Everyone here knows that OFAC has a higher priority now. If you are having a difficult time checking names against the various OFAC and Control List names, there are a few people who could help. Probably on a full time basis. They use to be at the INS and they're pros at looking this stuff up.

Sorry, couldn't resist. I know there is a lot of heat on the INS for the SNAFU, but if a bank did something like that...

You're BAD! You gotta laugh, however, because it is so pathetic.

Now we've got folks suing the government because they've been put on the OFAC list. Can a suit against a bank that has carried out the freezing of assets be far behind?

On March 8, The Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, a Texas-based Muslim charity organization, filed a lawsuit challenging the Bush administration's decision in December to place it on the OFAC list and label it a financial sponsor of Hamas, a militant group.

So far as I know, this is the first suit of its kind.

Okay, Andy & Mary Beth, I admit it--live in a vacuum! What is the INS story?

Beware the Ides of March!! We received a message this morning from US Customs who would like to be contacted with our Director of Corporate Security so they can have a "go to" person for their FiCen crime investigations specifically the terrorists related activities. (I think my job description just got expanded.)

I've been working on my arguments to get OFAC software for the last 2 months. I think I'll put this message on top of my OFAC proposal first thing Monday morning!!!

FYI, I'm in Va Beach which has a huge concentration of military bases. And yes the Sept 11th terrorists were in this area scoping out the air bases, shipyards, bridge tunnels, etc. I personally would like to think they're calling us because we are in a critical location but I don't know if the government is that pro-active.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service sent student visa approval forms this week to the Florida flight school where the two terrorists trained to carry out the 9-11 plot. The school received the approval notice Monday, exactly six months after the New York attacks.