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20/03/2007
Home Office reveals passport fraud
Around 10,000 passports were issued to bogus applicants last year, including two convicted terrorists, the Home Office has revealed.
It is understood that Dhrien Barot, who is serving a minimum sentence of 40 years for plotting a major terror attack in the UK, had seven passports in his true identity and two further passports under fraudulent names.
Another man, Moroccan Salaheddine Benyaich, also obtained two passports under false names. He is currently serving an 18-year sentence in Morocco for terrorist offences.
Home Office Minister Joan Ryan revealed that the Identity and Passport Service had received 16,500 fraudulent applications between October 2005 to September last year.
Ms Ryan said: "It appears that the level of attempted fraud is increasing and getting more sophisticated."
A Downing Street spokesperson said that each fraudulent case was being followed up.
The Conservatives described the revelation as "shocking". Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "This is a shocking admission which betrays chaos at the heart of the passport system. It also further undermines the government's case for their expensive ID card system."
The announcement comes as the IPS announcement a new initiative aimed at combating passport fraud.
From May 2007, first-time applicants for passports will have to undergo a face-to-face interview.
(KMcA/SP)
It is understood that Dhrien Barot, who is serving a minimum sentence of 40 years for plotting a major terror attack in the UK, had seven passports in his true identity and two further passports under fraudulent names.
Another man, Moroccan Salaheddine Benyaich, also obtained two passports under false names. He is currently serving an 18-year sentence in Morocco for terrorist offences.
Home Office Minister Joan Ryan revealed that the Identity and Passport Service had received 16,500 fraudulent applications between October 2005 to September last year.
Ms Ryan said: "It appears that the level of attempted fraud is increasing and getting more sophisticated."
A Downing Street spokesperson said that each fraudulent case was being followed up.
The Conservatives described the revelation as "shocking". Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "This is a shocking admission which betrays chaos at the heart of the passport system. It also further undermines the government's case for their expensive ID card system."
The announcement comes as the IPS announcement a new initiative aimed at combating passport fraud.
From May 2007, first-time applicants for passports will have to undergo a face-to-face interview.
(KMcA/SP)
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