The Difficult Case of Moe Atat & Al-Anabi

As a life-long enthusiast of the sport of drag racing, former street racer, promoter, and drag racing journalist, I am filled with mixed emotions when I read about the situation swirling around Al Anabi, Street Racing, ADRL, and Mustapha Mohamed Atat (“Moe Atat”). There are so many layers in this story that, in my opinion, make this situation dark, difficult, and painful to discuss.

The drag racing media, by and large, has stayed away from this story, but it has been taken up by message forums all over the world. But we have been talking about this situation for a few weeks, and I just finally wanted to talk about this once Dragzine.com was launched.

This situation has affected a lot of lives and reputations, and it also involves money and financial support. Not just of Al Anabi but for Al Anabi’s partners such as the ADRL, and thus, ADRL’s sponsors. That makes it a mine field. It even extends to media sources that cover Al Anabi, ADRL, and want access to it’s drivers and racers or who are afraid of getting sued. And unfortunately, those freedom of speech issues are another hot button, as popular forums such as Yellow Bullet and Pro Mod Zone have contained posts from users that are inflammatory and accusative, at best.

First, I think the right course of action is to look at the facts and the allegations.

The Facts:

  • Moe Atat was involved in a 2-vehicle street race on October, 2001 that resulted in the death of a women (Denise Jones) who was a mother of 2.
  • Atat was not driving the vehicle that was in the actual accident.
  • Four uniformed police offers were on scene watching the street race as spectators.
  • Two police offers were suspended for 10-days; 2 for 3-days.
  • Charges were filed against Atat for second-degree Murder, failure to stop at the scene of a serious personal injury accident, and two counts of felonious driving and drag racing.
  • Atat was on welfare, but owned several homes, raced expensive cars, and owned luxury vehicles.
  • Police believe Atat was a drug-dealer when in the US, and they believe Atat continues to traffic in the drug trade.
  • Atat fled the country after failing to appear in court for trial.
  • Atat was featured in the America’s Most Wanted television show.
  • Atat has been racing for Al Anabi in the Middle East in the Arabian Drag Racing League
  • Sheikh Al-Thani and the ADRL received a great amount of negative publicity because of Atat’s involvement with Al Anabi and the Arabian Drag Racing League, which is closely linked to the ADRL
  • Sheikn Al-Thani asked Atat to step down, and has disassociated Al Anabi Racing from Atat.

ADRL’s Involvement & the Potential of a Lawsuit

When the heat started coming hard and heavy on Al Anabi and the Arabian Drag Racing League where Atat was competing, the third part of that triangle – the ADRL – started coming under heavy fire. Specifically, ADRL and Arabian Drag Racing League President Kenny Nowling. The commentary on the ADRL and Nowling was harsh, direct, and definitely personal. This came at a time when ADRL was trying to extend it’s relationship with key sponsors including the National Guard, and was riding the hot streak at the hottest, fastest growing racing series in the country.

During this, Nowling let it be known that the ADRL was preparing to strongly consider suing for slander and libel, both possibly to the message forums and the posters themselves. Beyond that, Nowling, was quoted by Competition Plus stating that letters and emails were sent to sponsors: “I don’t begrudge those who disagree with us. But, I do have a problem with those who cross the line and make false accusations in the form of letters and emails to our sponsors, whom we have worked tirelessly to bring in to benefit our racers and  race fans. They made accusations in written letters that I was harboring, aiding and abetting a fugitive wanted for murder. I’m not going to get into all of the details of Moe Atat, that will be for another day. All I can tell you is that what started as harmless opinions on message boards have threatened my livelihood.”

Recently, the talks of the ADRL lawsuit diminished in visibility – at least publicly, although we can’t speculate what action was taking place.

Sheikh Al-Thani has helped take the ADRL and Arabian Drag Racing League to new levels.

