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New Zealand: Whoops, Our Border is a Tad Leaky
Hat tip: LGFThe Government has been forced to admit serious problems with New Zealand's border security after two men with links to deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein slipped through the same overseas immigration post. An embarrassed and angry Immigration Minister Paul Swain yesterday admitted a former Iraqi minister was in New Zealand, a day after a former diplomat's presence was uncovered by accident during the search for the minister... He said he had lost confidence in the service's ability to screen applicants at overseas posts, particularly Bangkok, where the two Iraqi men were processed. That post gave a visitor's visa to the former diplomat last year, even though officials knew of his past. Mr Swain said the former minister got a visa after officials failed to make proper background checks. The diplomat's presence was uncovered by accident after NZ First leader Winston Peters claimed a former minister was in New Zealand. Dominion Post inquiries have established the former diplomat is Zuhair Mohammed Al-Omar, a career diplomat whose last posting was to South Africa. He was in that post when the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam began in March 2003. In Parliament yesterday, Mr Peters named the former minister as Amer Mahdi Saleh Khashaly, also known as Amer Mahdi Alkhashali. Mr Peters poured scorn on the Government for failing to track him down... Labour Department workforce deputy secretary Mary Anne Thompson said Khashaly entered New Zealand on an Iraqi passport, but used a UN passport to support his visa application. She could not confirm reports that the UN passport was out of date, though she did confirm that Khashaly's wife came in on a current UN passport. The department was working on Khashaly's whereabouts. Mr Swain said he was not a security risk. In February 2003, a Dominion Post investigation led to a Bangkok employee being sacked after allegations he was running a cash-for-visas ring. Ms Thompson said the office had been strengthened since then. Posted by: Pappy 2005-05-04 |
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