ABC Exclusive: How the FBI Botched [sic] the Anthrax Case

[MacCruiskeen]

The Whoopsie Theory, Vol. 893:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5276220&page=1

EXCLUSIVE: How the FBI Botched the Anthrax Case

Former [sic] Agent Explains What Went Wrong in the Investigation

An Analysis By BRAD GARRETT
June 30, 2008

The anthrax investigation, almost from the beginning, was hampered by top-heavy leadership from high ranking, but inexperienced FBI officials, which led to a close-minded focus on just one suspect and amateurish investigative techniques that robbed agents in the field the ability operate successfully.

Brad Garrett retired from the FBI and is now an ABC News consultant. He was one of the key investigators in the anthrax case.
(ABC)

I saw it firsthand as one of the FBI agents assigned to the anthrax case and directly involved in the investigation of Dr. Steven Hatfill. While I cannot comment on the guilt or innocence of Hatfill, I think I have a sense of some of the things that went wrong inside the FBI and what lessons can be learned from this embarrassing case.

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice agreed to pay $5,825,000 to Hatfill, whom former Attorney General John Ashcroft once described as "a person of interest" in the investigation into the anthrax murders of seven people in 2001.

The vaguely-worded settlement agreement appeared on the online docket of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday. The original complaint accused several government officials, including Ashcroft, of deliberately leaking information about the criminal probe into Hatfill in order to harass him and to hide the FBI's lack of hard evidence. The written settlement agreement contained no admissions of leaks or wrongdoing by government officials, however.

There are many lessons learned from the missteps in the anthrax investigation. As an FBI agent for more than 20 years with experience on other high profile cases, I was involved in the anthrax investigation along with countless other hard-working, decent FBI agents, federal prosecutors, and investigators.

Lesson One: Stay focused and professional regardless of the atmosphere.

The FBI's motto, "Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity," cannot be ignored, even in times of high anxiety. The anthrax case was unprecedented even in terms of other high-profile cases: two members of Congress, Sen. Tom Daschle (D-ND) and Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and a prominent member of the television media, Tom Brokaw of NBC received anthrax-laced letters. A letter is also believed to have been mailed to ABC News, where the young child of a producer there was infected, though no letter was ever found. ...

- continues here, if you can bear it:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5276220&page=1

[JackRiddler]

.

kabuki

If we ever get the real story, I'll be surprised if Hatfill wasn't involved - didn't at the least know the real perps. The investigation got as far as him, rubbed against the unacceptable conclusion that the anthrax mailings involved a group of scientists or technicians employed by the government and working with cover from on high to do what they did, and so had to stop with him as person of interest/potential lone perp, drain his pond, finally allow him to sue and get the millions...

[Jeff]

From the often-maligned George Monbiot, May 2002:

Last week, I phoned the FBI. Why, I asked, when the evidence was so abundant, did the trail appear to have gone cold? "The investigation is continuing," the spokesman replied. "Has it gone cold because it has led you to a government office?" I asked. He put down the phone.

Had he stayed on the line, I would have asked him about a few other offenses the FBI might wish to consider. The army's development of weaponized anthrax, for example, directly contravenes both the biological weapons convention and domestic law. So does its plan to test live microbes in "aerosol chambers" at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, also in Maryland. So does its development of a genetically modified fungus for attacking coca crops in Colombia, and GM bacteria for destroying materials belonging to enemy forces. These, as the research group Project Sunshine has discovered, appear to be just a tiny sample of the illegal offensive biological research programs which the US government has secretly funded. Several prominent scientists have suggested that the FBI's investigation is being pursued with less than the rigor we might have expected because the federal authorities have something to hide.

The FBI has dismissed them as conspiracy theorists. But there is surely a point after which incompetence becomes an insufficient explanation for failure.

[MacCruiskeen]

The incredible thing is that they can get away with publishing this crap as if it were exciting news, or news at all. It's a 1,000-word blandfest that wheedles for sympathy, presumes (rightly) that it's going to get it, and doesn't even pretend to explain anything.

