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Canada to Extradite Source to U.S.
Aired January 03, 2003 - 14:51 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: New information this afternoon about the FBI's search for five men wanted for crossing into the U.S. from the Canadian border.
Our Jeanne Meserve following developments now out of Washington -- Jeanne, what do you know?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the search for the five men believed to have entered the U.S. illegally on or around Christmas Eve continues. But while it does, moves are being made to bring to the U.S. the man who was the source of information about the men. His name, Michael John Hamdani. A spokesman for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice tells CNN Canadian charges of fraud and forgery against Hamdani were dropped during a court appearance yesterday, and that the Canadian Federal Justice Department has begun proceedings to extradite him to the U.S.
Hamdani was charged in New York City with forging travel documents back in 1996, but he jumped bail. His arrest in Canada two months ago grew out of an investigation into counterfeit traveler's checks which had been used at retail outlets in the Brampton, Ontario area.
A raid on what was believed to be his residence turned up $600,000 worth of counterfeit traveler's checks, blank travel documents from the European Union, Pakistan and other countries, forgery equipment, and 20 or so photographs of the sort used in passports and other documentation. A police spokesman could not say if any of those photographs were among the five distributed by the FBI.
Authorities in Canada believe Hamdani has Pakistani citizenship, but that he was living in Canada legally.
As for the photograph of that jeweler -- excuse me -- that a jeweler in Pakistan says is of him, the FBI is on the ground in Lahore, but no indication yet that they have determined whether his story is true or not. For the time being, the disputed photograph remains on the FBI Web site. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right. Jeanne Meserve, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 3, 2003 - 14:51 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: New information this afternoon about the FBI's search for five men wanted for crossing into the U.S. from the Canadian border.
Our Jeanne Meserve following developments now out of Washington -- Jeanne, what do you know?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the search for the five men believed to have entered the U.S. illegally on or around Christmas Eve continues. But while it does, moves are being made to bring to the U.S. the man who was the source of information about the men. His name, Michael John Hamdani. A spokesman for the Ontario Superior Court of Justice tells CNN Canadian charges of fraud and forgery against Hamdani were dropped during a court appearance yesterday, and that the Canadian Federal Justice Department has begun proceedings to extradite him to the U.S.
Hamdani was charged in New York City with forging travel documents back in 1996, but he jumped bail. His arrest in Canada two months ago grew out of an investigation into counterfeit traveler's checks which had been used at retail outlets in the Brampton, Ontario area.
A raid on what was believed to be his residence turned up $600,000 worth of counterfeit traveler's checks, blank travel documents from the European Union, Pakistan and other countries, forgery equipment, and 20 or so photographs of the sort used in passports and other documentation. A police spokesman could not say if any of those photographs were among the five distributed by the FBI.
Authorities in Canada believe Hamdani has Pakistani citizenship, but that he was living in Canada legally.
As for the photograph of that jeweler -- excuse me -- that a jeweler in Pakistan says is of him, the FBI is on the ground in Lahore, but no indication yet that they have determined whether his story is true or not. For the time being, the disputed photograph remains on the FBI Web site. Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right. Jeanne Meserve, thanks for the update.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
