– If I had felt that this process had been done correctly, I would not be talking to you now. After 13 years in the front line of Norwegian emergency services, “Elvin” has been sidelined. – When you have delivered and sacrificed so much, it is a dagger in the back that is difficult to accept. This autumn, news has been in contact with several people who have lost their security clearance, and who are waiting for an answer as to whether they can return to their original job in the police. All have a relative or background from Iran. Among them is Elvin. For a year and a half, he has been waiting for an answer in his complaint. Recently, he was told to wait up to nine more months. In recent years, the processing time for complaints in the National Security Authority (NSM) has skyrocketed. – This takes my best years. It is very frustrating, he says. The hunt His employer has asked news not to write about who he is and where he has worked. news therefore also does not write what he has done, what assignments he has been on or his real name. Elvin has never thought of any country other than Norway as “home”. He was three years old when he came to the country, and has grown up with a tent and a cabin. “Elvin” came to Norway from Iran as a child. Photo: Tor-Arne Vikingstad / news Today, hunting is a great passion. – Autumn is the best time for it. But it has somehow lost its colors. It has been incredibly hard to lose everything you have built up. “High integrity” and a “good moral compass”. When he got a job in the police, there were several reasons. When his application for security clearance was rejected, he was given only one reason. – I have never felt discriminated against. But when I read the letter, it struck me that I don’t stand the same way as the others, says Elvin. Once an Iranian, always an Iranian The reason he has received from the Civil Clearance Authority (SKM) is that he and his family are connected to Iran, the country they fled from when Elvin was a child. SKM points out that the connection makes Elvin vulnerable to pressure and influence. – I have had security clearance for so many years. Iran has never been an issue. Until now, says Elvin. – I was very surprised that they linked me to Iran in the way they did. It is completely remote for me, he continues. It is also stated in the letter that he exhibits “some lack of reflection regarding connections to Iran and his own vulnerabilities”. He has not passed his surname on to his children. He is not on social media. All because of the job, where he says there is a high awareness of risk and classified information. “Elvin” has been in a long line of complaints. Photo: Tor-Arne Vikingstad / news There may be information in clearance cases that SKM cannot share with the person who is refused. This is for reasons of sources, privacy and classified information, says director Gudmund Gjølstad. He is confident that good and individual assessments will be made, and says affiliation with other countries is one of several conditions that are assessed. – I understand that those who receive a negative decision and for various reasons do not understand the decision, or are not familiar with all the information, find this challenging and demanding, says Gjølstad. The pile of complaints When the refusal came, Elvin quickly decided to complain. It would prove easier said than done. The complaint was written in June 2022. Recently he was told to wait another nine months for a response. It has been visited by two authorities. First at the Civil Clearing Authority (SKM). It is now with the National Security Authority (NSM). Both bodies are well aware that appeals processes can take time. – By prioritizing, we are able to deal with the cases that we believe society has the greatest need for early, but society’s total needs have grown over the past three years. That means we are running a bit behind the increase in demand, says SKM director Gjølstad. Do you have any tips? news depends on good tips. You can contact us via encrypted channels. Signal: +47 45264614Protonmail: [email protected] In 2022, it took an average of 56 days to process a clearance case at SKM. It took 160 days to process a complaint. – Unfortunately, we have seen over a long period of time that the overall processing time has been too long. I fully understand that it is challenging for both the person concerned and the requesting business, says Gjølstad. Director of SKM, Gudmund Gjølstad. Photo: Rune Hansen / news After the first round of complaints, Elvin was told that SKM did not change its decision. The refusal was upheld, and the complaint was forwarded to the National Security Authority (NSM). And here it has been – for a long time. NSM: – Not satisfied – NSM is not satisfied with the processing times for complaints. We are now making a number of administrative changes which we believe will yield significantly better results. This is what section manager Iselin Ryeng-Lande writes to news. In 2021, NSM received warnings from the EOS committee due to the long processing time. The committee wrote at the time that they saw “with concern that the processing time in almost all areas has increased”. The concern was shared by the Storting’s Control and Constitution Committee. The National Security Authority has received criticism for long processing times. Photo: Gorm Kallestad / NTB “The committee assumes that NSM takes action to reduce the processing time”, wrote the committee. At the time, it took an average of 289 days to process a complaint with the security authority. The following year, in 2022, the processing time had increased further, to 477 days on average. Although the processing time has increased over several years, Ryeng-Lande believes that they are now working systematically to reduce it. – It is one of our most important tasks because we do not want the people in the cases to have to wait a long time for an answer. We fully understand that it is demanding to wait for your case to be dealt with, she writes. While the equipment dusts down Pling. Elvin’s mobile lights up. He and his colleagues have a chat where only one thing is written. “Meet up”. He stays behind. His old gear is still waiting. It has been unused since he got the message. – It has almost become dusty. It wasn’t how I imagined it would go. Today he works with training and exercises. He is no longer allowed to participate in missions. For that, he is still assessed as too great a risk. Now his mind is gnawing at what he will do after the answer to the complaint has arrived. – I cannot use my knowledge without clearance. If I don’t get it back, I’ll have to find something completely different. Do you have any tips? We depend on good tips. You can contact us on encrypted channels. Signal: +47 45264614. Protonmail: [email protected]
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“Elvin” bet everything. Now he feels stabbed in the back – news Dokumentar
