FBI Suggests More Polygraphs for DoD, BOP

[George W. Maschke]

Today (Tuesday, 14 October 2003), the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary's Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism, and Government Information held a hearing titled "Terrorist Recruitment and Infiltration in the United States: Prisons and Military as an Operational Base."

FBI Assistant Director John S. Pistole of the Counterterrorism Division suggested in his prepared remarks that more polygraphs might be appropriate for personnel such as chaplains and translators in sensitive positions (such as the Camp Delta detention facility at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba):

GUANTANAMO BAY ISSUES

The FBI is working directly with the Department of Defense on issues surrounding the recent arrests of translator, Senior Airman Ahmad I. al-Halabi on July 23, 2003 in Jacksonville, Florida; chaplain, Captain James J. Yee on September 10, 2003; and translator, Ahmed Fathy Mehalba on September 29, 2003. The FBI considers these matters potentially serious breaches of national security and will continue to work jointly with the Department of Defense in order to successfully resolve these matters and limit the damage they may have caused.

The FBI is also working with both the Department of Defense and the Federal Bureau of Prisons to assess the mechanisms by which chaplains and translators are vetted for employment. In addition, the FBI is evaluating the protocols for ongoing security assessments of such employees during sensitive assignments, such as more frequent polygraph examinations.

[Fair Chance]

Currently, the BOP does not use the polygraph in any way.  I believe that this would be a severe hardship for them as the turnover amoung prison staff is quite high already without adding additional hurdles to jumb through.   Unless a high level Department of Justice person jumps on the band wagon, I doubt it will happen.

There has been noise again on how the FBI is trying to make the polygraph process more sellable to current employees as I heard there is a tape describing the process which is available only to existing employees (not prospective).  Seems like the polygraph is good enough for newbies but not acceptable for veterans.

Regards