Summary
A 50-year-old lead engineer and U.S. citizen, originally from Lebanon, was denied a security clearance under Guideline B (Foreign Influence) and Guideline E (Personal Conduct). The denial stemmed primarily from concerns regarding his extensive family ties in Lebanon, which were deemed to pose an unacceptable security risk due to potential coercion or pressure.
Specifically, the applicant's parents and four siblings reside in Lebanon, and his wife's parents and four siblings are also Lebanese citizens living there. One of his brothers is a major in the Lebanese Air Force and had traveled to the U.S. multiple times for flight training between 1986 and 2001. The applicant himself traveled to Lebanon in 1994, 1998, and 2001.
The judge found insufficient evidence to mitigate the risks associated with these connections, particularly given the instability of the Lebanese government. The applicant's statements about how he would act under pressure were given little weight due to his lack of prior security clearance experience, and there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate that his siblings-in-law did not constitute an unacceptable risk.
Why the Applicant Was Denied
- The applicant's family members in Lebanon, including a brother in the Lebanese Air Force, posed an unacceptable security risk due to potential coercion or pressure.
- Insufficient evidence was presented to demonstrate that the applicant's siblings-in-law do not constitute an unacceptable risk.
- The applicant's statements regarding future actions in the event of pressure were given little weight due to lack of prior security clearance experience.
Conditions Referenced
- E2.A2.1.2.1raisedForeign Influence - Immediate Family Member Is a Citizen Of, or Resident or Present In, a Foreign Country
- E2.A2.1.2.3raisedForeign Influence - Relatives, Cohabitants, or Associates Who Are Connected with the Government
- E2.A2.1.3.1appliedForeign Influence - Immediate Family Member(s) Are Not Agents of a Foreign Power or in a Position to Be ExploitedThe applicant's parents were found to pose a minimal security risk.
- E2.A2.1.3.1rejectedForeign Influence - Immediate Family Member(s) Are Not Agents of a Foreign Power or in a Position to Be ExploitedInsufficient evidence regarding the applicant's siblings-in-law's employment status and contact frequency.
Key Rule Quoted
“The Lebanese citizenship, residency, and/or connection to the Lebanese government may pose an unacceptable security risk that can only be mitigated with substantial evidence demonstrating these family members do not constitute an unacceptable risk, particularly given the instability of the Lebanese government.”
Procedural Posture
- SOR issuedMay 6, 2004
- Answer filedMay 18, 2004
- Hearing heldJan 26, 2005
- Decision dateSep 23, 2005
Cite For
- Foreign Influence Concerns Related to Family Members in Foreign Countries
- Insufficient Evidence to Mitigate Security Risks Posed by Foreign Connections
- Weight Given to Applicant's Statements About Future Actions Under Pressure