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Waiting For Everyman

(9,385 posts)
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 04:58 AM Nov 2015

CNN interview: ISIS captured 5000 blank Syrian passports in Raqqa

Last edited Tue Nov 17, 2015, 10:38 AM - Edit history (4)

A Syrian who is resettled in France was being interviewed there, saying that it is easy to obtain a Syrian passport, that whatever a person states as his name is put on the document no questions asked. It's simply a matter of paying several hundred Euros according to the witness.

Just as the interview was ending, he said "That isn't the worst thing though. I want to say something very important that no one has reported". He went on to say that when ISIS captured Raqqa, it got 5000 blank Syrian passports.

5000. 5000 that ISIS can fill out any way it wishes. I'd say that's a relevant fact. I wonder why it hasn't been reported before. Surely the major players know about it.


(The interview was on between 3 am and 3:30 am EST. I want to see whether CNN reairs it in a while but if it doesn't, it's at least worth a post here.)

Edit to add: I didn't know who the interviewer was at first but I saw her on camera again -- it was Hala Gorani.

Edit again to correct number: not 500, but 5000

23 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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CNN interview: ISIS captured 5000 blank Syrian passports in Raqqa (Original Post) Waiting For Everyman Nov 2015 OP
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #1
Thanks for the correction Waiting For Everyman Nov 2015 #10
How useful would a blank Syrian passport be? Turborama Nov 2015 #2
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #3
It's the Daily Mail, as trustworthy as Faux News. n/t Turborama Nov 2015 #4
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #5
I mean I don't believe what I read in the Daily Mail. Turborama Nov 2015 #6
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #7
Yes. Under scrutiny, the passports can be identified as being fake, as per the article. Turborama Nov 2015 #8
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #9
I get it perfectly. They're not real if they "can have any name put in". Turborama Nov 2015 #11
Message auto-removed Name removed Nov 2015 #13
I give up. Turborama Nov 2015 #14
Yes, they are "real" in every way when it comes to detecting fakes Lee-Lee Nov 2015 #16
They're real fakes? Turborama Nov 2015 #18
even filled out it won't pass through any computer system. Syria, half the population is missing... Sunlei Nov 2015 #12
Exactly. Turborama Nov 2015 #15
It's only RW spread fear of refugees are dangerous. terrorists can boat over from russian coast or Sunlei Nov 2015 #22
But it's not fake. It's real and will pass any counterfeit detection measures Lee-Lee Nov 2015 #17
They are not real. They can only be real if they are processed by the issuing authority. Turborama Nov 2015 #19
Wow GummyBearz Nov 2015 #20
They got lucky and stumbled across some. Turborama Nov 2015 #21
probably because Ragga is so tiny and has been bombed to pieces by 'all sides' from Feb. 2015 Sunlei Nov 2015 #23

Response to Waiting For Everyman (Original post)

Turborama

(22,109 posts)
2. How useful would a blank Syrian passport be?
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 08:55 AM
Nov 2015

Refugees/asylum seekers don't tend to go though immigration checks, and if they do they are carefully scrutinised.

Response to Turborama (Reply #2)

Response to Turborama (Reply #4)

Turborama

(22,109 posts)
6. I mean I don't believe what I read in the Daily Mail.
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 09:37 AM
Nov 2015

And my previous comment is endorsed by that Guardian article.

Response to Turborama (Reply #6)

Response to Turborama (Reply #8)

Response to Turborama (Reply #11)

 

Lee-Lee

(6,324 posts)
16. Yes, they are "real" in every way when it comes to detecting fakes
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 10:49 AM
Nov 2015

You detect counterfeit documents by looking for the details the forger gets wrong.

You can't do that when they get their hands on the real thing and simply put a made up name and date of birth. Because it's a real base document it's undetectable as a fraud.

The only detection possible is if the Syrian government knows the serial number range of the bad documents and they tell other nations. They may know that information, but why would Assad share it with countries trying to remove him from power? It's in his best interest that more of these people leave Syria.

The only other defense is to have customs in every country check with Syrian officials in real-time as they inspect every passport- but once again, why would Assad ever cooperate with that?

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
12. even filled out it won't pass through any computer system. Syria, half the population is missing...
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 10:32 AM
Nov 2015

no one at any border point/ boarding point would pass a fake passport.

The problem is- in many countries, Egypt included everyone accepts bribes and workers are very easy to threaten/bribe.

Turborama

(22,109 posts)
15. Exactly.
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 10:40 AM
Nov 2015

But when we're talking about them getting into Europe or the US with stricter border controls their game will be up.

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
22. It's only RW spread fear of refugees are dangerous. terrorists can boat over from russian coast or
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 01:46 PM
Nov 2015

walk over Canadian border. To spread fear of "refugees" , fear of Hispanics or some religion is so freaking wrong of Republicans.

I can understand the "Internet culture shock" many Americans have because they are isolated from the rest of the world. Many Americans do "self-segregate" by class/religion/race

and republicans are wrong to use that 'self-segregation' to spread FEAR or we will end up a country with millions of tiny, Walled neighborhoods, everyone afraid of each other.

 

Lee-Lee

(6,324 posts)
17. But it's not fake. It's real and will pass any counterfeit detection measures
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 10:52 AM
Nov 2015

Only the name and date of birth are fake.

Since there is no way that Syria has real-time database links with every nations immigration agencies there is no way to tell if the information on them is legitimate or made up.

Turborama

(22,109 posts)
19. They are not real. They can only be real if they are processed by the issuing authority.
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 12:19 PM
Nov 2015

These are processed by forgers, with fake details. Hence why they are fakes.

 

GummyBearz

(2,931 posts)
20. Wow
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 12:23 PM
Nov 2015

ISIS really screwed up lol! They got their hands on a bunch of fakes that are easily detectable... for what? haha. Who cares! The word fake is thrown out so it means they can't be used... why would ISIS even want them in the first place?

Turborama

(22,109 posts)
21. They got lucky and stumbled across some.
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 12:27 PM
Nov 2015

Last edited Tue Nov 17, 2015, 11:30 PM - Edit history (1)

Do we even know that they really have them?

Sunlei

(22,651 posts)
23. probably because Ragga is so tiny and has been bombed to pieces by 'all sides' from Feb. 2015
Tue Nov 17, 2015, 02:17 PM
Nov 2015

not much left to loot in that place. Is even "claimed capture" a plane in Ragga, here's a photo. (posted below)

It's todays media that makes some people think "capture" of some passport forms or a hunk of junk "Jet" means 5,000 IS are arriving soon by Jet.

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