T5 B61 Vip Fdr- 1-2-02 Rowan Memo Re Interview Project 228

J.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for United Stales Attorneys

.C 295*0

MEMORANDUM TO:

David T.Ayres Ken Wainstein

FROM:

Pat Rowan

DATE:

January 2,2002

RE:

Interviews Regardi ng International Terrorism

When the Interviews Regarding International Terrorism were announced, the United States Attorneys were instructed that the interviews should be completed by December 21,2001. In connection with that deadline, EOUSA requested a final report from each District by December 28.2001. All but a handful of United States Attorney's Offices ("USAOs") have submitted such a report. This memorandum summarizes the final reports that we have received from the USAOs. The USAOs reported being assigned approximately 4,274 individuals to interview. (In calculating the number of assigned interviews, the USAOs were asked to eliminate any duplicate entries, and that is why this number is lower than the original number of 5,147 individuals.) The reports indicate that 1.703 interviews have been conducted to date. However, I expect that the total number of interviews will continue to increase over the next several weeks. There are a small number of USAOs in California, Texas, Illinois, and Michigan that still have a substantial number of interviews to complete, primarily because they were assigned a large number in the first instance. Some of the USAOs are waiting to interview students who left the country following the fall semester but will be returning in the next two weeks. In addition, many of the USAOs have also recently received referrals of individuals lo be interviewed from another District, and these interviews have yet to be completed. I have prepared as a separate document a table summarizing the information in the reports. The USAOs were also required to enter the results of the interviews into a database called the Computerized Reporting System. There have been some technical problems that have slowed the entry of information in some instances, but a check of the Computerized Reporting System indicates that it now contains 2,464 records. The reports indicate that nearly all the individuals located have been very cooperative. This seems to be true throughout the country. Many of the individuals have expressed support for the

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country's fight against terrorism and a willingness to help. There have been a number of individuals who have volunteered to assist as interpreters. The number of individuals who refused to be interviewed appears quite small. For example, the USAO for the Eastern District of Michigan reported that seven individuals declined to be interviewed, as against 296 who have thus far agreed to be interviewed. In Oregon, of the 68 individuals contacted by investigators, only one declined to be interviewed. The USAO for Minnesota reported that 48 individuals submitted to interviews while one individual declined to be interviewed. In their final reports, the USAOs were asked whether any interview subjects were arrested. The responses indicate that only thirteen subjects were arrested. Ten of the thirteen were arrested for immigration violations, while the remaining three were arrested on other criminal charges. Some USAOs reported that they are still investigating interview subjects for potential immigration violations. Many USAOs were able to use state and local law enforcement to conduct the interviews. In some instances, federal law enforcement, particularly the FBI. did all the work on their own. Some USAOs. lite Oregon, did run into delays because local police departments refused to participate. In the Northern District of California, at least four large police departments declined to help and that clearly slowed down the interviews in that District. The interviews yielded some leads that may relate to the Penttbom investigation.

9/11 Law Enforcement Sensitive

There was some information gathered about criminal activity that may relate to terrorism.

9/11 Law Enforcement Sensitive

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9/11 Law Enforcement Sensitive

The interviews also identified some individuals who could be law enforcement sources in the fuiure.|

J The USAO for the Middle District of Florida reports that, as a result of the interviews, federal and local law enforcement now has a "much better feel for the Middle Eastern community in the District and relations with that community have improved as a result of the interviews." |

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INTERVIEWS REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM • SUMMARY TABLE DISTRICT

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INTERVIEWS ASSIGNED

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