Washingtontimes.com
The State Department official who was forced to retire because her office allowed most of the September 11 hijackers into the United States has won an "outstanding performance" award of $15,000.
The bonus to Mary Ryan, the former head of the State Department's consular service, was awarded for the period beginning April 16, 2001 — nearly five months before the suicide attacks — and ending April 15, 2002.
"The performance of people is examined very carefully by committees, and they determine who gets the pay benefits," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said yesterday.
"People get these performance awards based on things that they've done and how they've performed in their jobs and met the needs of the service. It's a sign that they performed well in terms of serving their country and their government," Mr. Boucher said.
The congressional General Accounting Office said in a report this week that 13 of the 19 hijackers were given visas without ever seeing a U.S. consular official.
The report also warned that continued weaknesses in visa procedures limit the effectiveness of the process as an anti-terrorism tool.
Last summer, reports of lax visa rules for Saudis — who could apply for visas over the Internet with no questions asked — prompted Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to force Miss Ryan to retire.
Posted by Suzanne at October 23, 2002