Sec. Chertoff warns European terrorists working to enter U.S.
For some reason, this news story didn't get too (any?) much play. I've personally have seen advertisements on the Middle East website called Islamonline about how easy it was to get a European passport by first gaining entry to Spain, a country easier to get into than others, the ad said. I also saw advertisements on how to get an American high school diploma from anywhere in the world:
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday that European terrorists are attempting to enter the U.S. with European Union passports, and there were no guarantees authorities could catch every one of them all the time.
Chertoff's comments, made on Capitol Hill, come as the U.S. enters a potentially vulnerable period. The presidential nominating conventions in August, the election in November, and the transition to a new administration in January could be luring to terrorists.
In his last appearance before the House Homeland Security Committee, Chertoff said the more time al Qaeda and its allies have to recruit, train, and plan attacks, the more vulnerable the U.S. and Europe become.
"The terrorists are deliberately focusing on people who have legitimate Western European passports, who don't appear to have records as terrorists," Chertoff told lawmakers. "I have a good degree of confidence we can catch people coming in. But I have to tell you ... there's no guarantee. And they are working very hard to slip by us."
Comments