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Australia Investigates Asylum Fraud
Monday, July 22, 2002
(11:34 UTC)
By Phil Mercer
Voice of America

The latest immigration controversy over identity fraud surfaced last week, two young brothers escaped from an Australian immigration center and sought asylum at the British Consulate in Melbourne.

SIDNEY -- VOA
The Australian government says it is investigating hundreds of cases of suspected identity fraud by asylum seekers claiming to be from Afghanistan.

Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock says the government is revoking 50 temporary visas issued to asylum seekers because of fraud. He says the individuals involved are mostly Pakistanis who falsely claimed to be refugees from Afghanistan.

The government will first, however, allow those in question to offer proof of their national origin before they can be deported.

Mr. Ruddock says another 300 people given interim protection in Australia are being investigated.
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2002 © Voice of America.

Dan