Try to look surprised

The U.S. is building on Saddam's databases to assemble biometric files and national ID cards for hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. American military officials say it's a crucial step towards getting a handle on who the bad guys are in Iraq. But groups like the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) spooked -- in a sectarian civil war, they argue, a biometric identification can suddenly become a death warrant.

Today, in a blogger's conference call, Lieutenant Colonel John Velliquette, the biometrics manager in Iraq for the "Coalition Police Assistance Training Team," said he was worried, too.

(Iraq's Biometric Database Could Become "Hit List": Army - Wired: Danger Room)