Airlines alerted to cancelled US visas
The United States embassy has sent out advisories to airlines here informing them of persons whose visas have been cancelled as a result of investigations into a scam swirling around the mission's consular section. Some of the visas concerned were issued in late 1999 and in February this year and are believed to have been fraudulently issued. Meanwhile, Stabroek News understands that normal consular operations at the US embassy are unlikely to be resumed before another fortnight. The issuance of non-immigrant visas was suspended at the US embassy almost three weeks ago, except for cases deemed to be emergencies to allow for investigations into the visa sale ring. One airline official told Stabroek News that his airline had received a number of these advisories over the past two weeks and that about a dozen names were referred to. The visa numbers and the passports in which they were stamped are listed in the advisory. The official said that the advisories indicated that the embassy was making every effort to retrieve the visas to officially cancel them. Stabroek News understands that the advisories are a consequence of the investigation being conducted by US State Department officials into the visa sale ring for which the embassy's economic affairs officer and a local accomplice are to appear in a Chicago court today. The officer, Thomas Carroll, and his accomplice, Halim Khan a West Demerara spare parts dealer and restaurant owner, are charged with visa fraud, producing false visas and bribery. The State Department investigators have been in contact with persons they believe could help them with their investigations. A number of these persons have been interviewed but have been requested not to disclose the nature of the issues discussed until the embassy issues a statement. The interviews are being conducted at the embassy. Embassy officials have been tight-lipped about the investigations, offering no comment to questions beyond saying that a statement would be issued in due course. However, Stabroek News has learnt that some of persons who were interviewed and suspected of having bought their visas have been allowed to keep them in return for their cooperation with the investigators. These persons, this newspaper understands, would in normal circumstances have been considered for the issue of a visa as they have sufficient financial resources and ties to the country.
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