[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 134 (Thursday, September 18, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S5853]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO COMBINED JOINT INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE 435

  Mr. GRAHAM. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing the contributions of Combined Joint Interagency Task Force, 
CJIATF, 435. On October 1, 2014, CJIATF 435 will conclude a 5-year 
mission in Afghanistan to conduct U.S. law of armed conflict detainee 
operations while successfully training, advising, and assisting the 
Afghan National Army and Afghan justice sector to develop and improve 
the investigation, prosecution, and detention of insurgent and terror-
related threats.
  CJIATF 435's team included Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force 
servicemembers, Department of Defense civilians, contractors, and 
coalition members. The team developed a strong collaborative 
relationship with highly capable partners in the Afghan National Army 
Military Police Guard Command, the National Directorate of Security, 
the Attorney General's Office, and the Supreme Court. They also 
partnered with U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Justice.
  On September 18, 2009, CJIATF 435 was established originally as Joint 
Task Force 435, JTF 435, to assume command, control, oversight and 
responsibility for all U.S. detainee operations in Afghanistan and 
coordinate with other partners to promote the rule of law and use of 
biometrics in Afghanistan. Through its subordinate command, the Rule of 
Law Field Force-Afghanistan, CJIATF 435 partnered with the Office of 
the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan for Rule of Law and Law Enforcement. 
With the addition of combined and interagency partners, JTF 435 
officially became CJIATF 435 on September 1, 2010.
  CJIATF 435 justice advisors from the Rule of Law Field Force-
Afghanistan and the Joint Legal Center, trained, advised, and assisted 
Afghan prosecutors, judges, and investigators, which enabled the 
justice system to try over 7,000 cases with a 75 percent conviction 
rate, resulting in more than 3,000 insurgents held accountable for 
their crimes. The Joint Legal Center also responded to over 12,000 
requests for information from Afghan courts. The National Directorate 
of Security Agents provided information for investigations to assist in 
convictions.
  CJIATF 435 instituted the first of its kind Afghan Training Team 
program that provided opportunities for expert Afghan criminal 
investigators, forensic experts, and prosecutors to share their 
professional expertise with provincial investigators and prosecutors. 
The program trained more than 400 students in a multitude of Evidence 
Based Operations procedures.
  The CJIATF 435 Intelligence Directorate, the Theater Intelligence 
Group, conducted more than 30,000 interviews and produced thousands of 
reports in support of Afghan investigation, prosecution, and detention 
operations. Outstanding intelligence collection consisting of over 
30,000 interrogations generating more than 5,500 intelligence 
information reports, resulting in over 2,000 source directed 
requirements, made legal victories possible and contributed valuable 
information to the war fighting effort. The Theater Intelligence Group 
expertly partnered with Afghan law enforcement investigators to train 
and assist them in conducting interviews and investigations of complex 
terror organizations.
  CJIATF 435 managed the theater biometrics database which enrolled 
thousands of individuals associated with the insurgency into the 
database and prevented them from entering coalition bases. The 
biometrics enabled watchlist was critical to force protection and led 
to the capture, targeting, and tactical questioning of hundreds of 
possible threats. These biometric enrollments also linked many 
insurgents to a host of crimes against the coalition and the Afghan 
people.
  During the transition of detention operations to Afghan custody and 
control, CJIATF 435 ensured the Afghan Military Police Guard Command 
provided secure and humane care, custody, and control of over 3,500 
detainees. CJIATF 435 provided hands-on training, mentorship, and 
oversight to facilitate the complete transfer of detainee operations to 
the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, GIRoA. Their 
tireless efforts set the conditions of GIRoA's largest detention 
facility to conduct independent operations in full compliance with 
international standards of humane care and detainee treatment.
  As CJIATF 435 approached the end of mission, it established a rule of 
law development team to continue mentoring the Afghan prosecutors, 
judges, investigators and military police in the investigation, 
prosecution, and detention of national security threats. Through the 
tireless efforts of the men and women of CJIATF 435, the Afghans are 
well poised to effectively operate the National Security Justice Center 
at Parwan which will protect the Afghan people and coalition forces 
while strengthening the rule of law in Afghanistan.
  Commending the combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 on a job 
well-done for supporting the Government of Afghanistan as it built 
self-sustaining detention capacity and rule of law institutions 
compliant with Afghan and international law, I ask that the Senate join 
me in acknowledging the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of CJIATF 
435 for promoting the values of democracy.

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