ISCR Case 21-00223

Case Headnote

ISCR Case No. 21-00223

grantedSep 30, 2022· Hon. Marc E. Curry· hearing

Summary

This security clearance decision involved a 57-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, originally from Turkey, under Guideline B (Foreign Influence). Concerns were raised due to the applicant's family and friends residing in Turkey, his birth and upbringing there, and his retirement as a colonel from the Turkish military in 2012. Additional factors included his father, a Turkish citizen with severe dementia, two veteran friends in Turkey, ownership of an inherited home in Turkey, and receipt of a Turkish military pension. The applicant had not traveled to Turkey since 2016.

Disqualifying conditions under Guideline B were considered, but mitigating conditions were applied. The judge determined that the applicant's financial interests in Turkey were minimal compared to his U.S. interests. Furthermore, his communication with family in Turkey was infrequent and did not suggest a risk of foreign influence.

Ultimately, the applicant's long-standing ties and loyalty to the U.S., demonstrated through his military service and naturalization, were established. The judge concluded that the applicant's connections to Turkey did not pose a significant national security risk, and the security clearance was GRANTED.

Why the Applicant Prevailed

The applicant's financial interests in Turkey were minimal compared to his interests in the U.S.
The applicant's communication with family in Turkey was infrequent and did not indicate a risk of foreign influence.
The applicant's long-standing ties and loyalty to the U.S. were established through his military service and naturalization.

Conditions Referenced

Disqualifying

AG ¶ 7(a)raisedContact with Foreign Family MembersContact with family members in Turkey raised concerns about potential foreign influence.
AG ¶ 7(b)raisedConnections to Foreign PersonsConnections to former military colleagues in Turkey raised concerns about divided allegiance.

Mitigating

AG ¶ 8(b)appliedMinimal Conflict of InterestThe applicant's deep ties to the U.S. outweighed any potential conflict of interest.
AG ¶ 8(c)appliedInfrequent Contact with Foreign CitizensThe applicant's limited communication with friends and family in Turkey was deemed insufficient to create a risk of foreign influence.

Key Rule Quoted

“The protection of the national security is the paramount consideration.”

Procedural Posture

SOR issuedMar 12, 2021
Answer filedApr 5, 2021Applicant requested a decision based on the written record.
Hearing heldJun 8, 2022Hearing conducted via videoteleconference.
Decision dateSep 30, 2022

Cite For

Mitigation of Foreign Influence Concerns Under Guideline B
Importance of U.S. Ties in Evaluating Foreign Contacts
Consideration of the Whole-person Concept in Security Clearance Decisions.

Editorial summary generated for research. Not legal advice; not a prediction. Verify against the full decision before relying on any quoted language.

¶	Allegation	Finding	Relationship	Country	Response	Disqualifying (¶7)	Mitigating applied (¶8)	Mitigation
1.a	Applicant mitigated the security concerns generated by his family members and friends who are citizens and residents of Turkey.	For Applicant	Parent in Foreign Country Immediate Family	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely	Claimed Deep U.S. Ties
1.b	Applicant was born and raised in Turkey.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.c	Applicant retired from the Turkish military in 2012, as a colonel.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.d	Applicant’s father is a citizen and resident of Turkey.	For Applicant	Parent in Foreign Country Immediate Family	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.e	Applicant’s father has severe dementia and is non-communicative.	For Applicant	Parent in Foreign Country Immediate Family	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.f	Applicant has two friends remaining in Turkey who are veterans of the Turkish military.	For Applicant	Friend in Foreign Country Friend	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.g	Applicant owns a home in Turkey that he inherited when his mother died.	For Applicant	Foreign Real Estate Financial or Property Interest	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.h	Applicant receives a pension from his career in the Turkish military.	For Applicant	Foreign Employment or Pension Financial or Property Interest	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—
1.i	Applicant has not traveled to Turkey since 2016.	For Applicant	Unspecified Foreign Relationship Other	Turkey LOW RISK / ALLY	Admitted	(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation (b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest	—	—

Allegation

Finding

Relationship

Country

Response

Disqualifying (¶7)

Mitigating applied (¶8)

Mitigation

1.a

Applicant mitigated the security concerns generated by his family members and friends who are citizens and residents of Turkey.

For Applicant

Parent in Foreign Country

Immediate Family

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

(a) relationships such that a conflict between foreign and U.S. interests is unlikely

Claimed

Deep U.S. Ties

1.b

Applicant was born and raised in Turkey.

For Applicant

Unspecified Foreign Relationship

Other

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.c

Applicant retired from the Turkish military in 2012, as a colonel.

For Applicant

Unspecified Foreign Relationship

Other

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.d

Applicant’s father is a citizen and resident of Turkey.

For Applicant

Parent in Foreign Country

Immediate Family

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.e

Applicant’s father has severe dementia and is non-communicative.

For Applicant

Parent in Foreign Country

Immediate Family

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.f

Applicant has two friends remaining in Turkey who are veterans of the Turkish military.

For Applicant

Friend in Foreign Country

Friend

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.g

Applicant owns a home in Turkey that he inherited when his mother died.

For Applicant

Foreign Real Estate

Financial or Property Interest

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.h

Applicant receives a pension from his career in the Turkish military.

For Applicant

Foreign Employment or Pension

Financial or Property Interest

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

1.i

Applicant has not traveled to Turkey since 2016.

For Applicant

Unspecified Foreign Relationship

Other

Turkey

LOW RISK / ALLY

Admitted

(a) contact with a foreign family member/associate/friend creating a heightened risk of exploitation

(b) connections creating a potential conflict of interest

—

Loading case…

Summary

Why the Applicant Prevailed

Conditions Referenced

Key Rule Quoted

Procedural Posture

Cite For

Full decision