Tuesday, July 10, 2012

How Strange: INSCOM Invokes Glomar on Bradley Manning Support Network Request

If the existence of an investigation into the Bradley Manning Support Network was odd, the respond of INSCOM to a FOIA request on the matter is straight-up strange.

In response to a FOIA request for their records pertaining to the Bradley Manning Support Network, INSCOM sent the out a letter informing the requesters that their request had been forwarded to the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division for processing. When the requesters followed up, seeking information as to whether INSCOM was still processing the request, they met up with brief resistance before Elaine Rogic informed the requesters:
Per DOD instruction, all inquiries relating to this matter must be forwarded to the U.S. Army Crime Records Center (CRC).  I am unable to answer your inquiry and recommend that you direct your inquiry to CRC.
Further inquiry by the requesters was ignored including a request for clarification as to whether or not INSCOM was invoking FOIA. Administrative appeals have been submitted.

In short, the Bradley Manning Support Network appears to be something special if INSCOM is unable to answer whether or not it has responsive records or even invoke Glomar by itself.

Below is the relevant email exchange provided to the Historiographic Anarchy by the requester.

INSCOM- BMSN Record