links Business domain[edit] Describing itself as a provider of enterprise architecture, business modeling, analysis and integration software solutions,[5] the privately held corporation was founded in 1994, and known for its technology, which was based on a unique implementation of neural net and semantic technologies. Ptech was recognized as one New England Technologys Fast 50 by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in 2001.[6] For four years in row (from 2000 to 2003), Ptech was also recognized, for their velocity of innovation in the knowledge economy, as one of the hundred companies that matters in the world of IT and Business [7] with the major names in Technology companies such as Microsoft, IBM, HP and Oracle Corporation.[8][9] The CEO of Ptech Oussama Ziade appeared on different television shows in the USA and has been featured on the cover of several magazines.[10] The company was once part of UML Partners, the consortium that was convened to develop standards for UML, the Unified Modeling Language. Federal investigation[edit] Ptech was brought to the front of the spotlight following the visit of law enforcement officials to its Headquarters in the middle of the night of December 5, 2002, under the operation of Operation Green Quest. The December search brought a rush of media sources to Ptechs Boston headquarters.[11] The U.S. Government continued to do business with Ptech. Former Ptech employees described Ptech as a company which encouraged diversity in the workplace and the sharing of cultures and traditions, with a culture of socially responsibility and environment protection support and attributed the media frenzy to the charged atmosphere after 9/11 terrorist attack.[12] On 12 October 2001, the U.S. Department of Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) ordered the assets of yasin al-Qadi in the United States to be frozen[13][14][15] The European Union also applied sanctions to Qadi.[16][17][18] On July 15, 2009, the FBI unsealed indictments against former Ptech CEO Oussama Ziade and former Ptech CFO Buford George Peterson. Peterson was arrested at JFK Airport as he returned to the U.S. from South Korea. The indictments charge Ziade and Peterson with concealing PTechs relationship with and dealing in the assets of Yasin al-Qadi.[19] Qadis listing as a terrorist was overturned by several European courts, and his name was removed from blacklists by Switzerland (2007),[20] the European Union (2008 and 2010),[21][22] and the United Kingdom (2008 and 2010).[23][24] On 13 September 2010, Yasin al-Qadi succeeded in having dismissed in their entirety the civil claims brought against him in the United States on behalf of the families of the 9/11 victims.[25] On 5 October 2012, the UN Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaeda granted Qadis petition to be removed from its blacklist.[26][27] George Peterson was later set free on bail, and allowed to return to South Korea awaiting his trial. Petersons trial ended in a hung jury and all charges against him were subsequently dismissed May 3, 2012. Both Peterson and Ziade denied the allegations and accused the federal authorities of misrepresenting the facts to justify the leak of the consented search on December 5, 2002 that led to the unnecessary dissolvement of the company. Notable clientele[edit] Ptechs roster of clients included several governmental agencies, including the United States Armed Forces, NATO, Congress, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Customs, the FAA, the IRS, the Secret Service, and the White House. Despite the eventual 2009 indictment of PTechs CEO and CFO, as late as May 2004 they were still contracted by several federal agencies, including the White House. Ptech had a security clearance to work on sensitive military projects dating to 1997. Notable personnel[edit] Yaqub Mirza, angel investor, board member. References[edit] Jump up ^ Jackson, David et al. U.S.: Money Trail Leads to Saudi, Chicago Tribune, 29 October 2001 Jump up ^ Blackburn, Chris Jamaat-i-Islam: A Threat to Bangladesh? Secular Voice of Bangladesh website Jump up ^ Simpson, Glenn R. Well Connected, A Saudi Mogul