| A South African woman was charged today with illegally entering the United States. Federal authorities say she appeared at an airport near the U-S-Mexico border with a mutilated passport, several plane tickets and flight schedules, and a pair of wet, muddy pants in her bag. Federal authorities are investigating whether Farida Goolam Mohamed Ahmed has ties to al Qaeda or other terrorists groups. They have not substantiated anything so far. That's what a senior federal law enforcement official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The 48-year-old was arrested July 19th at the McAllen airport after she failed to produce a visa to prove her legal travel within the United States. That's what F-B-I Special Agent Davie Delgado said in an affidavit. The affidavit says that Ahmed provided a South African passport that was missing four pages. Authorities say she said that her Visa was in New York. Authorities say she later told them she was smuggled into the United States from Mexico by crossing the Rio Grande. Ahmed's attorney says there's no evidence that his client has terrorist ties. The Associated Press reported earlier today that authorities believed crime syndicates operating within the South African government were believed to be selling illegal passports. |