“Colombian Soldiers Face Polygraph Tests”

Associated Press writer Dan Molinski reports in this article published by New York Newsday. Excerpt:

BOGOTA, Colombia — A group of Colombian soldiers claiming to have accidentally killed five peasants face lie detector tests after investigations showed that at least one of the victims was shot at point-blank range, authorities said Thursday.

In a statement, the Defense Ministry said it would also give a polygraph test to army troops who shot and killed seven elite anti-kidnapping police officers and four informants in a separate unresolved incident.

The administration of hard-line President Alvaro Uribe is facing mounting criticism over its inability to explain a spate of erroneous killings, nor bring any charges against those responsible for apparent army excesses.

“The results of these tests will be made available to legal authorities,” the communique said.

Colombian legal authorities should not make decisions based on the outcome of pseudoscientific polygraph “tests.” The procedure has an inherent bias against the truthful, and yet liars can easily pass using countermeasures that polygraphers cannot detect.

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