How Many "Russell Defreitases" Are Working at Our Airports?

By Michael Cutler

My peaceful Saturday was interrupted by a phone call from a close friend, Bruce DeCell, a member of 9/11 Families for a Secure America, about the JFK plot. As you may know, I am advisor to that organization that is composed of ordinary folks who have one thing (at least) in common; they all lost a close family member of September 11, 2001, when terrorists carried out their infamous and brutal terrorist attacks on our nation and on our people. Bruce's son-in-law was one of the victims of the World Trade Center terrorist attack whose tomorrows were brutally taken from them in the biggest mass murder ever committed in the United States.

As my friend and colleague Bill West discussed below, the issue to consider is that the JFK plot story is an immigration story. Although this terror plot is often described as being "homegrown," I do not believe that this is a wholly accurate description of the alleged terrorists, nor is it accurate in terms of how the plot was being implemented. The fact that one of the terrorist conspirators is a naturalized United States citizen does not eliminate the immigration component from this case but, rather, makes it clear that more questions need to be asked as to how he acquired resident alien status and then was naturalized. But these are issues that need to be addressed because of the abysmal record that USCIS has compiled in carrying out its responsibilities to properly adjudicate applications for immigration benefits that include the conferring of United States citizenship upon many thousands of aliens each and every year. I am compelled to remind you that last year USCIS claims to have lost more than 111,000 immigration files relating to aliens seeking a variety of immigration benefits, including 30,000 who had applied for United States citizenship. USCIS simply adjudicated those applications for citizenship and presumably the other applications for other benefits as well, without providing those files to the adjudicators! In essence, they were flying blind. Yet, to my knowledge, no one at USCIS, especially in a "leadership" position, was made accountable.

There are many facts concerning this story that have not, as yet, been divulged and I am consequently trying to frame the issues with incomplete information. I hate to speculate about anything, especially a terrorist investigation. But I want you all to pay attention to this story as it unfolds in the coming days, weeks and probably months. In my judgment, immigration issues are raised by this story and my goal is to help you to understand just how much the immigration system has a direct bearing on national security. The failings of the immigration system aided and abetted the terrorists who wrought so much death and destruction on our nation on 9/11. Many of these same failings are still inherent in the bureaucracy that should have been addressed as we approach the sixth anniversary of those horrific attacks.

Please consider the following:

Russell Defreitas, the ringleader of the terror group is also identified in the indictment, by an alias "Mohammed." He has been identified as being a naturalized United States citizen. Another of the defendants, Kareem Ibrahim has an alias of "Amir Kareem." These alternate identities are noted in that indictment. Two of the suspects were arrested in Trinidad and Tobago while the fourth is being sought. The fact that these terror suspects were apparently able to move across our borders raises the question as to how they were able to gain access to the United States, presuming that they had been, at some point in time, in the United States.

Additionally, it would appear that our authorities who did a great job in putting the investigation together but that some good luck played a part. The news reports I have heard stated that the terrorists sought the assistance of an FBI informant who immediately contacted his handlers at the FBI and alerted them as to the plot. If indeed this is the way that the plot came to light, then we are fortunate, indeed, that the terrorists reached out to an informant and not someone who was truly sympathetic to their cause. The survival of our nation and our citizens needs to depend on more than luck! Additionally, this case makes it clear that informants are essential to the security to our nation. The cultivation of informants who have access to foreign nationals or who can operate in an undercover capacity to infiltrate a terror cell would be greatly enhanced by having many more special agents at ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

Finally, I think that it is important that we also consider how thoroughly employees at airports are screened. When an airliner lands at an airport many airport workers swarm over and near the airliners. Additionally, many of these workers, as was the case in the news report today, have access to the highly vulnerable infrastructure of the airport. While travelers are undergoing ever more intrusive scrutiny, I would be curious to know just how thoroughly airport workers are screened. Simply running names and fingerprints through a computer to compare them against a database is not adequate (although this is the way that the Guest Worker Amnesty Program) being hawked by the President and the "usual suspects" in both houses of Congress would operate if they had their way and is what the Senate immigration bill calls for! ).

The story about this terrorist plot is indeed the most significant story being covered this spring weekend, I only hope that the immigration component will be considered by the leaders of our nation and serve to sound an alarm as to why the Senate immigration bill should not be enacted!

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