[Associated Press - 11/13/01] WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department wants to talk to 5,000 young male foreigners who entered the country from Middle Eastern and other countries as part of the terrorism investigation, officials said Tuesday.
A list of 5,000 names was being distributed to federal prosecutors around the country who were ordered to work with state and local police to locate and interview the men, said Justice Department spokeswoman Mindy Tucker. The interviews would be voluntary, she said.
The men are not suspects, said Tucker, but "people who we think might be helpful" in assisting authorities investigating the Sept. 11 attacks and possible new attacks.
"They could be witnesses, we won't know until we talk to them," said Tucker.
The names were compiled from immigration and State Department records of foreigners who sought entry into the country since Jan. 1, 2000 on tourist, student and business visas. Only men aged 18 to 33 with nonimmigrant visas and a U.S. address went on the list.
Tucker declined to name which countries the immigrants to be questioned came from but said the list of nations would include those that have surfaced in investigations of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida organization. Countries that have been way stations for the Sept. 11 hijackers and other terrorists would be on the list.
... Tucker did not have details about what questions the foreigners would be asked but said they would not be questioned about their religious beliefs and practices. They can decline to be questioned but authorities hope they will cooperate.
"We've allowed them to come into this country and we expect them to help," said Tucker.
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[posted 11/17/01]
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