In the Netherlands, seven of 12 immigrant men acquitted Thursday of recruiting volunteers for Islamic jihad are still being detained because they were illegal residents at the time of their arrest. The government said the men would be deported. The prosecutor in the trial alleged that the suspects were members of a criminal gang helping to recruit and train volunteers for holy war against the West.

***

Canada's Immigration Department has asked the cabinet to give the agency exemption from provisions of the country's access-to-immigration law. Immigration officials want greater ability to keep information secret by obtaining "investigative body" designation for its enforcement and intelligence branches, authorizing them to keep records off-limits for 20 years. In his annual report issued this week, Information Commissioner John Reid said the Immigration Department's request was just another barrier to public access, and that it would contribute to "a deeply imbedded governmental culture of secrecy."

***

The United Arab Emerites have informally extended general amnesty for illegal immigrants following a request by embassies. It is the second extension of amnesty and would pardon those in the country illegally and allow them to leave without punishment until the end of the month. The original deadline was April 30 and was pushed back 30 days in order to process a last minute rush.

***

Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has been under intense scrutiny this week, answering questions about three separate cases of migrants who were granted visas after giving money to the Liberal Party. The latest story involves Dante Tan, a Filipino, who gave $10,000 to Ruddock's 2001 election campaign and was later granted reinstatement of his business visa. Tan is wanted a wanted man in his native Philippines on insider-trading allegations that contributed to the resignation of Filipino President Joseph Estrada.