Posted on 11/20/2001 8:41:27 AM PST by fivecatsandadog
DETROIT -- Authorities could begin questioning hundreds of Middle Eastern men in Michigan by this weekend as part of the federal terrorism investigation, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins said. The interviews are part of a nationwide effort to contact more than 5,000 visitors from Middle Eastern countries, and determine if they have been recruited by Osama bin Laden's terrorist organization, al-Qaida. Officials have asked the 18- to 33-year-olds, who have been in the U.S. on nonimmigrant, tourist, business or student visas since Jan. 1, 2000, to participate in voluntary interviews. Michigan has one of the nation's largest Arab-American communities. The interviews will be conducted "in the least intrusive manner as possible," Collins told a gathering of local, state and federal officials Monday. "It was reiterated that the people who are to be interviewed are not suspects. The interviews are completely consensual." Detroit-area officials have given varying estimates of the number of men who will be questioned. "We are trying to strike the right balance here between pursuing legitimate law enforcement concerns and balancing civil liberties and constitutional rights," The Detroit News quoted Collins as saying. "The goal is to gain any information that could assist law enforcement and consequently protect our national security and to learn about those who would support any acts of terrorism," he said. Messages left Tuesday morning with Collins and Special Agent Hank Glaspie, an FBI spokesman in Detroit, were not immediately returned. Leaders of Detroit's Arab community reiterated their concerns about the interviews Monday. Imad Hamad, Midwest regional coordinator of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, said he has contacted Collins' office to offer suggestions and assistance in the investigation, including translation and legal services. Hamad said he had not received a response. "I hope the authorities will keep us in mind. We can be of big assistance," Hamad told the Detroit Free Press. "It will serve everybody's interest to have a partnership. It will eliminate the unnecessary fear and misrepresentations." Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Any relation to that State Department lady who took the fall for giving Saddam permission to take Kuwait?
All right, help me out here.
Al Qaeda has recruited me and when the FBI arrives at my door I will just say, "yeah, sure"?
Am I the only one who thinks that, if they have been involved in terrorism or its support, they will simply lie?
I would feel a lot better if all these Middle Eastern men were being interviewed in order to identify those here on expired visas or no visa at all, and to deport them on the spot.
I think they are trying to get info. from people who may not be recruits but who may know something. That's why they are planning to talk to so many of them. Plus, if there is other evidence, getting them lying for the record is not all bad. :)
'Left-wing? Right-wing? Hey, all we need is a good third-line center!' ;^)
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