ATTORNEY GENERAL ASHCROFT CALLS FOR JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR GENERAL REVIEW OF IMMIGRATION AND NATURALIZATION SERVICE PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE MAILING OF LETTERS CERTIFYING THE STUDENT VISA STATUS OF SEPTEMBER 11 HIJACKERS SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ATTACK

WASHINGTON, DC — Attorney General John Ashcroft today issued a memorandum requesting the Justice Department's Inspector General to conduct a thorough investigation into the INS's sending of documents notifying a Florida flight school of the student visa status of Mohamed Atta and Marwan Al-Shehhi six months after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

"I have asked the Inspector General to investigate the disturbing failures in the INS's record-keeping, document-processing, and mailing systems," said Ashcroft. "It is inexcusable when document mismanagement leads to a breakdown of this magnitude."

"Individuals will be held responsible for any professional incompetence that led to this failure, and inferior INS quality-control mechanisms will be reformed."

###

02-141