Pentagon rushed Arabic translators

The Defense Department acknowledged yesterday it was lax in security checks for Arabic translators and Muslim military chaplains, and announced a new policy to screen the organizations that recommend chaplains.

Charles Abell, a deputy undersecretary for personnel and readiness for the department, said the Pentagon will seek out new Muslim organizations to endorse chaplains. The department now relies on two groups, both of which have been accused of holding radical views and supporting terrorists.

“As a result of the last several months of activities, we are looking around to see if there are organizations that might provide us Muslim chaplains other than the two that currently provide it,” he said.

Mr. Abell also said the department cut corners in its rush to hire Arabic translators after September 11.

“I think it’s fair to say that folks who were brought on with sort of interim-level checks, and then the more detailed checks to follow — I think the results of that are as we are seeing here. We have found a couple who were not as trustworthy as we had hoped initially,” he told a Senate Judiciary Committee subcommittee.

One chaplain and two translators — one Air Force member and one contract employee — have been arrested in an espionage probe at Guantanamo Bay naval base in Cuba, where the United States is holding suspected al Qaeda and Taliban members.

The Pentagon has ordered a review of how it recruits military chaplains, particularly Muslim clerics endorsed by U.S. Muslim groups with ties to radical Islam.

The probe first came to light after The Washington Times reported the Sept. 10 arrest of Capt. James Yee, a Muslim chaplain in the Army who was counseling Guantanamo prisoners. The Pentagon announced last week that it had charged Capt. Yee with disobeying a general order. The charges did not include espionage.

Meanwhile, the FBI is increasing its efforts to hire foreign-language specialists, including those who speak Arabic.

In an announcement posted yesterday on the bureau’s Web site (www.fbi.gov), FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III said more linguists are needed so agents “can respond to every investigative challenge, and meet all emerging threats.”

Since September 11, the FBI has turned the main focus of its 11,000-member work force to preventing terrorism. The shift has reduced the bureau’s role in traditional areas, such as drug and bank robbery investigations.

It also has increased the need for people who speak foreign languages.

“The need for translators takes on a new importance and meaning today than it did prior to 9/11,” said Paul Bresson, a spokesman at FBI headquarters. “Obviously, we’re not where we want to be, but we’ve made a lot of progress.”

Mr. Bresson said the FBI has done “an extensive amount of advertising” to attract more applicants for interpreter jobs.

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