Former U.S. Army biologist Steven Hatfill helped train U.S. intelligence agents and special forces to search for weapons of mass destruction and helped plan security for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan, all while coming under increased FBI scrutiny during the bureau’s investigation into the 2001 anthrax attacks, the Washington Post reported today (see GSN, July 2).

Hatfill, who has been the public focus of the FBI’s anthrax investigation, helped train an elite Defense Intelligence Agency team on how to search for biological weapons, assisted secret projects conducted by the U.S. Army’s Delta Force unit and participated in at least one U.S. State Department meeting on embassy security in postwar Afghanistan, according to documents and interviews with U.S. officials and Hatfill associates.  In addition, Hatfill received letters of praise for his work from the DIA and the State Department, according to the Post.

In March 2002, Hatfill led a training session for the DIA’s Chemical and Biological Intelligence Support Team at Camp Dawson, W.Va., said agency spokesman Don Black.  The DIA was preparing agents to be sent to Afghanistan and was also training them for possible deployment to Iraq and other countries to search for biological and chemical weapons, the Post reported. 

For Hatfill to be involved in the training program, the DIA had to call on its training contractor Science Applications International Corp. to allow him to participate, even though he had recently lost his security clearance, Black said.  While SAIC had fired Hatfill shortly before the training session began, it agreed to allow him to volunteer after the DIA’s request, a Hatfill associate said.

For Hatfill’s work with the DIA, division leader Esteban Rodriguez sent a letter of commendation on his behalf to SAIC, the Post reported.  The May 1, 2002, letter said Hatfill “consistently displayed unsurpassed technical expertise, unique resourcefulness, total dedication and consummate professionalism.  I wish to express my most sincere gratitude to this ultimate biological weapons expert.”

Hatfill’s work for the Pentagon, done while the FBI investigation into the anthrax attacks intensified, caused tensions between the two agencies, sources close to the investigation said. 

Hatfill spokesman Pat Clawson said yesterday that he could not discuss aspects of Hatfill’s work for the government because it is classified.  Many U.S. agencies, however, see Hatfill as a pre-eminent biological weapons expert, Clawson said.

“If the facts were known, most Americans would be deeply grateful to Dr. Hatfill for his service to our nation,” Clawson said.  “Steve Hatfill knows nothing about the anthrax attacks.  He is a loyal American and patriot who loves his country,” he said (Marilyn Thompson, Washington Post, July 3).

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