May 2, 2002
By Paul Sperry

WASHINGTON – Airport immigration inspectors fear a batch of stolen birth certificates could be used by Middle Eastern terrorists to enter the U.S. without visas.

Some 2,000 pre-signed blank birth certificates were swiped last month from Denver's vital records office.

Even after the Sept. 11 hijackings, some domestic airlines still sell so-called "affidavits of identity" to passengers flying abroad as proof of U.S. citizenship in lieu of passports. They're often issued based on birth certificates.

The affidavits, which are sold at ticket counters for about $10, are simply notarized boarding letters. They carry no photo, fingerprint or signature.

"The affidavit and return ticket can be handed off to a foreign national in another country who has an ID card with the same name," said an INS inspector at a major international airport. "And that person can use that document to travel back to the U.S., and that is all that is required for a U.S. immigration officer to admit them under the law."

"This is a real risk to national security," added the officer, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.

American Airlines, for one, says it rarely issues the ID affidavits for international flights. But others, such as Champion Air and Sun Country Air, routinely sell them to passengers, INS inspectors say.

"When someone walks up to me and hands me an affidavit of identity, I don't know who the hell they are," said another INS inspector, who also wished to go unnamed. "And the FAA and the airline didn't know who they were when they let them get on the plane."

Some of the Sept. 11 terrorists used several identities.

"How can we make a determination of citizenship and identity based upon a piece of paper issued by an airline, and an ID card, which may be dummied?" he added. "We can't do more than make an educated guess, and that's not good enough after Sept. 11."

The FAA declined comment, referring questions to the INS.
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