Samoan Government Official Arrested in Branson

Samoan Government Official Arrested in Branson Reported by: Angie Weidinger Thursday, Sep 18, 2008 @08:41pm CST (Springfield, MO) -- He may be one of the most prominent politicians to ever have been locked up in the Greene County jail. For one week, an Associate Minister of Samoa was held in the jail facing federal felony charges of posing as a U.S. citizen and misusing a U.S. passport. On Wednesday, he was released on a $100,000 bond that prevents him from leaving this area.  But the problem that put him in this predicament goes all the way back to the 1960s and it raises a lot of questions. Since last week, letters have been pouring in to attorney John Kizer's office. "A lot of people in his government has been contacting people in our government." says Kizer. Letters with seals and signatures he doesn't normally see, including the Prime Mnister of Samoa. "I'm seeing a tremendous amount of support from his fellow countrymen and people around the world.  We got daily faxes, as did the jail and the U.S. Attorney's office." syas Kizer. All with one purpose, getting the two federal felony charges filed against Hans Joachim Keil dropped. "I think the Department of Homeland Security in this case has jumped to some conclusions that they shouldn't have." says Kizer. Keil is the Samoan Associate Minister of Commerce, Labor and Industry and a member of the Samoan parliament.  Court records show he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1967 around the same time he was serving in the U.S. military. "He served for four years in the U.S. Air Force during the conflict in Vietnam.  If that doesn't qualify you for citizenship, I don't know what does." says Kizer. But even after his request, records show a certificate of citizenship wasn't issued.  He applied again in 1976.  Court records don't show what happened to that application, but in September 2006, he was issued a U.S. passport. Since that time, a spokesperson for the Duttons says Keil's visited Branson multiple times to check in on a group of Samoans performing in the Island Fire show. Then in March of this year, a United States Citizenship and Immigration Service director reported Keil is not a U.S. citizen.  But, when Keil came to the U.S. on September 6, he passed through customs in Los Angeles with no reported problems.  On September 9, he was arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service outside the Dutton Family Theatre in Branson. "I think it's been an imperfect storm; a combination of one hand doesn't know what the other hand is doing and too many bureaucracies were involved.  He's not a danger to the community and since 9/11, there are terrorists out there and he's not one of them." says Kizer. Many say this is a huge mixup, but it does raise concerns over how all of this was handled.  If the federal government knew of this issue since March, why was Keil allowed into the country earlier this month and then arrested three days later?      Keil does have a daughter who lives in the Springfield area, as well as other family in the U.S.       Keil has been a member of the Samoan parliament since 1988 and voted to pass anti-terrorism efforts in his country. (Photo of Keil: Islands Business) -- http://www.bransonedge.com http://www.bransonmissouri.blogspot.com