Six Iraqis detained on Mexican border
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20050329-1933-mexico-iraqisdetained.html
March 29, 2005
MONTERREY, Mexico - Four Iraqis were detained at an airport in the border
city of Mexicali for allegedly carrying false passports, and two more were
caught at a highway checkpoint, authorities said Tuesday.
The four Iraqis arrived Friday at the airport in Mexicali, across from
Calexico, California, on a flight from Mexico City and were detained after
immigration officials discovered the Dutch passports they were carrying
were false, said Abraham Sarabia, an attorney general spokesman in Baja
California state, where Mexicali is located.
Alya Kiryakous Dawood Sako, an American citizen and the
sister of one of the Iraqis, was also detained and questioned. Dawood was
released after immigration officials determined her passport was legitimate
but she was turned to immigration officials and is awaiting deportation,
Sarabia said.
Sarabia said immigration officials noticed the men became nervous during
routine questioning and once in custody of federal authorities they
confessed their true identities.
The men were carrying Dutch passports under the names of Richard Richters,
who Mexican officials say is Yacer Yoser Hana; Mikel Leewen, who turned out
to be Basam Kiryakous; Jan Pieter Drijfhout, who is Basam Toma Jou and
Robert Schurtman, whose real name is Sabham Kamel.
"Once in custody they told authorities they intended to sneak into the
United States," Sarabia said. "They said they started their journey in
Greece, traveled to Spain and then to Mexico City."
The men were being held at a prison in Mexicali pending charges for using
false documents.
Also Tuesday, soldiers detained two Iraqi men traveling on Greek passports
at a roadside checkpoint near Mexicali.
The two men were traveling aboard a bus bound for Mexicali. However, the
photo on one of the men's passport's had been altered; he was also held
pending charges, while the other man was held pending deportation.
Mauricio Juarez, a spokesman with the Migration Institute, said none of the
men appear on terrorist watch lists.
It was not clear whether the Iraqis were linked to the Chaldean Christians,
who have a sizable community in Southern California and frequently try to
enter the United States through Mexico, claiming they face persecution in
Iraq.
===================
US-Mexican border as a terror risk
New intelligence indicates that the 1400-mile boundry is becoming the main entry point for would-be terrorists into the US.
MORE:>>
Message Board by American Patriot Friends Network [APFN]