Posted on 05/02/2007 10:32:32 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The State Department rejected on Wednesday suggestions that some terror suspects could have easy access to the United States because of rules that do not require citizens of select countries to obtain visas.
Questions about access to the U.S. by extremists from so-called visa waiver countries arose this week following the sentencing of five Britons to life prison terms after their convictions in London in a terrorist bomb plot.
The ringleader was Omar Khyam, who is of Pakistani descent.
The five Britons, after a yearlong trial, were convicted of plotting to attack the London targets with bombs made from a half-ton stockpile of fertilizer. Prosecutors and an FBI informant claimed the group was linked to al-Qaida leaders.
State Department spokesman Tom Casey told reporters that residence in a visa waiver country does not necessarily guarantee access to the United States.
He said the government has a whole series of tools to stop "people of concern" who may want to travel to the United States.
"We do what we can to make sure the program is not abused by individuals. We want to make sure that no one is slipping through," Casey said.
As part of U.S. security measures, American officials scrutinize before takeoff lists of individuals planning U.S. visits, Casey said, and there is an additional review post-arrival.
"Someone who comes to the border, whether they are from a visa waiver country or whether they have a visa in their passport, does have to pass through screening from the immigration control and enforcement service at ports of entry," Casey said.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff conferred a month ago with British Home Secretary John Reid on the phenomenon of homegrown terrorists and radicalization.
Russ Knocke, a Homeland Security spokesman, ruled out the possibility that racial profiling will be employed in making determinations on which travelers could constitute potential threats. The sole criteria is behavior, he said.
He added that the administration has been talking with Congress about strengthening the visa waiver program.
Legislation pending in Congress would allow the program to admit new countries, while requiring all participating countries to impose closer scrutiny of their passports to ensure they're not lost, stolen or easily counterfeited.
President Bush has said he favors adding countries to the 27 already on the visa waiver list, all but four of which are European.
Boy, that makes me feel better........
The hell it does!
This still sounds dangerously like 9/10/01 thinking.
I think we need to come down somewhere between killing all Muslims and not allowing ANY into this country...
Pathetic - John Reid told Chertoff the best way to deal with this problem was to deny the visa waiver program to muslims but Chertoff said America couldn’t do that as it was racist!
Someone ought to explain to the US’s so called homeland security people the difference between race and religion and also what their job description is! :(
You should know that most of us are on your side and dont like the Allahfreaks any more than you do.But the downside is that all three parties rely on the Allahfreaks’votes in marginal areas.
Having said all this I can’t say I blame your State Dept for wanting to stop the waiver scheme.
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