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." |
r

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 INTERVIEWS REGARDING INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM • SUMMARY TABLE

DISTRICT INTERVIEWS INTERVIEWS REFERRALS UNABLE TO LETT COUNTRY/ ARRESTS INTVWS

CONDUCTED ASSIGNED RECEIVED DETERMINE REFERRED TO TO BE
LOCATION ANOTHER DONE
DISTRICT
XL-Middle 0 n 0 N/A N/A 0 0
AL-Northcrn 13 26 2 t 3/2 0 2
AL- Southern 2 } 3 3 VO 0 0
AK 0 0 0 N/A N/A 0 0
AZ 20 40 0 19 0/1 0 0
Aft-Euiem
AR-Westcm 3 7 0 I on 0 0
CA-Ctatnl 34 77 29 7 27/10 0 28
CA-Euiern 15 17 5 0 V* 0 3
CA-Nonhcr 4 80 14 12 I/O 0 43
D
CA-Southn 6 9
'
0 in 0 0
n
CO 56 14] 4 27 39/18 5 4
CT 37 61 7 IS 4/4 0 7
DE 3 9 I 0 V3 0 0
DC g IS 2 3 2/1 0 3
Ft-Middle 97 328 13 55 49/55 1 0
FU Northern 22 52 3 6 V) 0 10
FUSouthera 64 162 2 2! 27/13 1 0
GA-MWdle 2 4 0 0 on 0 0
GA-Nortlier 11 19 4 4 0/4 0 4
a
GA-Southcr 0 1 1 0 0/1 0
» '
Guam 0 0 0 N/A N/A 0 0
HI 2 4 0 0 1/0 0 1
ID 0 5 n I (VO 0 4
(L-Ccntra] 20 42 4 3 0/15 0 4
IL-Nocthen 32 331 24 72 untoownM 0 176
IL-Soulhcn 7 10 unknown unknown 3/ unknown unknown unkoowi
IN-Northem IS 39 0 6 3/11 0 1
IN-Soothcra 14 38 0 0 21 0 unknown
lA-Nonhero 6 11 1 I 1/3 0 0
U-Sou there S3 127 3 13 IS/40 0 3
KS 28 45 2 10 2/S 0 1
KY-Eulera 13 22 1 4 2/4 0 0
KY-Wenen 9 14 0 3 2/0 0 0
LA-Einrre 16 34 0 14 CO 1 0
LA-Middk
LA-Weseni 6 22 1 1 4/12 0 0
ME 1 i 0 0 0/4 0 0
MD 40 92 6 19 U/2S 0 0
MA 1« 65 17 0 11/10 0 1
Mt-EaHon 296 466 7 13 2643 uok&ow 50-100
MhWesien 60 «7 4 7 10/S 0 0
MN 41 1)0 12 19 6/4J 0 u
MS-Nonho 0 3 0 0 2/1 0 0
D
MS-Southcr 3 5 D 0 0/2 0 0
*
MO-Euien 21 40 3 7 5/1 0 1
MO-Waia 29 41 2 2 12/2 0 0
n
MT 1 1 0 0 0/0 0 0
NE 11 16 4 1 3/J 0 2
NV 1 2 1 0 1/0 0 n

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NCTS000104670
NH 5 i 3 0 0/2 0 2
NJ 3S 73 16 10 19/15 0 10
NM 19 25 2 2 3/2 0 0
NY-Euicn 3« 62 13 17 1/10 0 6
NY-Noriur 6 21 6 1 4/5 0 4
n
KY-So»th*r 36 67 7 to IB/10 0 0
a
KY-Wctten 7 18 1 2 6/4 0 0
NC-Eutcn 6 12 1 0 4/1 0 0
Re-Middle 3 7 0 0 2/2 0 0
NC-Wesiera 6 II 0 1 4/0 0 0
NO 3 6 0 0 on 0 0
OK-Konha n 32 9 » 6/3 0 3
n
OH-Souihn 10 34 unknown unioovro 15 unknown unknown
B
OK-EiStern
OK-Northei a 16
'
0 4/5 0 0
n
OK-Wuicre 8 34 1 10 3/7 0 3
OR fit I6S 3 59 10/34 0 0
PA-Banera 13 30 4 1 1/7 0 4
PA-Middle 2 S 0 3 OX) 0 0
PA-Wtslem 13 21 S 0 7/0 1 i
PR 0 0 0 N/A N/A 0 0
HI 4 5 0 0 0/1 0 0
SC
SD 3 4 0 0 0/1 0 0
TN-Eaitcra 1 7 0 unknown 1/0 0 5
TN. Middle 3 g 0 1 1/3 I 0
TN-Wutcn 6 8 0 2 OA> 1 0
TX-Eulen> 9 7i 3 3 273 2 uokaown
TX-Nofther It 2J7 10 0 on 0 unknown

TX-SoiBho
D

TX-Wctlem 92 222 10 31 S#6 0 g

UT 3 6 2 0 on 0 2
VT 0 1 1 0 0/1 0 I
VI 0 0 0 N/A N/A 0 0
VA-Euten 3ft 77 10 16 2CY7 0 13
VA-Weslcm 5 6 3 0 WO 0 3
•WA-Euun 1 S 1 0 4/1 0 0
WA-Wew 12 2« S 0 11/8 0 0
i
WV-Nonher S 11 \ 2 00 0 0
•
WV-Soulher 2 3 0 Ori 0 1
n
Wl- Eastern 19 39 2 1 7/14 0 0
Wl-Wesura 37 SO 4 25 3/14 0 4
WY 0 0 0 N/A K/A 0 0
TOTALS 1703 4774

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