In an article titled, “Virginia man with link to hijacker ordered held without bond,” the Associated Press mentions that a Saudi man has been cleared of suspicion in the terrorist strikes of 11 September after passing a polygraph “test”: –A Saudi man arrested 13 miles south of Washington Dulles International Airport the night after the … Read more
New York Daily News columnist Zev Chafets, in an article titled “How the Israelis Are Helping U.S. Fight Terror War,” asserts that Israeli counterintelligence has offered polygraph support to the FBI. Excerpt: …Shin Bet, Israel’s counterintelligence organization, has offered to provide the FBI with operatives who can speak Arabic and Farsi, and can administer and … Read more
Senate Report 107-63 “authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2002 for intelligence and intelligence-related activities of the United States Government, the Community Management Account of the Director of Central Intelligence, and the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System, and for other purposes” includes a directive to the FBI, CIA, and DoD to report on polygraph … Read more
In an article titled, “Feds Make First Arrest in Attacks,” John Solomon and Karen Gullo of the Associated Press report that an acquaintance of one of the hijackers (not necessarily the material witness who was arrested) had “failed” a polygraph “test.” Excerpt: Meanwhile, the FBI provided warnings Friday to two Southeast cities – Richmond, Va., … Read more
In a correction to an earlier report, CNN.com reports that the FBI has cleared of suspicion a man originally thought to have piloted one of the four hijacked airliners based (at least in part) on a passed polygraph “test”: CORRECTION We would like to correct a report that appeared on CNN. Based on information from … Read more
Detroit Free Press staff writers Shawn Windsor and Jim Schaefer report. Excerpt: An FBI agent tried during the weekend to convince Charles (Chuckie) O’Brien again to take a lie-detector test regarding the disappearance of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, according to a letter that O’Brien’s lawyer said came from the agent. William Bufalino II said … Read more
At the first day of his confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, FBI Director designate Robert S. Mueller III voiced his support for continued polygraph screening of senior FBI officials: Sen. Hatch: …We understand that the FBI is now requiring polygraphs for managers handling national security matters. Are you willing to … Read more
Lenny Savino of the Knight Ridder Washington bureau reports. Excerpt: WASHINGTON – “Less than 25” top FBI officials and other personnel in sensitive positions failed to pass polygraph exams initiated in the wake of the Robert Hanssen spy case, according to senior bureau officials. Failure to pass could mean either that the findings were inconclusive … Read more
New York Times correspondents James Risen and Raymond Bonner report. Excerpt: WASHINGTON, July 20 — The Federal Bureau of Investigation dismissed as useless today a privately administered polygraph examination taken by Representative Gary A. Condit in connection with the disappearance of Chandra Ann Levy. In a statement, the F.B.I. said there was “no way to … Read more
Today’s Washington Post editorial, “Mr. Hanssen’s Plea” carries with it an implicit endorsement of polygraph screening. Excerpt (emphasis added): Fixing…vulnerabilities [in FBI security procedures] is the task ahead. No system can ensure perfect security. There will be smart and unscrupulous would-be spies at an organization the size of the bureau who find cracks to slip … Read more