Iowa senator demands Congress probe on how Shahzad became U.S. citizen

Washington, May 7 (ANI): The Republican Senator from Iowa, Charles Grassley, has sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking for the “Alien” file on Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad and his family members and for everyone who has been a reference or a sponsor for the terror suspect.

Keen to know how Shahzad was granted American citizenship, Senator Grassley wants to know if this file was in the hands of the official who approved Shahzad”s citizenship.

An Alien or “A” file includes visa and travel history, financial and personal information as well as any derogatory information from law enforcement.

According to CBS News, Grassley also wants Shahzad”s arrival forms that he filled out each time he re-entered the United States and whether or not he sponsored other individuals to become citizens.

CBS news reported Wednesday that Faisal Shahzad had appeared on a Department of Homeland Security watch list between 1999 and 2008 because he brought 80,000 dollars of cash into the United States.

Grassley wants the documents by May 11, 2010. (ANI)

Suspected flu deaths take toll to 66; 131 new HINI cases reported

New Delhi, Aug.23 (ANI): A total of 131 fresh cases of swine flu were reported from different parts of the country on Saturday, Health Ministry sources said in Delhi.

The new cases included 44 in Delhi, Karnataka 21, Bangalore 19, Gadag 1, Belgaum 1, Tamil Nadu 20, Chennai 17, Coimbatore 3, Maharashtra 23, Pune 1 and Nagpur 3.

Out of the total cases reported, six in Delhi and two in Kerala are cases with recent travel history to affected countries.

Meanwhile, the countrywide death toll due to HINI virus climbed to 66 on Sunday with one person each succumbing to suspected swine flu in Delhi, Chandigarh and Jalna in Maharashtra, even as 131 fresh cases of infection were reported from various states.

Maharashtra now accounts the highest cases with 35 flu deaths, followed by Karnataka with 12 casualties. (ANI)