Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

INS Under Attack for Terrorist Visas

Aired March 19, 2002 - 13:21   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: In this country, going to talk more about the INS right now and the amazing amount of attraction it has taken in the last ten days after Mark Potter broke that story about those two visa applications, student visa applications, being mailed out six months to the day to two of the hijackers at a flight school in Florida.

Back to Florida now and Mark Potter, who is tracking for the INS commissioner, talking again today in Washington.

Mark, good afternoon.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Bill. The other story really blew up and caught the attention of the president, the attorney general, the Congress, the media, the public, people around the country.

And today there's a hearing before a House subcommittee, and among the people who will be testifying is Rudy Dekkers, the owner of Huffman Aviation, the man who received those application notices last week. He will be talking about -- here's his picture -- and he is holding those visa applications in his hand right there. He will be talking about how he received them, and he will be talking about the procedures, INS procedures.

He was visited yesterday by investigators from the Justice Department's Inspector General's Office. They had similar questions for him. They came here, to Huffman Aviation, the company in Venice, Florida, which Dekkers owns, and they wanted to know about how you file for these applications and how he received them.

They said that they're trying to make sure this doesn't happen again. They're seeking Decker's idea. He will be talking at 4:00 this afternoon.

James Zigler will be there also one of the contractors hired by INS too handle its paperwork -- will also be talking about this snafu -- Bill.

HEMMER: Mark, thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com