Summary
The applicant, a 55-year-old product assurance manager born in Egypt, sought security clearance under Guideline B due to foreign influence concerns stemming from family connections in Egypt. The government failed to demonstrate a heightened risk of foreign exploitation or coercion, leading to the conclusion that granting the clearance was consistent with national interest.
Under Guideline B (Foreign Influence), the Statement of Reasons alleged the following: Applicant admitted the allegations of the SOR, but provided annotations indicating that a brother who resided in Sudan had moved to the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) and one sister residing in Egypt was a U.S. citizen (1.a). Applicant is a 55-year-old product assurance manager, continuously employed by the same defense contractor since August 1987 (1.b). Applicant was born in Egypt in October 1951. In 1985, he went absent-without-leave (AWOL) from the Egyptian Air Force and immigrated to the U.S (1.c). Applicant believes he can never return to Egypt because he might be detained by the authorities (1.d). Applicant immigrated to the U.S. on a valid Egyptian passport, and obtained U.S. citizenship in October 1989 (1.e). Applicant has never traveled to Egypt since coming to the U.S. and has not had an Egyptian passport since it expired after he immigrated to the U.S (1.f).
The judge granted the clearance. The decision turned on the following: The government did not establish a heightened risk of foreign exploitation due to the applicant's limited family connections in Egypt; The applicant's family members in Egypt were not shown to pose a risk of coercion or manipulation; The applicant's status as a naturalized U.S. citizen and his long-term residence in the U.S. mitigated concerns.
Why the Applicant Prevailed
- The government did not establish a heightened risk of foreign exploitation due to the applicant's limited family connections in Egypt.
- The applicant's family members in Egypt were not shown to pose a risk of coercion or manipulation.
- The applicant's status as a naturalized U.S. citizen and his long-term residence in the U.S. mitigated concerns.
Key Rule Quoted
“Foreign influence adjudications can and should consider the identity of the foreign country in which the foreign contact or financial interest is located—including, but not limited to, whether the country is known to target U.S. citizens to obtain protected information and/or is associated with a risk of terrorism.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedApr 4, 2007
- Answer filedApr 24, 2007
- Hearing held—Applicant requested a decision without hearing.
- Decision dateAug 29, 2007
Cite For
- Evaluation of Foreign Influence Under Guideline B
- Insufficient Evidence of Coercion From Foreign Family Ties
- Importance of U.S. Citizenship in Mitigating Foreign Influence Concerns.