Is the investigation actually still officially ongoing? How far did it get, up to now? If it wasn't Hatfill, do they have any other leads/other suspects that they're following up? Etcetera. Questions, questions, not just unanswered but never even asked.

That was an FBI agent working for a national corporate-media network. In striking contrast, Dr. Francis A. Boyle only makes it into the Middle East Times:

[url=http://qlipoth.blogspot.com/2006/12/dr-francis-boyle-and-anthrax-attacks.html]Anthrax attack on US Congress made by scientists and covered up by FBI, expert says

Sherwood Ross

Middle East Times
December 11, 2006[/url]

(Your hypothesis sounds plausible, Jack.)

[bks]

Yes, yes, how boneheaded of law enforcement.

This flawed little gem from last August nicely articulates the media's chief principle in these matters: when the powerful engage in malicious conduct, it will be reported as an error

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/opini ... ref=slogin

[MacCruiskeen]

the media's chief principle in these matters: when the powerful engage in malicious conduct, it will be reported as an error

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/opini ... ref=slogin

Beautiful. And when the malice of the powerful is described, accurately, as malice, that will be reported as "conspiracy theory" .

Should the media not be available to help, then the maliciously powerful won't hesitate to use that all-purpose thoughtstopper themselves:

Blair: Iraq oil claim is 'conspiracy theory'

Matthew Tempest, political correspondent guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday January 15, 2003

Tony Blair today derided as "conspiracy theories" accusations that a war on Iraq would be in pursuit of oil, as he faced down growing discontent in parliament at a meeting of Labour backbenchers and at PMQs.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003 ... npolicy.uk

[Jeff]

Blair: Iraq oil claim is 'conspiracy theory'

Matthew Tempest, political correspondent guardian.co.uk,
Wednesday January 15, 2003

Tony Blair today derided as "conspiracy theories" accusations that a war on Iraq would be in pursuit of oil, as he faced down growing discontent in parliament at a meeting of Labour backbenchers and at PMQs.

Iraq throws open door to foreign oil firms

June 30, 2008

By Ahmed Rasheed

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq threw open the world's third largest oil reserves to foreign firms on Monday, putting British and U.S. companies in pole position five years after U.S.-led troops invaded the country to oust Saddam Hussein.

The move to invite bids for the development of Iraq's largest producing oilfields should mark the return of the oil majors, whose cash and expertise Iraq needs to restore its oil infrastructure that has been hard hit by sanctions and war.

But any awards to U.S. and British firms could anger opponents of the invasion, who have said the 2003 war was designed to give Western oil companies control over Iraqi oil reserves. U.S. and British officials have denied the charges.

link


British and US companies win Iraq oil contracts

June 30

The Iraqi government is to award a series of key oil contracts to British and US companies later today, fuelling criticism that the Iraq war was largely about oil. The successful companies are expected to include Shell, BP, Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Total. Non-Western companies, notably those in Russia, are expected to lose out.

...

The US state department was involved in drawing up the contracts, the New York Times reported today. It provided template contracts and suggestions on drafting but were not involved in the decisions, US officials said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/ju ... tworkfront

[barracuda]

The Hatfill settlement is the door shutting on this so-called investigation. All done. What we are seeing here is more "closure" c/o the Bush administration. The supreme court offers some faux-liberal judgements; Addington, et al give their final "fuck you's" to congress; the last war funding bill sails through; Bush blocks the last attempt to capture bin Laden; and the Wall Street Journal all but lays the anthrax case at al Qaeda's doorstep. The contrast between this investigation and the 2-hour analysis that convicted bin Laden of the 911 attacks couldn't be clearer. When will these particular fucks finish wiping their asses with our country? Never.

[sunny]

Yes, they continue botching us right up the a**.

[isachar]

Yes, yes, how boneheaded of law enforcement.

