Tipsheet

Is the FBI Harassing Veterans Groups Who Saved Americans and Interpreters in Afghanistan?

Hundreds of Americans and thousands of green card holders are still stranded behind enemy lines in Afghanistan thanks to President Joe Biden's chaotic and catastrophic exit from the country. 

For weeks, private veteran organizations have successfully organized to get as many Americans, Special Immigrant Visa holders and other vetted allies out. 

But now, the FBI is investigating the groups. Is it to make sure there isn't fraud? Or because the Biden administration, specifically the State Department, have been embarrassed and exposed by them? 

From Politico

The FBI has been reaching out to members of the veterans’ groups working to evacuate American citizens and at-risk Afghans and inquiring about their activities, in at least one case visiting a group leader at his home.

Agents have visited, emailed and called members of Task Force Pineapple and Task Force Dunkirk, two of the more prominent organizations, and other groups with a host of queries. The Bureau has asked groups about financial records, to provide manifests and make sure no federal laws are violated, according to eight group members and congressional aides familiar with the moves.

In one instance, agency officials showed up at the home of Scott Mann, founder of Task Force Pineapple, said Tim Parlatore, the group’s legal counsel. Such a visit is normal for the FBI, and the group cooperated fully, Parlatore said.

Some of the people described the outreach as nothing out of the ordinary and part of the growing public-private partnership on evacuations. “In my mind, the FBI was trying to be helpful, not intimidating,” a person familiar with the outreach said.

Others saw it differently. “Any time you get visited by the FBI or contacted by an entity like that, it's concerning,” said one person affiliated with the groups, who like others spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic.

Former Army Green Beret Tim Kennedy, who traveled to Afghanistan to help evacuate locals who assisted the U.S. during the war, is calling the situation "tragic."