The Ties That Bind

By Douglas Farah

The Washington Post's recent article on the surprises that the biometric database is turning in among those arrested abroad shows in part the ties that bind terrorist and criminal groups.

It also shows the power of sharing data across institutional lines, as well as the inherent issues related to individual privacy that will have to be navigated as the we move forward.

What the biometric database that has been developed since 9/11 shows is that many of those arrested in Iraq, Somalia, Colombia and elsewhere are wanted criminals in the United States. The hit rate is above 1 percent, which may not seem like a lot, but offers only a glimpse into the number of criminals now participating in wars against the United States.

These criminal records, matched by fingerprints, and is some cases iris scans and other measures, show just how vulnerable the United is should terrorists (whether Islamist extremists or other groups) choose to attack.

"I found the number stunning," said Frances Fragos Townsend, a security consultant and former assistant to the president for homeland security. "It suggested to me that this was going to give us far greater insight into the relationships between individuals fighting against U.S. forces in the theater and potential U.S. cells or support networks here in the United States."

So, many people who lived here, know the system and voluntarily or involuntarily leave to join radical Islamist movements abroad or carry out terrorist activities with other groups. And the ones that are known are those who have had the misfortune to get arrested and leave a criminal record. My full blog is here.

TrackBack