Michael Springmann

Michael J. Springmann was the former head of the American visa bureau in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia , in the Reagan and former Bush administrations, from September 1987 through March 1989.^[1] While stationed in Saudi Arabia, Springmann was "ordered by high level State Dept officials to issue visas to unqualified applicants". Springmann claims that these applicants were in fact, terrorist recruits of Osama Bin Laden, who were being sent to the United States in order to obtain training from the C.I.A..^[2] Springmann has issued complaints to "higher authorities at several agencies", but they've been unanswered.^[3] The State Department has however noted that the consular officer had final authority in issuing the visas, not Springmann.^[4] Following Springmann's complaints, he was fired by the State Department.^[5]

References

^ Freedberg, Sydney P. (November 25, 2001), Loopholes leave U.S. borders vulnerable, St. Petersburg Times, Michael Springmann, a consular officer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 1987 to 1989, said he issued more than 100 visas to unqualified applicants after pressure from his State Department bosses. "Keep the Saudis happy," Springmann said he was told, apparently because they are America's biggest supplier of crude oil. He said he later learned that visas went to terrorists recruited by the CIA and bin Laden to train in the United States for the war against the then-Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
^ "Newsnight - Has someone been sitting on the FBI?". BBC News. November 11, 2001. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |thedateiswrong= ignored (help)
^ Reflections on the 911 Terrorist Attacks, Washington Examiner, September 10, 2011, Michael Springmann , former head of the Visa Bureau at the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia said that he was repeatedly ordered by high-level State Departtment officials to issue visas to unqualified applicants. His complaints to higher authorities at several agencies went unanswered. In a CBC interview, he indicated that the CIA was indeed complicit in the attacks.
^ Gedda, George (July 21, 2002). "Did U.S. train Arabs to help Afghans oust Soviets?". Deseret News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013.
^ "Michael Springmann CBC Interview". CBC News. July 3, 2002. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013.

[1] Freedberg, Sydney P. (November 25, 2001), Loopholes leave U.S. borders vulnerable, St. Petersburg Times, Michael Springmann, a consular officer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from 1987 to 1989, said he issued more than 100 visas to unqualified applicants after pressure from his State Department bosses. "Keep the Saudis happy," Springmann said he was told, apparently because they are America's biggest supplier of crude oil. He said he later learned that visas went to terrorists recruited by the CIA and bin Laden to train in the United States for the war against the then-Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

[2] "Newsnight - Has someone been sitting on the FBI?". BBC News. November 11, 2001. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |thedateiswrong= ignored (help)

[3] Reflections on the 911 Terrorist Attacks, Washington Examiner, September 10, 2011, Michael Springmann , former head of the Visa Bureau at the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia said that he was repeatedly ordered by high-level State Departtment officials to issue visas to unqualified applicants. His complaints to higher authorities at several agencies went unanswered. In a CBC interview, he indicated that the CIA was indeed complicit in the attacks.

[4] Gedda, George (July 21, 2002). "Did U.S. train Arabs to help Afghans oust Soviets?". Deseret News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on January 7, 2013.

[5] "Michael Springmann CBC Interview". CBC News. July 3, 2002. Archived from the original on January 8, 2013.

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