He again called his father, who told him to come home. But the teen insisted on going to Baghdad. His father advised him to stay with family friends in Beirut, so he flew there and spent 10 days before flying to Baghdad on Christmas.
His ride at Baghdad International Airport, arranged by the family friends in Beirut, dropped him off at an international hotel where Americans were staying.
It was mid-afternoon Tuesday, after his second night in Baghdad, that he sought out editors at The Associated Press and announced he was in Iraq to do research and humanitarian work.
"I would have been less surprised if little green men had walked in," editor Patrick Quinn said.
The AP quickly called the US embassy.
Embassy officials had been on the lookout for Hassan, at the request of his parents, who still weren't sure exactly where he was.
Most of Hassan's wild tale could not be corroborated, but his larger story arc was in line with details provided by friends and family members back home.
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