By WANI MUTHIAH and M. KRISHNAMOORTHY
KUALA LUMPUR: Two to three Malaysians are either barred from leaving for India or deported daily due to fake visas issued to them.
The Indian High Commission has uncovered a scam following the loss of 2,000 visa stickers from its visa centre at the Jalan Duta Chancery.
So far, 50 Malaysians have been redirected back here since October after landing at Indian airports.
It is learnt that the High Commission informed airline companies of the loss and revocation of the said visa stickers. Newspaper advertisements were also placed, stating that Malaysians and other foreign nationals could not use the lost visas (serial numbers published) to travel to India.
New Delhi sent investigators here last month to question several High Commission officials and travel agents.
The High Commission had outsourced the processing of visas in Malaysia to Grandlotus Travel Agencies in August last year, but the High Commission remains in charge of issuing the stickers.
High Commission First Secretary V.K.V. Raman said: “We advise travellers who obtained their visas from unauthorised parties to check with our visa centre or High Commission.”
Malaysian Indian Tour and Travel Agents (Mita) president K. Thangavelu believed that the missing visas had been sold off illegally.
He said Grandlotus would bear full responsibility if there were travel agencies who could provide proof linking the firm to the missing visas.
He said it was unfortunate that travellers and travel agencies had become victims due to the actions of a dishonest few.
Travel agent K.P Samy confirmed that several of his clients headed for India had been barred from leaving at the KL International Airport with others deported back from India due to visa problems.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Belgian nationals on terrorist charges?
By Helen Warrell
Belgian prosecutors charged six people on Friday with membership of a terrorist group, following a police raids on the eve of a European Union summit in Brussels.
Lieve Pellens, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor, told the FT that all six were Belgian nationals and three of them, men aged between 20 and 30, had received training in Pakistan and Afghanistan. One of the trainees is suspected to have been preparing himself for a suicide attack on an unknown target.
The only woman to be charged was named as Malika El Aroud, a Belgian of Moroccan origin whose husband died in a suicide attack against anti-Taliban resistance leader, Ahmed Shah Massoud, in Afghanistan in 2001.
Belgian authorities carried out raids on sixteen houses in Brussels and one in the eastern city of Liege, on the basis of intelligence that the key suspect had received the ”green light” for an attack, the federal prosecutor confirmed.
”We felt confident that the planning was in the final stages – we believe that an attack was imminent,” Ms Pellens said, while emphasising that there was ”no indication” that the two-day EU summit had been the intended target. ”But since Brussels was hosting such an important event, we could not take any risks.”
According to the Bloomberg news agency, Yves Leterme, Belgian prime minister, told reporters at the summit earlier on Friday that organisers had considered calling off the event, but that it had proved unnecessary.
Seven of the 14 original detainees were brought in for questioning as witnesses, while the remaining seven were brought in front of an investigating judge on Thursday, Ms Pellens said.
The six who were charged are due to appear in a pre-trial court next week. The judge could release the suspects on bail after the hearing, but Belgian officials said they were confident there was enough evidence to keep the group in detention.
Belgian prosecutors charged six people on Friday with membership of a terrorist group, following a police raids on the eve of a European Union summit in Brussels.
Lieve Pellens, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor, told the FT that all six were Belgian nationals and three of them, men aged between 20 and 30, had received training in Pakistan and Afghanistan. One of the trainees is suspected to have been preparing himself for a suicide attack on an unknown target.
The only woman to be charged was named as Malika El Aroud, a Belgian of Moroccan origin whose husband died in a suicide attack against anti-Taliban resistance leader, Ahmed Shah Massoud, in Afghanistan in 2001.
Belgian authorities carried out raids on sixteen houses in Brussels and one in the eastern city of Liege, on the basis of intelligence that the key suspect had received the ”green light” for an attack, the federal prosecutor confirmed.
”We felt confident that the planning was in the final stages – we believe that an attack was imminent,” Ms Pellens said, while emphasising that there was ”no indication” that the two-day EU summit had been the intended target. ”But since Brussels was hosting such an important event, we could not take any risks.”
According to the Bloomberg news agency, Yves Leterme, Belgian prime minister, told reporters at the summit earlier on Friday that organisers had considered calling off the event, but that it had proved unnecessary.
Seven of the 14 original detainees were brought in for questioning as witnesses, while the remaining seven were brought in front of an investigating judge on Thursday, Ms Pellens said.
