There is a controversy boiling between Immigration and naturalization Service management and unionized U.S. Immigration inspectors. It was reported in a recent Miami Times article that Mohamed Atta, a hijack suspect who authorities believe crashed an American Airlines jetliner into the World Trade Center, was temporarily detained at Miami International Airport for an expired visa by an immigration inspector. But the inspector's manager overruled him, and Atta was admitted. William King, an immigration inspector at the Orlando airport and the head of the union who represents all Florida Immigration employees, stated to the Miami Times the following: "The U.S. Immigration Department serves largely as a tool for the airline industry. (Inspectors) come into this business expecting to enforce immigration laws and protect our borders. Then they find out they are in customer service, and nobody seems to care about enforcement. Things must change."
INS management said in a statement: "Published reports that Immigration officers improperly allowed terrorist Mohamed Atta to enter the United States at Miami International Airport are factually incorrect." In my Oct. 24 talk show in Miami at 9 a.m. on Radio Carnivale 1020 AM with the program director Ed Lozama, I touched on the subject of Atta and his so-called Haitian-Syrian connection. According to the grapevine, Atta was married and lived in Haiti with a Haitian-Syrian woman for about 3 years. They eventually left for Afghanistan, but his wife left him there because she didn't like the central Asian country and returned to Haiti. These rumors are unfounded. Though in possession of the lady's name, I will not publish it at this time. Let's wait and see.
WELCOME TO THE CLUB
Terror has been part of the Haitian psyche since its Independence Day in 1804. I received a somewhat disdainful e-mail from a relative in Haiti. Titled "Welcome to the Club," the e-mail examined the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. I also have a friend from Israel who has a compassionate but realistic attitude regarding those attacks. Her folks were in a concentration camp during World War II. She was born into terror. In Haiti, public security has somewhat improved with the recent zero-tolerance policy against "zenglendos." But the country still has a long way to go. As for Israel, this troubled land is in a sea of controversy. And the United States is learning a lot from it about terrorism. What the United States is going through now is old hat for Israel. Regardless of what happened on American soil last month, U.S. residents still enjoy relative security, freedom of speech, freedom of religion and civility with one another. Welcome to the club, world. Having said that, fellow Americans, grow up. America has no monopoly on Innocence. As a teenager, I left political terror in Haiti to find it in the United States with its racial conflicts and lynchings in the 1940s, and the U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy era, which was legalized terrorism. In the 1960s, we had the civil rights movement, and terror became as American as apple pie. We have come a long way since then.
JUDGE CLAUDY GASSANT
Judge Claudy Gassant is fast-becoming the next hero on my short list in the Jean Dominique murder investigation. Dany Toussaint, a suspect in this crime, has senatorial immunity, and refuses to come forward for interrogation in this murder. Does the senator have something to hide? The Haitian Senate is taking too long with the immunity issue on Sen. Toussaint. Once the vote is taken on whether to lift the immunity, there will be one of two outcomes. If the immunity is lifted the senator, by law, must be incarcerated immediately. If not, this would be political suicide for the Aristide camp.Meanwhile, Gassant is quietly waiting the decision of the Senate. This 36-year-old judge has a great future ahead of him, if he survives. He is not retrieving himself from this case and he is determined to fulfill his mission. He is someone to watch and he does not live a life of luxury in Port-au-Prince, contrary to some others. We still have respectable public figures in Haiti. Judge Claudy Gassant is one of them. Justice for Jean Dominique is being watched carefully in Haiti and the outside world. Justice must prevail. As for Toussaint he is innocent until proven guilty.
JUDGE FRED SERAPHIN
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has appointed Haitian-American-Lawyer-Democrat Fred Seraphin as county judge in South Florida. Congratulations Judge, and apologies are in order for my calling you Franck, your father's namesake, in my last column. I knew him personally as a congressman in Haiti, and his brilliant political future was unfortunately shortened. When asked about his dad, Seraphin said, "Papa Doc disappeared him." Judge Fred Seraphin is reportedly the first Haitian-American judge in Florida, and the second in the country. Right on.
MAGICIAN DAVID COPPERFIELD
On Feb. 17, magician David Copperfield picked seven numbers in the million-mark German lottery. The numbers were notarized and placed in a sealed box. One hour after the drawing this month, the sealed box was open. He guessed the seven numbers correctly. He says that it's not a trick; people use only 10 percent of their brain capacity.
COMPASSION AMERICAN STYLE
Rescue dogs used in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on New York will be tracked to see whether they are suffering from smoke and dust inhalation, and psychological problems. Some dogs suffered injuries at the disaster scene. There is concern about the long-term effect since the dogs are working at the ground zero without protective masks. A $100,000 study will focus on 350 animals. The study will be funded by the American Kennel Club's Canine Health Foundation and Ralston Purina Co.
SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Passenger Neil Godfrey arrived at Philadelphia International Airport on Oct. 10 to board a United Airlines flight to Phoenix. An airport security guard furrowed his brow at Godfey's reading material. On the cover of his book was the illustration of a man holding sticks of dynamite. After much hassle, Godfrey was denied boarding.
