T5 B61 Vip Fdr- 12-14-01 Rowan Memo Re Interview Project 227

U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for United States Attorneys

Washington, D.C. 20530

MEMORANDUM TO:

David T.Ayres Ken Wainstein

FROM:

Pat Rowan

DATE:

December 14,2001

We received progress reports from nearly all of the 93 Districts in the last few days. The reports indicate that a total of 1186 interviews have been conducted to date. There were a total of 862 individuals that investigators concluded had left the country or moved to another District If investigators were able to identify an address for these individuals in a second District, the interview assignment was referred to the second District The inputting of the interview into the database lags far behind the interviews; it appears that only355 interviews have been entered into our Computerized Reporting System. I have prepared as a separate document a table summarizing the numbers in the progress reports. The reports indicate that nearly all the individuals located have been very cooperative. This seems to be true throughout the country. There have been only a few reports of individuals refusing to be interviewed. Many of the individuals have expressed support for the country's fight against terrorism and a willingness to help. There have been a number of individuals who have volunteered to assist as interpreters. Many Districts 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 Districts, like 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. The interviews yielded very little information that was obviously useful to the investigation. There have been a few leads generated. In Nebraska, an interviewee indicated that he knew someone who knew one of the nineteen hijackers. The interviewee provided a name and address for this person. In the Southern District of Florida, an interviewee indicated that he may have attended a language school with one of the hijackers. An interviewee in the Northern District of Ohio reported that he had social contract with an individual who was taking flight training and left for Florida to continue the flight training. There was some information gathered that may be helpful in the future. For example, one

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interviewee in the Eastern District of California provided information regarding a website that offered to produce false British passports. Individuals interviewed in Western Missouri suggested stricter enforcement of visas to control access to the United States. The interviews identified some individuals who could be law enforcement sources in the future For example, in Kansas, an individual was interviewed who claimed knowledge of groups in his native country of Qatar that may be sympathetic to terrorists. He is returning to Qatar shortly and has offered to meet with the FBI when he returns to provide any information he gathers there. The Southern District of Florida and Ihe Eastern District of Missouri both reported that several interviewees were identified for follow-up as potential sources. In closing while arguably more positive than some others, I thought you would be interested in a portion of the update provided by the Western District of Michigan, where they were assigned 87 individuals: The interviews in Western Michigan and the U.P. have exceeded our expectations. In just fourteen (14) days, the federal, state and local team located and interviewed 97% of the men on our list who live in our district; we have accounted for 98% of those no longer living here. There has been a 100% cooperation rate of those contacted. To a man, every interviewee condemned the attacks on America and offered any information and assistance they could to prevent another terrorist attack. At least ten visitors have volunteered to acts as translators, if needed; others have offered to make additional .information available in the future. The agents hope to form long term "source" relationships with several of these visitors. No one was suspected of any criminal activity, and that continues to be the case. The success of the effort in Western Michigan is attributable to the federal agents and state and local officers who volunteered to conduct the interviews. This has been an excellent example of federal, state and local partnership. Some of the Western District's most seasoned and experienced agents and officers knocked on doors and treated the interviewees with courtesy and respect The outcome has been consistently positive. There has been daily, statewide media coverage of these interviews in Michigan. State and local law enforcement officials have publicaUy supported this project. Moreover, we are encouraged by the "Letters to the Editor" in local papers, which are running 9-to-l in favor of our efforts.

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interviewee in the Eastern District of California provided information regarding a website that offered to produce false British passports. Individuals interviewed in Western Missouri suggested stricter enforcement of visas to control access to the United States. The interviews identified some individuals who could be law enforcement sources in the future For example, in Kansas, an individual was interviewed who claimed knowledge of groups in his native country of Qatar that may be sympathetic to terrorists. He is returning to Satar shortly and has offered to meet with the FBI when he returns to provide any ^formationhe gathers there The Southern District of Florida and the Eastern District of Missouri both reported that several interviewees were identified for follow-up as potential sources. In closing while arguably more positive than some others, I thought you would be interested in a portion of the update provided by the Western District of Michigan, where they were assigned 87 individuals: The interviews in Western Michigan and the U.P. have exceeded our expectations In just fourteen (14) days, the federal, state and local team located and interviewed 97% of the men on our list who live in our district; we have accounted for 98% of those no longer living here. There has been a 100% cooperation rate of those contacted. To a man, every interviewee condemned the attacks on America and offered any information and assistance they could to prevent another terrorist attack. At least ten visitors have volunteered to acts as translators, if needed; others have offered to make additional information available in the future. The agents hope to form long term "source" relationships with several of these visitors. No one was suspected of any criminal activity, and that continues to be the case. The success of the effort in Western Michigan is attributable to the federal agents and state and local officers who volunteered to conduct the interviews. This has been an excellent example of federal, state and local partnership. Some of the Western District's most seasoned and experienced agents and officers knocked on doors and treated the interviewees with courtesy and respect The outcome has been consistently positive. There has been daily, statewide media coverage of these interviews in Michigan. State and local law enforcement officials have publically supported this project. Moreover, we are encouraged by the "Letters to the Editor" in local papers, which are running 9-to-l in favor of our efforts.

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