Tech. Sgt. Diana Wilkins, LAOTF paralegal agreed, saying, ''There's no training for this job. It's all on-the-job training.''
A typical case Wilkins and Holmes might spend their time on involves detainees picked up by Iraqi security forces or U.S. forces, if detained prior to Dec. 31, 2008, when United Nations Security Council Resolution 1790 expired. The resolution gave the U.S. legal authority to intern enemy combatants. Since then, the number of detainees in U.S. custody has decreased from over 20,000 to about 200.
Sgt. Wilkins has 10 years of experience as a paralegal, and reviews paperwork and electronic data to put together files on detainees who are suspected of committing acts of terrorism. She was quoted as saying: ''It's fulfilling to know we're putting away the bad guys. I review the cases to see which ones might involve U.S. service members wounded or killed.''
Sgt. Holmes was quoted as saying: ''Their legal system is complex. Islamic law requires two sufficient witnesses for each case to go before a panel of trial judges.''
Often, the paralegals will work with Iraqi federal judges to determine if there is sufficient evidence to keep a detainee in custody, pending an investigation and trial.
Sgt. Holmes was also quoted as saying: ''Our team of lawyers and paralegals are working hard to help the Iraqis migrate to more modern techniques of gathering evidence. We're introducing them to forensics, DNA, fingerprints and ballistics evidence, but they're used to relying on two witnesses in prosecuting cases.''