Sheikh Al-Thani asks  Moe Atat to Leave Al-Anabi

Less than a week ago, Sheikh Al-Thani, the owner and financial backer of Al-Anabi, asked Moe Atat to step down from the Al Anabi racing team. The complete letter is below, and according to Competition Plus, “The following statement is provided on behalf of Sheikh Khalid Al Thani and Al Anabi Racing. Please direct any questions to Puvanesan Kay, Aequitas Law LLP (U.K. Barrister) or Chris Rodi, Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP, (U.S. legal counsel) at [email protected].”

Letter from Al-Thani:

It has come to my attention that my and Al Anabi Racing’s relationship with Mustafa Atat has recently been the subject of considerable discussion. The comments centered on Mustafa’s involvement in a race in Detroit, Michigan, in 2001 which resulted in the tragic death of an innocent bystander. As a driver of the other car in that race, I understand that Mustafa has been charged with several serious crimes in the United States.

I did not come to know Mustafa until 2007 when he settled with his new family in Qatar. I do not know exactly what happened in Detroit, and do not fully understand the details of American law. In particular, I only recently learned that the murder conviction of the other driver in the Detroit race did not preclude Mustafa’s being found guilty of that same crime, an unfamiliar notion in my country. As such, I do not think it is appropriate for me to attempt to respond to the many allegations that have been made about Mustafa.

There have also been allegations made about the integrity of our team and other members of the Al Thani family in Qatar. These comments have been categorically untrue and unnecessary. Some have even bordered on racist. Luckily, I know that the overwhelming majority of race fans are above these types of ad hominem attacks. I hope that, in the future, anyone who does not know me, my family or my team personally will attempt to do so before making baseless personal attacks.

Although I do not think my commenting on Mustafa’s situation is appropriate, I also recognize that this situation continues to effect many people. Mustafa has been a talented and dedicated member of the Al Anabi Racing team. However, out of respect for all involved in the tragedy in Detroit, including the family of the victim and the others injured, and also out of respect for the United States racing community which has warmly welcomed me and many of my team members, I have asked Mustafa to separate himself from Al Anabi Racing here in Qatar. I expressed my hope that he will take the necessary steps to resolve his personal legal issues.

I wish to express my heartfelt sorrow for the family of the victim and all those involved in the tragic accident in Detroit in 2001. I hope that the rest of us can respect their privacy and return our focus to racing, where it belongs.

Very truly yours,
Sheikh Khalid Al Thani
Al Anabi Racing [2/3/2010]

Inside this letter, Al Thani clearly laid out his case for his involvement with Atat.

  1. He is unaware of what happened in Detroit, and unsure of the American laws.
  2. He acknowledges the allegations about Al Anabi, but asks that in the future, anyone that does not know him, his family or team, will attempt to “know him” before making attacks.
  3. He says that Atat has been a “dedicated” member of Al Anabi, but that out of respect for the victim and others, and the US racing community, he has asked Atat to separate himself from Al Anabi.
  4. He hopes Atat will resolve his personal legal issues.
  5. He express sorrow for the victim and others involved.
  6. He hopes that the victim’s privacy can be respected and that the “rest of us” can return our focus to racing.

Where do we stand today? Atat has lost his drag race ride, but is still a fugitive from the US. The ADRL has not commented on the lawsuit for a few weeks, and of course, would love this issue to go away so they can focus on their business. Al Anabi is still reeling from the negative publicity.

Moe Atat in Qatar as part of the Al-Anabi team.

FIVE POINTS ABOUT ATAT, AL ANABI, AND ADRL

1. This was never about Street Racing or Murder.

I used to street race. I started when I was 16, and street raced for about 6 years until I was 22. I probably engaged in at least 20 unofficial “money on the line” street races, but as many as 200 or 300 speed contests on public roads. I liked the scene, never saw anyone got hurt, and essentially, was ignorant to all of the downsides. I only stopped when I realized the tremendous risk outweighed the thrill. I don’t believe I’m a bad person, nor did I intentionally attempt to put anyone in harm’s way. How many people reading this have engaged in an impromptu street race against a friend’s car on a public street?