The six who were charged are due to appear in a pre-trial court next week. The judge could release the suspects on bail after the hearing, but Belgian officials said they were confident there was enough evidence to keep the group in detention.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
U.S. - 9 suspected illegal immigrants plead guilty
By HOLBROOK MOHR -
JACKSON, Miss. -- Nine people rounded up in the nation's largest workplace raid on suspected illegal immigrants pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal identity fraud charges and were sentenced to time served.
Nearly 600 workers at Howard Industries' transformer plant in Laurel were detained Aug. 25 when dozens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the factory.
The nine people charged with identity fraud were accused of working at the plant under the names and Social Security numbers of other people - information that had been reported stolen in some cases, according to court records.
The nine pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg during separate hearings Wednesday. They were sentenced to time served and face deportation, said Sheila Wilbanks, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office. They agreed to cooperate with authorities.
"They will be turned over to ICE and ICE will handle the administrative procedures of deportation," Wilbanks said.
A federal public defender, John Weber, who represented the workers, did not immediately respond to a message left Wednesday by The Associated Press.
Weber said in the past that the workers faced up to 17 years in prison had they been convicted and sentenced to the maximum on all three of the original charges - aggravated identity theft, use or possession of a fraudulent alien registration card and use of a Social Security number belonging to someone else. The trial was scheduled to begin Dec. 15.
It's not clear how they allegedly obtained the fraudulent identities. However, several people in Laurel who acknowledged being illegal immigrants told The AP after the raid that it was easy to buy fraudulent documents in the area through word of mouth.
Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman, said the investigation continues and "we will go where the evidence leads us."
"Fraudulent documents may be used to obtain financial benefits and entitlements intended for U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and to obtain unauthorized employment," she said. "Those who are engaged in document fraud should know that we will continue pursuing these types of investigations."
An advocacy group for illegal immigrants condemned the charges.
"The connotations of the charges against them is that somehow they were involved in stealing the identities for nefarious purposes," said Bill Chandler, executive director of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. "These folks were getting identification so they could support their families. In my view, supporting your family is not a crime."
Most of the others detained in the raid were sent to a Louisiana detention facility to await hearings and deportation. More than 100 - mostly women with children - were fitted with monitoring devices and ordered to appear in court.
Gonzalez said 413 of the illegal immigrants have been deported and 23 left the country voluntarily.
The operation was the largest single workplace raid in ICE history and targeted one of Mississippi's most successful private business. Howard Industries is the largest employer in Jones County and makes products ranging from computers to medical supplies. The company's corporate headquarters also was raided, but no executives have been charged with crimes.
Howard Industries has repeatedly declined comment. However, the company issued a statement in the past that says it "runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for its jobs. It is company policy that it hires only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants."
JACKSON, Miss. -- Nine people rounded up in the nation's largest workplace raid on suspected illegal immigrants pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal identity fraud charges and were sentenced to time served.
Nearly 600 workers at Howard Industries' transformer plant in Laurel were detained Aug. 25 when dozens of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided the factory.
The nine people charged with identity fraud were accused of working at the plant under the names and Social Security numbers of other people - information that had been reported stolen in some cases, according to court records.
The nine pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Hattiesburg during separate hearings Wednesday. They were sentenced to time served and face deportation, said Sheila Wilbanks, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office. They agreed to cooperate with authorities.
"They will be turned over to ICE and ICE will handle the administrative procedures of deportation," Wilbanks said.
A federal public defender, John Weber, who represented the workers, did not immediately respond to a message left Wednesday by The Associated Press.
Weber said in the past that the workers faced up to 17 years in prison had they been convicted and sentenced to the maximum on all three of the original charges - aggravated identity theft, use or possession of a fraudulent alien registration card and use of a Social Security number belonging to someone else. The trial was scheduled to begin Dec. 15.
It's not clear how they allegedly obtained the fraudulent identities. However, several people in Laurel who acknowledged being illegal immigrants told The AP after the raid that it was easy to buy fraudulent documents in the area through word of mouth.
Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman, said the investigation continues and "we will go where the evidence leads us."
"Fraudulent documents may be used to obtain financial benefits and entitlements intended for U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and to obtain unauthorized employment," she said. "Those who are engaged in document fraud should know that we will continue pursuing these types of investigations."
An advocacy group for illegal immigrants condemned the charges.
"The connotations of the charges against them is that somehow they were involved in stealing the identities for nefarious purposes," said Bill Chandler, executive director of the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. "These folks were getting identification so they could support their families. In my view, supporting your family is not a crime."
Most of the others detained in the raid were sent to a Louisiana detention facility to await hearings and deportation. More than 100 - mostly women with children - were fitted with monitoring devices and ordered to appear in court.
