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| Fake Documents Got Workers Into Nuke Plant |
| 2005-06-20 |
| via Drudge KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Sixteen foreign-born construction workers with phony immigration documents were able to enter a nuclear weapons plant in eastern Tennessee because of lax security controls, a federal report said Monday. I'd like to know where these people are from. Just about every time they don't say where they are from they turn out to be from someplace where Allan is popular. Controls at the Y-12 weapons plant have since been tightened and there was no evidence the workers had access to any sensitive documents, said the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear weapons facilities for the Department of Energy. "And no US warhead technology ever made it into the hands of the Chinese either." However, the DOE inspector general's office said in the report issued Monday that its field agents found "official use only" documents "lying unprotected in a construction trailer which was accessed by the foreign construction workers" at the plant. Nice. "Thus, these individuals were afforded opportunities to access ... (this) information," the inspector general wrote. "We concluded that this situation represented a potentially serious access control and security problem." Ya think? Jeez, our government at work. The report, initiated by a tip in 2004, said the workers had fake green cards that certified them to work in the United States. Their cases were turned over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency for deportation. I'm sure the hearing will held within the next four years. Gotta let the ALCU prepare their defense first. In response to the foreign workers intrusion at the plant, visitors now must provide passports or birth certificates along with other background information. I wonder if that Mexican Consulate card will suffice. The inspector general said it was particularly concerned about allowing subcontractors to self-certify the citizenship of their employees, and that the Office of Counterintelligence didn't know foreign constructions workers were at the Y-12 site until it was notified by the inspector general's office. Since it doesn't seem to matter much who's a citizen and who's not anymore, I'm surprised they bothered. Sheesh. My father works at K-25, just down the road. I asked if he knows more about this. I'll update if he has anything. |
| Posted by:Laurence of the Rats |
| #9 ...the guards should have noticed they were fake when they all had the same name, and were printed on a home computer. "Thanks for your credit card... Mrs. Goldstein!" |
| Posted by: Steve Martin (The Jerk) 2005-06-20 20:24 |
| #8 I worked onsite at Y-12 on and off for 10 years. Security there is tight. I doubt these fellars got anywhere close to any real sensitive information. Lots of work on the DOE property is in unclassified areas. I dont think you even need a clearance for OUO. It is a black mark for the security. They will have to explain how this won't happen again. Some of this might have to do with DOE's unoffical set asides for minority and disadvantaged companies. PC forbids me to talk about this. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2005-06-20 19:59 |
| #7 mmurry, I agree. The only way to get into the really secret sites was how you described. Even a Q clearance wouldn't get you into most places. I worked at all three sites in Oak Ridge. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-06-20 18:25 |
| #6 Much ado about nothing. To get onto a construction site at a location, you need some regular 'ol ID. To get into a "restricted" area, you need a badge, issued by the security officer. To get into a "secret" area, you need previously said badge with color coded clearance, followed with the door combination lock and past the guard. To get into a "top secret" area, you need the above things, past several more guards and some have eye scanners and fingerprint scanners in addition to the keypad lock. These guys got onto the construction site. Big whoop. Bitch about something else besides nuke plants MSM. And Gitmo or Abbu Grabbie doesn't count. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-06-20 17:07 |
| #5 Deacon Blues - I believe that Libyan material went to Y-12 as well. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-06-20 17:03 |
| #4 This was a bunch of Mexican laborers no doubt. No Mexican construction worker/groundskeeper/restaurant worker anywhere in the country has real greencards, the guards should have noticed they were fake when they all had the same name, and were printed on a home computer. The security guards probably don't even check these guys, they Mexicans not Arabs! MM |
| Posted by: Mountain Man 2005-06-20 16:26 |
| #3 My father hadn't even heard of this incident, but he did have this to say: "This report leaves more questions than answers. When did this occur? Where in Y-12? There are a number of areas that are considered to be in the plant where uncleared people can work. They mark almost everything official use only. Also, a construction site could mean buildings that are strictly support buildings or more probably associated with some of the cleanup that is going on. I assure you that no one entered the real security area where you must have your hand stamped from GOD to enter and you are strictly controlled even then." |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-06-20 16:15 |
#2 I wonder if that Mexican Consulate card will suffice. It probably will. It seems to suffice for a lot of other things. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-06-20 16:10 |
| #1 Maaybe something has changed but when I was there back in 93, 94, 95, Y-12 was not making bombs any more but was storing a lot of stuff. When the Berlin wall came down they got a bunch of Russian material as well to store. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-06-20 15:50 |