A program that requires registration of foreign
visitors
from some countries in the Middle East and North Africa is being
expanded
to include men from Saudi Arabia, a U.S. ally and the home country of
15 of
the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers.

An Immigration and Naturalization Service memo obtained by The
Associated
Press directs immigration inspectors registering aliens to include men,
ages 16 to 45, from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen, starting Oct. 1.

A Saudi foreign policy adviser, Adel Al-Jubeir, noted that nationals of
other countries could also be subject to registration and Saudis were
not
being especially singled out.

The Justice Department already had begun registering visitors from
Iran,
Iraq, Sudan and Libya on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks. As
part
of the registration, the foreigners are required to provide
fingerprints,
photographs and details about plans in the United States.

``It is imperative that the officers remain vigilant and verify the age
of
all males from these three countries in order to identify properly
those
who are subject to special registration,'' says the Sept. 5 memo, sent
by
Johnny Williams, the INS' head of field operations.

The memo was sent to INS offices to explain how to implement the
Justice
Department policy known as the National Security Entry-Exit
Registration
System.

Justice Department spokeswoman Susan Dryden said she could not comment
on
the internal INS document. But, she said, ``Saudi Arabia is an ally in
the
war on terrorism and they are not treated as state sponsors of
terrorism in
our enforcement efforts.''

James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, said the
registrations should be done at consulates, not at ports of entry where
the
process will create long waits and three lines -- one for citizens, one
for
non-citizens and one for Arab-Americans.

Registration is required on arrival to and departure from the United
States. The foreigners also must be interviewed at an INS office for
stays
of more than 30 days and notify the INS within 10 days of any change of
residence, employment or academic institution.

The memo says inspectors also can register visitors for national
security
reasons who they determine are worth monitoring. The memo says
inspectors
should consider whether the visitor has made an unexplained trip to
Iran,
Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, Saudi Arabia,
Afghanistan,
Yemen, Egypt, Somalia, Pakistan, Indonesia or Malaysia or the visitor's
explanation for the trip lacks credibility.

Among other things, inspectors will be told to consider registering
foreign
visitors who previously overstayed a U.S. visa or whose behavior,
demeanor
or answers indicate that the person may be a security threat, the memo
says.

The additional scrutiny for Saudi nationals follows introduction of
stricter rules for Saudis who apply for visas to the United States. The
visa paperwork formerly handled by travel agents now requires
interviews at
consular offices. The scrutiny also comes as President Bush tries to
build
support for a U.S. attack on Iraq, for which Saudi Arabia has said it
will
not allow use of its territory unless the attack is under U.N.
auspices.

Rep. George Gekas, R-Pa., chairman of the House Judiciary immigration
subcommittee, said the registration program seeks to weed out people
that
Saudi Arabia and other countries are arresting and cracking down on.

``It's a natural extension of what is already occurring with respect to
the
war on terrorism, which is separate and apart from our relationships
with
the governments that are involved in this new round of alien
registration,'' Gekas said.

Something had to be done about this Saudi Arabia, I AM GLAD...