Page 16 - DFCS NEWS MAGAZINE 2020-1

Charles M. Walling Tucson Chapter
Counterintelligence and Espionage During Iraq War
By Marty Lenzini
On 5 March 2020, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Constance Y. Huff, U.S. Army, Retired, who was our guest speaker, provided insights into espionage operations directed against our nation. She served for 24.5 years on active duty and held the military occupations specialties of interrogator, case officer, and counterintelligence (CI) special agent. After retiring, she joined a private firm, teaching counterintelligence and counterterrorism courses throughout the US Intelligence Community.
Today’s discussion was about the 1990-1991 Desert Shield/Desert Storm espionage case of SP4 Albert T. Sombolay, a soldier stationed in Baumholder, Germany, with B Battery, 2nd of the 29th Field Artillery Battalion, Division Artillery, 8th Infantry Division. Sombolay is a naturalized US citizen, originally from Zaire. He enlisted when he was 34-35 years old. He was a 39-year old Specialist 4 during the time he was under investigation. Sombolay sold national defense information to the Jordanians and attempted to contact Iraqi government officials to volunteer as a spy multiple times, without success.
Chief Warrant Officer Connie Huff led a very talented team of over 40 counterintelligence special agents during the course of the investigation, which ran from December 1990 to 29 March 1991, when Sombolay was arrested. The case incorporated all elements of an espionage investigation: In-depth interviews; record checks; physical and technical surveillance;
Chief Warrant Officer Four Constance Y. Huff, USA Retired
liaison with host nation and sister CI services; arrest and subsequent searches and seizures; court-martial of Sombolay for espionage and attempted espionage; and post-conviction CI debriefings and polygraphs. Importantly, this investigation employed a false flag operation, commonly called a “sting”, against Sombolay which was electronically recorded and used in the court-martial, proving his contact with a foreign intelligence service and what he hoped to accomplish for them in the future through his own words and actions.
In a sting operation, an undercover officer (UCO) makes contact with the suspect and convinces him/her that the UCO is a representative of the foreign intelligence service/terrorist group sent to ensure the spy is being treated well and financial commitments have been honored. Ms. Huff shared that the FBI and military CI services have effectively used this technique in over 34 cases, all successful, with American UCOs portraying foreign intelligence officers ranging from the old Soviet KGB, and now Russian SVR, the former East German intelligence service, the Cuban intelligence, to Al Qaeda, to name a few.
On 29 March 1991, during the sting, Sombolay told the UCO that what he was doing was a “dangerous thing, very dangerous.” Sombolay continued that if “they (US Army Counterintelligence, added for clarity) catch me, I’m good for that day. It’s treason. It’s treason. They trusted me.” Sombolay wrote an extensive statement declaring that he would work for the Royal Jordanian Government, provide them with any Army information or material he may get from the Army, and that the Jordanians must keep his identity secret from US Government officials, and provide financial support. He received 3400 German Marks during his contact with the UCO. Sombolay was arrested and invoked with Miranda rights.
In July 1991, Sombolay pled guilty to two counts each of espionage and attempted espionage under the Uniform Code of Military Justice during his court-martial. He was convicted and sentenced to 34 years, dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay & allowances, and reduction to E-1. He had a sealed plea agreement, which the military judge opened after he sentenced Sombolay, for 19 years, CI debriefings, and polygraphs. As long as Sombolay cooperated with Army CI, he would serve the 19 years and be dishonorably discharged, forfeit all pay and allowances, and be reduced to PVT/E-1. Later, he unsuccessfully appealed his conviction.
16 / DFCS News Magazine / SUMMER 2020