NewsMine — propoganda — terror-threats — 2004 — Viewing Item

Terrorists will enter through using art sports cultural visas Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)    http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/8331250.htm http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/8331250.htm Posted on Thu, Apr. 01, 2004 FBI: Terrorists could enter U.S. with visas By CURT ANDERSON Associated Press WASHINGTON - U.S. officials have received intelligence indicating terrorists might attempt to slip into the United States using cultural, arts or sports visas, according to the FBI. The bureau issued a bulletin to 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies nationwide warning about the potential misuse of P-visas, one of several types granted by the State Department for people visiting the United States for artistic, cultural or athletic purposes. "Recent intelligence indicates that terrorist groups may be interested in exploiting cultural visa programs to infiltrate operatives and support network into the United States," says the bulletin, described Thursday to The Associated Press by a federal law enforcement official. The bulletin, sent Wednesday, does not identify the source of the intelligence and contains no specific, corroborated evidence that any terrorists have entered the country this way. Spies and defectors have in the past gained entry by tagging along with foreign sports teams or joining the entourages of famous performers. Some people granted these U.S. entry visas have even sold them to others. "Often, there have been problems," said Bill Strassberger, spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. "Is the person coming here for the stated purpose of the visa, or are they just trying to circumvent the program and stay here?" State Department and Homeland Security Department officials say new fingerprint and photograph requirements put in place following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks make such infiltration much more difficult. The FBI repeatedly has warned that al-Qaida frequently uses fraudulent or forged passports to allow operatives to move around the world, including a series of blank Saudi Arabian passports that were obtained before several imaging features were added to make them harder to alter. The Russian government last summer reported the theft of 2,500 blank passports that officials feared could fall into the hands of terrorists or criminals. Forged U.S. visas can sell for $25,000 in Pakistan, the FBI says. The visas granted to arts, culture and sports figures and their support people are minuscule compared with the millions granted each year to regular tourist and business visitors. Kelly Shannon, spokewoman for the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs, said about 41,500 of these special visas were issued in 2001. To get such a visa, a sponsoring U.S. agency or company must petition Homeland Security. If that's approved, the State Department interviews, fingerprints and photographs each person. The names are run through a database of known terrorists, criminals and fraudsters, with confirmed matches leading to a denial. Some suspicious visas get flagged and are run through additional national security databases, and U.S. border personnel have access to the visa photograph and other information to guard against impersonators and tampering. The FBI and other agencies are working to merge separate U.S. terrorist watch lists into a single database, known as the Terrorist Screening Center, that is supposed to make the checks easier and faster. And the FBI and immigration officials are trying to make the FBI's huge fingerprint database of criminals and terrorists more accessible to agents at U.S. borders, airports and seaports. "The net is getting tighter," Strassberger said. "It's harder to slip through." On the Web: FBI: http://www.fbi.gov Homeland Security Department: http://www.dhs.gov State Department visas: http://unitedstatesvisas.gov

Administration expecting attacks before election Alerts in august 2004 sparked by pre 911 information Alqaeda attack within this election cycle { December 13 2003 } Alqaeda nukes through mexico Attack this summer in major us city Britain warnings of attack are political driven { October 15 2004 } Cia analyzes video of attack threat { October 27 2004 } Fbi alerts for drivers with maps Fbi checked las vegas hotel lists Fbi warns of targeting cities Fbi warns texas oil industry of possible attack Former spanish prime minister predicts mid june terror threats { May 19 2004 } Govnernor criticizes flow of terror information { October 26 2004 } Greenspan prepares for terror threats effecting economy { June 15 2004 } Hotels airlines ordered to give fbi information { December 31 2003 } Intelligence for warning dated 4 years old { August 3 2004 } Interrogated alqaeda programmer leads to financial warnings { August 2 2004 } Little evidence of qaeda plot timed to vote { October 24 2004 } Missing keys at nuke lab New information indicates big attacks summer 2004 No alqaida link to airfrance passenger Passenger bomb threat diverts plane to dulles { January 11 2004 } Passengers die on flights to london { January 19 2004 } Preparing for nuclear threat { March 19 2004 } Purported al qaida tape warns of attacks Report warns of failure to control biological weapons { October 26 2004 } Reports that led to terror alert were years old { August 3 2004 } Scared senator shuts down office for election terror threat Seven flights to from us are canceled Suspected terror worked at nuclear weapons lab { December 31 2003 } Tenet warns of spectacular attacks plans Terror alert may disrupt flights for years Terror attack likely early september 2004 { August 3 2004 } Terrorists will enter through using art sports cultural visas Us bracing for terror before election { April 18 2004 } Us feared major aviation dirty bomb attack { January 8 2004 } Us intel learn possible attacks major us cities US mulling how to delay november vote in case attack Us warns qaeda threat to financial icons world bank imf Valentines weekend flight cancellation { February 12 2004 } Vital clues for threat came for alqaeda operatives Files Listed: 41

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