Man With Bin Laden Tattoo Being Held in O.C.

Orange County investigators said Wednesday that they are trying to determine the identity of a man arrested after the Sept. 11 hijacking attacks who has a portrait of terrorist Osama bin Laden tattooed on his chest.

Authorities released few details about the man, including where he is being held and whether criminal charges have been filed against him.

But Orange County sheriff’s officials said the man, who was allegedly carrying false identification when arrested, was brought to the county jail in the days after the attacks. There, deputies discovered a large portrait of the terrorist emblazoned on his chest with the name “Osama bin Laden” written below.

Local and federal authorities are working to determine whether the man is associated with Bin Laden or with the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, said Orange County Assistant Sheriff George Jaramillo.

Jaramillo said the discovery is among numerous leads that local authorities are pursuing in the nationwide investigation into the attack. And he urged local residents to be alert for anything that might help the terrorism probe.

“It’s a wake-up call for all of us to be vigilant,” Jaramillo said.

“We don’t believe this . . . lets us know there is a terrorism cell in Orange County,” he said. “But it’s an indication to us that the streets . . . of this county are not entirely exempt from any connection to terrorism.”

Jaramillo said residents should not be alarmed by the arrest, but that it should make them more aware of the possibility that terrorists could strike anywhere.

“We believe it is important for people in Orange County to feel safe. . . . At the same time, we should not lull ourselves into a false sense of security,” he said. “We should be aware that there may be issues and incidents that need to be fully investigated.”