A key investigator in an espionage case against a Syrian-born former interpreter at the Guantanamo Bay prison now faces criminal charges himself, including rape, sodomy and fondling girls, the Air Force said.
Technical Sergeant Marc Palmosina, who assisted the lead investigator in the case of Ahmad Al Halabi, was charged on May 26 with the crimes near Travis and near Kadena Air Base in Japan as long ago as 1998. It is unclear how many victims were involved, said Air Force spokeswoman Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Cassidy.
Palmosina is also accused of mishandling classified documents in 2001 and last year. Cassidy said the investigation into these crimes is ongoing, and that the charges have nothing to do with the case against Al Halabi, a senior airman.
The charges against Palmosina were revealed on Tuesday outside court by Al Halabi's civilian defense lawyer, Donald Rehkopf Jr., who has accused the Air Force of sloppy investigative work that resulted in unwarranted charges against his client. The Air Force later released a document outlining the charges against Palmosina.
In May, Rehkopf filed a motion asking for the dismissal of all charges against Al Halabi, who faces 17 criminal counts including attempted espionage, lying and misconduct. If convicted of the most serious charges, he could be sentenced to life in a military prison. The military judge was likely to rule on the matter yesterday.
"The case was poorly investigated from the beginning," Rehkopf said on Tuesday during a court break. "The more we dig into it, the less evidence there is."
Al Halabi, 25, was a supply clerk at the Travis base until the military's demand for Arabic speakers increased sharply and he was sent to Guantanamo. He was arrested last July as he prepared to leave for Syria, where he said he planned to marry his girlfriend.
Palmosina helped the lead investigator in the case, Special Agent Lance Wega. Rehkopf alleges that Wega and others drank beer, failed to wear gloves and rifled evidence.
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