Registration plan nets six terror suspects

[Terri]

Registration plan nets six terror suspects

By Anwar Iqbal
Published 2/4/2003

WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 (UPI) -- The requirement for male visitors from several Muslim countries to register with the Immigration and Naturalization Service while in the United States has resulted in the arrest of at least six terror suspects, a U.S. official who asked not to be named told United Press International.

"Yes, there are some terror suspects among the 400-plus ... we have detained during this process," Justice Department spokesman Jorge Martinez confirmed. "But we cannot disclose how many and who they are."

Diplomatic sources, however, said that there were six terror suspects detained -- all of them from Middle Eastern or Muslim countries.

The National Security Entry-Exit Registration System was launched Sept. 11, 2002, to register selected adult male visitors with U.S. immigration authorities. At U.S. ports of entry, the INS has questioned and fingerprinted thousands of visitors before allowing them into the country, said Martinez.

Full Story (http://gopusa.com/news/2003/february/0204_registration.sh tml)

Some results from the program Kennedy is trying to end.

[Der Alte]

I imagine there are a lot more than 6 - we just don't know about them. They probably also identified more that they will keep taps on. This is another reason for identifying everybody in the country and issuing a national ID card that can't be easily reproduced.

[Floridaguy]

Heard today Pakistanis are in a dither about the registration thing, and cannot understand it because Pakistan is theoretically supposed to be an ally of the U.S. The interesting or slightly humorous side is that many of them fled to Canada for asylum, and now many are being turned back by Canada to the U.S. The real problem (and their real fear) is that quite a chunk of those Pakistanis are here illegally, and they know they stand a good chance of being repatriated to Pakistan at some point if they register....

http://gopusa.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/flag19.gif

[Terri]

I think it's more the Pakastani government that is a friend of the US rather than the population. Even that is a purchased friendship.