Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON -- A senior U.S. Homeland Security Department intelligence official has been placed on administrative leave after an incident in which a dead fish and white powder were brought to department offices in Washington this month, according to two sources (see GSN, Feb. 10).

Administrative action has been taken against Maureen McCarthy, a senior adviser for weapons of mass destruction intelligence programs at the department, as a result of the incident, which sparked a security scare, the source said.

CongressDaily first reported that, according to sources, McCarthy received a suspicious package at her home containing a dead fish and white powder and brought it to her office in downtown Washington.

One source said McCarthy has enlisted the counsel of Jon Roberts of The Marbury Law Group, PLLC, to contest the department's administrative action against her.

When contacted late Tuesday, Roberts said McCarthy is employed by the department but would not confirm whether she has been placed on administrative leave. "We're following the procedures within DHS about this particular situation," he said.

McCarthy, a holdover from the Bush administration, is one of a number of officials who agency insiders say remains at the agency in positions created for them.

One source offered a defense of McCarthy's action saying that she was told by department security officials to bring the suspicious package to her offices. The source said McCarthy placed the fish in a sealed bag and put it in her freezer in an effort to secure it, not noticing any white powder in the package.

Other sources said she brought the package to her offices in her car and parked it under a ventilation shaft -- a move that an intelligence official should not have made.

"The concern is this woman heads weapons of mass destruction and she will put this package in her car and park under a ventilation shaft," said one source.