A new intelligence report indicates Islamic State's access to Syrian government data means the group possesses the components needed to make passports, CNN reported Dec. 11, 2015, citing a law enforcement official with knowledge of the report's contents.
The report is crafted from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement intelligence sources and notes that Islamic State can utilize passport printing machines and blank passport books to potentially make legitimate documents, the source told CNN.
Considering that Islamic State has entree to government buildings in Syria that contain biographical and fingerprint data, the source explained, the possibility of identity theft is alarming.
"We have been aware of reports, not just in the press, that they (Islamic State) may have obtained this capability"
"Obviously, it's something that we take seriously."
U.S. law agencies were alerted "in recent weeks," said the source, who confirmed an ABC News report about the fake passport issue. The intelligence was shared after concern arose that "someone 'may have traveled to the U.S.' using a fake passport," CNN explained, citing an ABC quote of the report.
Earlier this week, FBI Director James Comey testified in public before Congress that the intelligence community was "concerned" about Islamic State's "capability to manufacture fraudulent passports, which is a concern in any setting."
ABC reported that several fake passports have been identified in Europe, with at least one being tied to a suicide bomber involved in the Nov. 13 Paris terrorist attacks.
One potential way to deal with this threat may come in the form of a chip.
Sen. Angus King of Maine told CNN the government wants to strengthen passport security by adding chips with biometric data.
"I think this tells us that we've got to accelerate doing that. But in the world of threats, of course, this is the one of them, but there are lots of other things we have to attend to as well," King said.
