Washington, D.C. October 11, 2006.  Today the National Whistleblowers Center released a copy of a sworn affidavit of Michael J. Heimbach, the Section Chief for the FBI’s top operational counterterrorism program – the International Terrorism Operations Section (“ITOS”).  In this affidavit, Mr. Heimbach admitted that the FBI has no agents employed within ITOS who are fluent in Arabic.  He also conceded that there are “no agent positions” in ITOS that “utilize the Arabic language as part of their ITOS duties or responsibilities.”

The President of the National Whistleblowers Center, and an attorney for FBI whistleblowers (including Mr. Youssef), Mr. Stephen M. Kohn, issued the following statement:

Five years after the tragedy of 9/11, the FBI is still unprepared to defend national security against Middle Eastern terrorist threats.  The fact that the FBI’s critical operational unit dedicated to the War on Terror (ITOS) lacks even one agent fluent in Arabic is shocking. The fact that none of the FBI’s post-9/11 “vacancy announcements” for ITOS positions listed Arabic language skills or knowledge of the Middle East as either mandatory or “preferred” qualifications is simply shocking.

A copy of the Heimbach affidavit is attached below. Additionally, attached is a copy of an FBI analysis of Arabic speaking agents and a copy of a report by the Department of Justice Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) which supported assigning FBI agent Bassem Youssef (who is a fluent Arabic speaking agent) to a position in ITOS.

• Declaration of Michael J. Heimbach
• FBI Analysis of Arabic Language Proficiency Ratings
  
• Report of Investigation of Whistleblower
  Allegations by Federal Bureau of Investigation
  Special Agent Bassem Youssef
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• FBI Agents Still Lacking Arabic Skills
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• Arabic at the FBI
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