Problems in searching fingerprint databases have left the American military unable to check fully the identities of thousands of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan, raising concerns that they might be releasing suspects prematurely, according to Pentagon officials and documents. The Defense Department, in the field, has used a mobile system that records fingerprints of suspects, but it cannot always search for a match in other government databases. In a memorandum last February, the Pentagon said the fingerprinting “problem must be rectified as soon as possible” to fight terrorism more effectively. It required that all new electronic fingerprinting systems comply with accepted standards.Full Story