In 2003: passports to members of al-Qaeda
If Nauru is far from being the first state to offer an investment immigration program, Nauru’s previous attempt nevertheless leaves some perplexed observers.
With this passport, for example, more major constraints to go to the United Kingdom, Singapore or Dubai. The document gives access to more than 80 countries without visa. A potential appeal for certain criminal circles. Especially since the Australian public media ABC highlights a precedent arresting. In 2003, “Nauru officials sold citizenship to members of the Al-Qaeda Islamist terrorist group”. These people were then arrested on the Asian continent but the evil was done.
Nauru was forced to suspend his program. According to the Wall Street Journal, Nauru was then in the crosshairs of the American authorities who feared that this “golden passport” would strengthen the possibilities of displacement of malicious people.
Today, in the interview with ABC, the director of “Citizenship program for the economic and climatic resilience of Nauru“Edward Clark, assures that the profile verification processes will be “In -depth” And will involve the financial intelligence unit, police and controls by third parties.
In this interview, he adds than a German family “Relatively known” was already among the candidates selected as part of these new “golden passports“. “They were looking for secondary citizenship as a rescue plan if, for example, Germany had to implement military conscription.”
This family of four would have spent a total of 250,000 US dollars, a group prize, to obtain the citizenship of Nauru. And this is only the start of the program.
