Grassley Seeks Details on NYC Attacker
WASHINGTON – Senate
Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley is requesting background
information on Sayfullo Saipov, the man responsible for hitting and killing
eight people with his rental truck yesterday in lower Manhattan. Eleven others
were also injured in the attack.
According
to information received by the Judiciary Committee, Saipov entered the United
States in 2010 on a diversity visa and has become a lawful permanent resident.
The 29-year-old is now a resident of Tampa, Florida.
In
a letter today to acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke and Secretary
of State Rex Tillerson, Grassley requested biographical information on Saipov,
including his immigration history and criminal record. Grassley also asked
whether Saipov was ever listed on any terrorist watch list, and has requested
any records of terrorism-related activities.
November 1,
2017
VIA
ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
Elaine
Duke
Acting
Secretary
Department
of Homeland Security
Washington,
D.C. 20528
The
Honorable Rex Tillerson
Secretary
United
States Department of State
Washington,
D.C. 20520
Dear
Acting Secretary Duke and Secretary Tillerson:
On
October 31, 2017, a man driving a rental truck hit and killed eight people a
few blocks away from One World Trade Center in lower Manhattan.[1]
Law enforcement have identified the suspect as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov of
Tampa, Florida. According to authorities, the suspect reportedly yelled “Allahu
Akbar” at the police after hitting cyclists with his truck, then slamming into
a school bus.[2] Officials also said that handwritten notes in
Arabic were found near the truck that indicated allegiance to ISIS.[3]
In addition to those killed, 11 people were transported to the hospital with
injuries.[4]
According
to reports to my office, Saipov is a lawful permanent resident who immigrated
to the United States from Uzbekistan on a diversity visa over five years ago.
To
confirm this information and better understand what motivated this act of
terror, please provide numbered written responses to the following questions no
later than November 14, 2017:
Department
of Homeland Security:
1.
Please
provide a list of all A-files, executive summaries, or receipt files with TECs
hits for terrorism that have been requested from the Department of Homeland
Security in furtherance of the New York City terrorist attack including any
information on Sayfullo Saipov.
2.
Did
Sayfullo Saipov have any criminal convictions? Please explain and provide all
relevant documentation.
3.
Was
Sayfullo Saipov on any terrorist watch lists? If so, which lists and which
dates was he on the lists?
Department
of State:
4.
Please
provide all visa records and associated documentation for Sayfullo Saipov.
a.
Did
Sayfullo Saipov apply for any U.S. visa? If the answer is yes, what category of
visa was sought? Which embassy or consulate did he submit the application to?
If the visa was denied, what was the basis for denial?
b.
Please
provide the visa category and validity period for any and all previous visas issued
to Sayfullo Saipov.
c.
Please
provide the dates of application submission and the basis of denial for any
past visa applications submitted by Sayfullo Saipov, along with any associated
documentation, case or interview notes, or other related information.
d.
Has
Sayfullo Saipov ever been in possession of a U.S. visa that was later revoked?
If so, please provide any information that supported the decision for
revocation.
e.
Was
Sayfullo Saipov subjected to any additional administrative processing
associated with any visa application? Please explain and provide all
documentation uncovered, or created, as a result of such additional processing.
f.
Please
provide a timeline for all applications or petitions for immigrant and/or
non-immigrant visas.
Thank
you for your attention to this important matter. Should you have any questions,
please contact Katherine Nikas of my Committee staff at (202) 224-5225.
Sincerely,
Chuck
Grassley
Chairman
Senate
Committee on the Judiciary
cc:
The Honorable Dianne Feinstein
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The Honorable Christopher Wray
Director
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
Washington, D.C. 20535
-30-
[1]
Emily Shapiro, Aaron Katersky, Josh Margolin, 8 Dead After Truck Plows Into
People in New York City in ‘Cowardly act of terror’: Mayor, ABC News,
available at
http://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-truck-plows-people-york-city-cowardly-act/story?id=50842052
[2]
Id.
[3]
Benjamin Mueller, William K. Rashburn, Al Baker, 8 Dead as Truck Careens
Down Bike Path in Manhattan in terror Attack, The New York Times,
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/31/nyregion/police-shooting-lower-manhattan.html
[4]
Eric Levenson, Brynn Gingras, and Ray Sanchez, Suspect in Manhattan Truck
Attack That Killed 8 from Uzbekistan, Sources Say, CNN, available at http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/31/us/new-york-shots-fired/index.html
