ISIS members have entered Europe using fake passports, a US official said on Tuesday.
An investigation by UK newspaper The Guardian found that Turkey has become the centre of a lucrative trade in forged travel documents.
Reporters posed as customers for the passports — and found that sellers were able to beat security systems at border entry points.
While the production of fake biometric chips used in some passports was impossible, the investigation found that a forged Belgian passport offered by the criminals could probably trick computer software used at some borders.
Many on offer, including fake Russian and French passports, featured convincing reproductions of holograms and watermarks.
An Uzbek-owned company based in Turkey, Istanbul Global Consulting, charges up to $15,000 for copies of passports, the report said.
The newspaper said that despite the absence of fake biometric technology, the sellers say the highly convincing forgeries could fool border control officials who did not check documents carefully. This had been the case when ISIS were at their peak in 2014-2016 and terrorists posed as refugees using fake Syrian or Iraqi passports.
Since then, border control authorities in many countries have increased training standards.
“We are aware of IS members using these fake passports to cross to Europe, and European security is not successful in arresting them all,” a US official working with the US Department of Homeland Security told The Guardian.
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
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On sale: now
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
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All matches in Bulawayo
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Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
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Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ
Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700
Engine 3.0L V6
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 340hp @ 6,000pm
Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm
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Jetour T1 specs
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New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
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