US Says It Has No Reason
For Any Obstruction In
The ICE-ALCATEL Scandal
The U.S. Embassy in San
José alleges to have had
no intention to obstruct
Costa Rican authorities
of their investigation
into the ICE-Alcatel
bribery scandal, as
suggested by the
country's Fiscal (Chief
Prosecutor), Francisco
Dall’Anese, following
his delay by US
immigration officials in
Miami on April 23.
The Embassy insists that
it was not aware of the
Dall’Anese trip whose
purpose was to interview
Christian Sapsizian, a
French national and
former Alcatel Costa
Rican official, being
held in the U.S. and
involved in the
corruption case in Costa
Rica.
"The embassy did not
have any knowledge of
the Dall’Anese travel
plans nor did the State
Department, which could
have give Mr. Dall’Anese
special courtesy at the
point of entry", said
Peter Brennan and Magda
Siekert in a note sent
to the Spanish language
daily, Al Día.
Brennan is in charge of
affairs at the Embassy
and Siekert, press
officer.
According a report by
the US government on the
incident and sent to
Costa Rica's foreign
minister, Bruno Stagno,
the Fiscal has been
invited to "speak to Mr.
Sapsizian, an important
witness in the Alcatel
case".
The report says the US
is very interested in
resolving the case and
has no reason for any
obstruction, rather to
the contrary, wants to
clear up everything.
The report admits that
Dall'Anese's entry at
the port of Miami was
delayed, however, he was
allowed entry and the
reason for the delay was
that the Fiscal's name
and birth date coincided
with the name and birth
date of person on the US
"observation" list.
The report indicates,
that although Dall'Anese
was given entry to the
US he was advised by US
officials not to
continue with his travel
plans and to return to
Costa Rica to file a
formal complaint on his
treatment.
The report sent to the
Costa Rican foreign
ministry indicates that
the Fiscal was
travelling on an
invitation of the US
Department of Justice.
According to the US
Embassy in Costa Rica,
Brennan called
Dall'Anese the night of
April 23 at his hotel
room but only left a
message, offering his
apologies and numbers
where he could be
called. |
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