That being said, I firmly believe that if there is an accident in a street race, the parties should be held responsible in court. Even me. I easily could have found myself in Moe Atat’s shoes when it came to the death of a street racing bystander and mother of 2. That being said, all of the outrage that was directed at Moe Atat, and to an extention, ADRL and Al Anabi, had nothing to do with the accident that killed one and injured two.

Outrage comes from a lack of justice, and from people that run from justice. Atat ran away… never paid the piper. Never faced his victim’s family. And that was why this blew up so badly. Moe never really killed anyone, he didn’t do anything that any of the rest of us couldn’t have had happen to us. Although all of us have pressed that throttle down hard on a public street.

I knew Moe Atat. The reality is that far before this situation ever occured, we all knew Moe Atat was not going to church on Sundays.

He raced with the NMRA when I was the company President and founder of the series. It was rumored that Moe’s money did not come from legal avenues, but Atat was very polite to the officials in the series and always complied with anything we asked of him. Whether you believe that his act of street racing, and the consequences, should have resulted in him being jailed for life, or getting probation, something EVERYONE believes in is the very act of justice – your day in court. Innocent or guilty – we are all the same in the eyes of the law. And that injustice is why this issue has become a firestorm for all involved parties.

2. Al-Anabi: Middle East Money + Atat… Racism plus Perception?

Al Anabi and the Arabian Drag Racing League made a mistake associating themselves with Atat. That is clear to all parties, including Al Anabi themselves. Sheikh was very clear in his letter that he recognized that his relationship with Atat damaged his reptuation in the United States, and knowing what he knows now, I’m sure he never would have initiated the relationship. That being said, it’s quite possible that Al Anabi did not know the extent of what happened in the United States when he brought Atat into his team. With someone of Al Thani’s stature, it’s quite possible that those who did know were afraid of informing him.

So giving them the benefit of the doubt, it was further complicated by the fact that some Americans have a racial bias against people from the middle east. With everything that has happened in Iraq, Iran, and with movies like The Hurt Locker in the public’s mind, Al Anabi’s involvement with Atat only fueled that situation.

The truth is, Al Anabi made a mistake, but it had nothing to do with them being Middle Eastern. This just as easily could have happened in the United States with white guys from Georgia.

3. ADRL: A Lose-Lose Situation?

The ADRL and Arabian Drag Racing League was in a lose-lose situation through this entire process. On the one side, they had Al Anabi who were huge supporters of the organization and helped it become successful. And it’s not even clear how much Al Anabi knew of Atat’s situation. On the other side – the perception of the United States drag racing community was that any association with Atat and those of his ilk, through Al Anabi, only devalued the ethics and morals of the ADRL. Financial resources also played a part in this, as no doubt the financial success of the ADRL is linked to the support of Al Anabi to some degree.

Next thing the ADRL knows, they are under heavy fire from online message forums and racers all across the country for their relationship with Al Anabi, ADRL, and the Arabian Drag Racing League.

So, did ADRL handle things the correct way?

In my opinion, whether the ADRL had any direct involvement or not with Atat, the ADRL was in a massive lose-lose situation where truly they had no “right answer”. Atat was part of Al-Anabi, and Al-Anabi was backing the Arabian Drag Racing League of which Kenny Nowling of the ADRL was President. I can’t imagine how challenging this entire situation was for Nowling. His organization has done a tremendous thing for troops and american military all over the United States, and this truly was a lose-lose, no-way-out situation.

The real problem is, with the ADRL’s visibility and growth – especially with Corporate America (i.e., see our news piece on Summit Racing’s sponsorship of ADRL racer Pete Berner) — they are now under the very bright lights of very public scrutiny. The bar is raised, and they have be more proactive, more morale, and more “good” in everything they do. I’m sure that if Kenny had this all to do over again, he would have distanced the ADRL from Atat much more quickly. Atat certainly did not kill anyone, but in the eyes of the public, the association was close enough.

