Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (Full Version)

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Marcus. -> Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 1:23:59 AM)

This was a surprise.


12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, July 6, 2008

Ellen Nakashima, The Washington Post

WASHINGTON – In the 6 ½ years that the U.S. government has been fingerprinting insurgents, detainees and ordinary people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa, hundreds have turned out to share an unexpected background, FBI and military officials said. They have criminal arrest records in the United States.

There was the suspected militant fleeing Somalia who had been arrested on a minor drug charge in New Jersey. And the man stopped at a checkpoint in Tikrit, Iraq, who claimed to be a poor dirt farmer – but also had 11 felony charges in the United States, including assault with a deadly weapon.

The records suggest that potential enemies abroad know a great deal about the United States because many of them have lived here, officials said. The matches also reflect the power of sharing data across agencies and even countries, data that links an identity to a distinguishing human characteristic such as a fingerprint.

Story Continues



rlj -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 9:27:54 AM)

This doesn't remotely surprise me. There have been intelligence sharing issues that go back decades before 9/11. Sadly had those who sounded their horns on this throughout the cold war and into the '90s there would have been no 9/11. At least it is being done now.



mapachito13 -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 10:33:43 AM)

Actually the FBI maintains the most extensive database of "non-criminals" as well. If you've been fingerprinted for a teaching credential, security clearance or any other reason, your prints will never disappear out of the system even if you broke no laws. Persons in the military not only can have their fingerprints but their DNA as well as part of the database.

I see the logic behind it but I always wondered about the 4th Amendment implications of such a system. In some states you leave a thumbprint as part of your DMV record as a biometric ID.



Marcus. -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 12:08:12 PM)

The point of the article isn't that these people have had their fingerprints taken but as the article points out "They have criminal arrest records in the United States".



rcjames -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 1:44:07 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marcus.

The point of the article isn't that these people have had their fingerprints taken but as the article points out "They have criminal arrest records in the United States".


A most sobering revelation.


Thanks
RC



cow451 -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 5:58:48 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marcus.

The records suggest that potential enemies abroad know a great deal about the United States because many of them have lived here, officials said.


Why would that be surprising?



Marcus. -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/7/2008 6:20:18 PM)

That wasn't the surprise Cow. It was the opening paragraph's last sentence.

quote:

In the 6 ½ years that the U.S. government has been fingerprinting insurgents, detainees and ordinary people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa, hundreds have turned out to share an unexpected background, FBI and military officials said. They have criminal arrest records in the United States.



davemiller7 -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/8/2008 3:26:57 PM)

Given our lax border/immigration/student visa policies, I guess this doesn't surprise me. I am, however, very alarmed. The story doesn't say anything about whether these people served any time for their crimes, or why they are now free. Kinda goes along with learning that some of the people we released from Gitmo have rejoined their old comrades.

-Dave



cow451 -> RE: Hundreds of Global Insurgents Have Criminal Records in the U.S. (7/8/2008 3:38:52 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Marcus.

That wasn't the surprise Cow. It was the opening paragraph's last sentence.

quote:

In the 6 ½ years that the U.S. government has been fingerprinting insurgents, detainees and ordinary people in Afghanistan, Iraq and the Horn of Africa, hundreds have turned out to share an unexpected background, FBI and military officials said. They have criminal arrest records in the United States.



Given the millions of foreign visitors that have lived in the US for education or work purposes, "hundreds" having arrest records should not be a surprise based on statistics alone. It points out the potential to use law enforcement in the War on Terror.



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