Skirts Sanctions, Wall Street Journal, 29 August 2007 Jump up ^ Whos Who in the Arab World: 1981-1982 (University of Michigan: Publitec, 1981) p. 820 Jump up ^ KMWorld: Breaking the knowledge barrier Jump up ^ Deloitte & Touche Fast 500: Technology Fast 50 Jump up ^ Goliath: Business Knowledge on demand, Ptech Inc. named among 100 companies that matter for second year in a Row Jump up ^ Ptech Inc. Named Among 100 Companies That Matter for Second Year in a Row Jump up ^ Dossier on Content & Knowledge Management Systems, September 2003 Jump up ^ Mass Impact: an official report on the aftermath of 9/11 on the state of Massachusetts, page 10 Jump up ^ Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology - August 22, 2003: Wrongly Suspected Ptech ... Jump up ^ Computerworld: Ptech workers tell the story behind the search, January 17, 2003 Jump up ^ Thomas Jr., Landon A Wealthy Saudi, Mired in Limbo over an Accusation of Terrorism, New York Times, 12 December 2008 Jump up ^ name=Forbes2008-01-24 Richard C. Morais, Denet C. Tezel (24 January 2008). The Al Qadi Affair. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved 23 October 2008. mirror Jump up ^ John Heilprin (22 October 2008). UN expert wary of handling of suspected terrorists. Associated Press. Retrieved 22 October 2008. mirror Jump up ^ Marty, Dick, United Nations Security Council and European Union Blacklists, Doc. 11454 Report, Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Parliamentary Assembly, Council of Europe, 16 November 2007, assembly.coe.int/documents/workingdocs/doc07/edoc11454.htm, provides hyperlinks to relevant documents, namely Council Decision 2001/927/EC Establishing the List Provided for in Article 2(3) of Council Regulation (EC) No. 2580 on specific restrictive measures directed against certain persons and entities with a view to combating terrorism, 27 December 2001, Council Common Position 2001/930/CFSP of 27 December 2001, Council Common Position 2001/931/CFSP of 27 December 2001, etc. Jump up ^ Posch, Albert, The Kadi Case: Rethinking the Relationship between EU Law and International Law? Columbia Journal of European Law, 15 Colum. J. Eur. L. F. 1 (2009), cjel.net/online/15_2-posch/ Jump up ^ European Union, Consolidated list of persons, groups and entities subject to EU financial sanctions, Updated 13 October 2012, eeas.europa.eu/cfsp/sanctions/consol-list_en.htm Jump up ^ DOJ Press Release on PTech Indictments Jump up ^ Ghafour, P.K. Abdul. “Yassin al Qadi Exonerated,” Arab News, 24 December 2007. Jump up ^ Carter-Ruck Press Release: General Court Orders Annulment of European Regulation Freezing Funds of Sheik Yassin Abdullah Kadi, 30 September 2010 Jump up ^ EU Court Annuls Funds Freeze Against Saudi Terror Suspect, EUBusiness 30 September 2010 Jump up ^ Her Majestys Treasury v. Ahmed [2010] UKSC2 Law Essays and Dissertation Experts website citing London Times online Jump up ^ MacDonald, Alison. Case Comment: HM Treasury v Ahmed [2010] UKSC2 FreeLegalWeb.org, syndicated from UKSC weblog. Jump up ^ Carter-Ruck Law Firm, 9/11-related U.S. Civil Claims Against Prominent Saudi Businessman Dismissed, Carter-Ruck International Law: Recent Work webpage, 13 September 2010 Jump up ^ Associated Press, UN removes Saudi businessman from al-Qaida sanctions blacklist, Washington Post, 5 October 2012 Jump up ^ Rubenfeld, Samuel UN Removes Saudi Businessman from Al Qaeda Blacklist, Wall Street Journal (Blog), 8 October 2012,blogs.wsj/corruption-currents/2012/10/08/un-removes-saudi-businessman-from-al-qaeda-blacklist/ External links[edit] Ware-Withal: Wrongly suspected Ptech, CEO bounce back slowly from Mass High Tech KM Profile:Ptech brief description of company BusinessWeek Software, Security, and Ethnicity RCFP news article from Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Computerworld story on Ptechs collapse Federal Indictment of PTech CEO Oussama Ziade IBM Enterprise Architecture Method Enabled Through Ptech FrameWork Categories: Computer companies of the United StatesUML PartnersEnterprise architecture
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 02:29:39 +0000
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