Gonzalez said 413 of the illegal immigrants have been deported and 23 left the country voluntarily.
The operation was the largest single workplace raid in ICE history and targeted one of Mississippi's most successful private business. Howard Industries is the largest employer in Jones County and makes products ranging from computers to medical supplies. The company's corporate headquarters also was raided, but no executives have been charged with crimes.
Howard Industries has repeatedly declined comment. However, the company issued a statement in the past that says it "runs every check allowed to ascertain the immigration status of all applicants for its jobs. It is company policy that it hires only U.S. citizens and legal immigrants."
Malawi Immigration under threat to issue work permit for Al-Qaeda operative
Malawi President Bingu wa Muthalika's daughter Duwa is bullying the Immigration department of the Ministry of Home Affairs to issue work permits to a State House Al-Qaeda operative Ricky Shayo and two Zimbabweans Ruby Goneso Mutendera and Alban Masora.
According to Immigration department official, Duwa who runs the President's newspaper The Guardian has been intimidating immigration officials to issue permits to Shayo who is a Kenyan national and two Zimbabweans who are “officially” working for the President’s paper.
The three are currently working illegally as consultant/operations, administration/human resources manager and reporter respectively.
Shayo joined The Guardian last year after he was fired at Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) when the management discovered that he had no qualification.
He is also linked to a little known Al-Qaeda network in the Horn of Africa but flirts with one of the daughters from the first family in the country. He is widely believed to be leading a network of executioners based at the former Taiwanese Embassy in Area 43.
Masora and Mutendera, both functionaries of Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF hit entered Malawi as visitors.
According to the information gathered from sources at the Department of Immigration in Lilongwe, Duwa with the help of State House press officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi has been pressing officers to issue working permits to the illegal immigrants.
The two have been going to the Immigration with claims that President Mutharika is the one giving them instructions for the department to give out the dubious permits.
"The three have no requirements for working permits because Malawians could take those positions they have as well, In fact we have many qualified Malawians who can take up those jobs," said some of the immigration officers who refused to be named for fear of reprisal from State House.
On Monday this week immigration department arrested MTL chief executive officer Peter Zimmer's wife, Stella, a Germany by nationality for “illegal staying” in Malawi and working without permit.
This has come barely some weeks when MTL was told to give back the company to government with what government insiders say is a calculated move of ensuring that they use the company to help rig the 2009 general elections.
"Government is pressing MTL senior management from Germany to stand down or face embarassment as they want to bring in Malawian managers who can be used to rig the 2009 elections besides siphoning money for campaign," said an MTL senior official.
The company was sold two years ago by government after pressure from the World Bank and is owned by Press Corporation shareholders with a non-controlling state by the State.
According to Immigration department official, Duwa who runs the President's newspaper The Guardian has been intimidating immigration officials to issue permits to Shayo who is a Kenyan national and two Zimbabweans who are “officially” working for the President’s paper.
The three are currently working illegally as consultant/operations, administration/human resources manager and reporter respectively.
Shayo joined The Guardian last year after he was fired at Center for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) when the management discovered that he had no qualification.
He is also linked to a little known Al-Qaeda network in the Horn of Africa but flirts with one of the daughters from the first family in the country. He is widely believed to be leading a network of executioners based at the former Taiwanese Embassy in Area 43.
Masora and Mutendera, both functionaries of Robert Mugabe’s Zanu-PF hit entered Malawi as visitors.
According to the information gathered from sources at the Department of Immigration in Lilongwe, Duwa with the help of State House press officer Chikumbutso Mtumodzi has been pressing officers to issue working permits to the illegal immigrants.
The two have been going to the Immigration with claims that President Mutharika is the one giving them instructions for the department to give out the dubious permits.
"The three have no requirements for working permits because Malawians could take those positions they have as well, In fact we have many qualified Malawians who can take up those jobs," said some of the immigration officers who refused to be named for fear of reprisal from State House.
On Monday this week immigration department arrested MTL chief executive officer Peter Zimmer's wife, Stella, a Germany by nationality for “illegal staying” in Malawi and working without permit.
This has come barely some weeks when MTL was told to give back the company to government with what government insiders say is a calculated move of ensuring that they use the company to help rig the 2009 general elections.
"Government is pressing MTL senior management from Germany to stand down or face embarassment as they want to bring in Malawian managers who can be used to rig the 2009 elections besides siphoning money for campaign," said an MTL senior official.
The company was sold two years ago by government after pressure from the World Bank and is owned by Press Corporation shareholders with a non-controlling state by the State.
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