A South African woman originally suspected of having links to terrorist groups but in the end charged only with being an illegal immigrant pleaded innocent in federal court Friday. Farida Goolam Mahomed Ahmed, 48, faces a possible 15 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted on three counts, including illegal entry into the United States, altering a passport and lying to a federal officer. She has been in custody without bail since July 19 when she was seized at the airport in McAllen, Texas, for not having a visa.
An FBI affidavit said Ahmed admitted she entered the United States illegally by crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico into Texas. In her arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy, Ahmed replied "not guilty" when asked for a plea on the charges. Stacy set her trial for October 12. The quiet court scene contrasted with the ruckus that accompanied her detention in July when leaks and official statements strongly suggested Ahmed was part of the "terrorist" scourge the government says is descending on the United States. Rep. Solomon Ortiz, a Texas Democrat, told reporters last month Ahmed was on a "watch list" for suspected terrorists. The FBI said her passport was missing several pages and she had travel documents that showed she had flown from South Africa to the United Arab Emirates to London and on to Mexico City. But prosecutors have toned down the official rhetoric as the investigation has progressed and moved away from any alleged terrorist connection. "This is an immigration case and we're treating it as one," Assistant U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle told reporters after Friday's hearing.
| Easier charges to make stick... |
|