I think the key word is “Good”. If ADRL wants to be a premier player – think of NASCAR as an example. They need to be clean, happy, and safe. And that means puppy dogs and apple pie and maybe a LITTLE controversy between the racers. Now that they’re big time, they need to be extremely cautious moving forward.

4. Message Boards vs Drag Racing Media – Freedom of Speech or Flame Wars?

Main stream drag race media generally did not cover the Atat story. Print magazines or online verisons. It’s too bad that Scott Sparrow wasn’t still publishing Inside Motorsports when this came along, because he would have been all over this. However, the online forums and blogs that cover drag racing picked up and played a large part in this story. People within those forums, for right or wrong, expressed some extremely strong opinions about Atat, the ADRL, Middle Easterner’s in general, and of course, Al Anabi. In my opinion, that information exchange and dialog, is what freedom of speech is all about. We don’t agree with many of those opinions or statements, and they may be crude, rude and hurtful. They may be right, wrong, indifferent or biased. But the freedom to criticize is part of what makes this country strong.

Personally and professionally, god knows both myself and the different companies I have been involved with have come under attack or been criticized for decisions made. Some for right reasons, many wrong, and others – just because. I can relate to what the ADRL went through, and Kenny personally, because it is so difficult to be at the top of the mountain of an organization and feeling like everyone is throwing darts at you. You want to throw back so badly, to get your own justice, to sue for libel, slander, and just generally shut up those bastards talking about you. But you can’t, and even if you do, you won’t win. And even if you win, there will be some other bastard tomorrow.

In the online circles, it’s pretty clear that there were some individuals that went “over the line.” And in my eyes, over the line meant writing or calling sponsors with the accusation that ADRL or Nowling was involved with harboring Atat. I understand the passion behind getting Atat to justice, but there is a fine line between the situation Nowling was in, and actually actively hiding Atat. It was actually the opposite. Nowling is not an agent of the United States government, and it’s not his obligation to bring Atat to justice personally. From what I’ve heard behind the scenes, Nowling was torn up over the entire situation, and had his hands tied equally politically and professionally.

That being said, social media definitely showed it’s power as it indirectly caused Al-Anabi to drop Atat.

5. What of the Real Victims?

The real victims in this case – obviously – are the ones getting the least attention. The children of the women who died. For some reason, on that night, at that moment, she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, facing a pair of headlights going over 100 mph in the wrong direction. Fate intervened, and because of forces beyond she lost her life, and her two kids lost a mother.

I could have just have easily caused the same accident, when I was 16 and I was racing in the San Fernando Valley on Saticoy Ave with my 1990 Mustang GT. But, at that moment and others, fate was on my side, and it kept me and other road-goers safe.

So What Now?

Moe Atat will likely never make another quarter-mile pass in heads-up competition.

I think Al Anabi’s letter was a step in the right direction, and ADRL has done the right thing by letting this situation start to die off. ADRL and Al Anabi need to get as far away from Atat as possible, and also make sure to avoid any relationships like this in the future. In every other situation, ADRL and Al Anabi have seemed to have always conducted themselves as “Best of Class”. So, let’s give them the closure they are asking for, and over time, forgive and forget.

What of Atat…? True closure will never happen until Atat comes back to the United States and has his fate decided by a court of law for what occured. Guilty or innocent. Will that ever happen?.. I don’t know.

But what I do know is that Atat has been brought to justice at some level….

He’s actually lost the sport he loves.

About the author

James Lawrence

James started working on a Nostalgia Top Fuel drag racing team in 1992, and the rest has been history. A life-long automotive enthusiast, James is in fierce competition to see whether he can collect more cars or cats. Right now, the cars are winning. James co-founded the NMRA and NMCA Drag Racing Series in 1998 and continues to be an avid and passionate fan on everything 1320. He also thinks he can drive. Thinks, is the key word.
Read My Articles

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