This flawed little gem from last August nicely articulates the media's chief principle in these matters: when the powerful engage in malicious conduct, it will be reported as an error

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/opini ... ref=slogin

911 must sees (in no particular order):

"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Air Defense" by Richard Myers and Donald Rumsfeld
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 2000 Vote Counting" by Diebold, ESS and the RNC, and Katherine Harris
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 2004 Vote Counting" by Diebold, ESS, the RNC and Secy of State Ohio, Blackwell
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 911 Commission Report" by Phillip Zelikow and Karl Rove
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Anthrax Investigation" by Robert Mueller
"Oops Honey, I Screwed up the NIST Report" by numerous contributors
"OOps Honey, I Screwed up the Iraq War" Bush, Rummy, PNAC'ers and numerous bootlicker generals
"Oops Honey, I Screwed up the Iraq Reconstruction" (unfinished) Bush, Rummy, PNAC'ers and Paul Bremer, Halliburton, Cheney, numerous bootlicking generals
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up Evacuating and Rebuilding New Orleans" Bush, Brownie, et.al.
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Economy and the Dollar" Bush, Greenspan, Bernanke, JPMorgan, and numerous bootlicking bankers and financiers
"Oops Honey, I broke the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and National Guard", Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Gates, nuerous bootlicking generals and PNAC'ers.

Must add:

"Oops Honey, I Invaded the Wrong Country" Bush, Cheney, Rummy and the usual suspects

[8bitagent]

From the often-maligned George Monbiot, May 2002:

Last week, I phoned the FBI. Why, I asked, when the evidence was so abundant, did the trail appear to have gone cold? "The investigation is continuing," the spokesman replied. "Has it gone cold because it has led you to a government office?" I asked. He put down the phone.

Had he stayed on the line, I would have asked him about a few other offenses the FBI might wish to consider. The army's development of weaponized anthrax, for example, directly contravenes both the biological weapons convention and domestic law. So does its plan to test live microbes in "aerosol chambers" at the Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, also in Maryland. So does its development of a genetically modified fungus for attacking coca crops in Colombia, and GM bacteria for destroying materials belonging to enemy forces. These, as the research group Project Sunshine has discovered, appear to be just a tiny sample of the illegal offensive biological research programs which the US government has secretly funded. Several prominent scientists have suggested that the FBI's investigation is being pursued with less than the rigor we might have expected because the federal authorities have something to hide.

The FBI has dismissed them as conspiracy theorists. But there is surely a point after which incompetence becomes an insufficient explanation for failure.

Monbiot is maligned, because he calls out US government involvement in the anthrax case, but believes like most liberal talking heads do...that 9/11 was merely the work of evil Muslims in a cave. Oh the irony.

Even a recent Fox News article I posted here said the investigation is centering on a few scientists from the Ft Dietrich lab.

Oddly enough, even the left is mum in discussing the "anthrax=inside job" factor.

[8bitagent]

Yes, yes, how boneheaded of law enforcement.

This flawed little gem from last August nicely articulates the media's chief principle in these matters: when the powerful engage in malicious conduct, it will be reported as an error

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/02/opini ... ref=slogin

911 must sees (in no particular order):

"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Air Defense" by Richard Myers and Donald Rumsfeld
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 2000 Vote Counting" by Diebold, ESS and the RNC, and Katherine Harris
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 2004 Vote Counting" by Diebold, ESS, the RNC and Secy of State Ohio, Blackwell
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the 911 Commission Report" by Phillip Zelikow and Karl Rove
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Anthrax Investigation" by Robert Mueller
"Oops Honey, I Screwed up the NIST Report" by numerous contributors
"OOps Honey, I Screwed up the Iraq War" Bush, Rummy, PNAC'ers and numerous bootlicker generals
"Oops Honey, I Screwed up the Iraq Reconstruction" (unfinished) Bush, Rummy, PNAC'ers and Paul Bremer, Halliburton, Cheney, numerous bootlicking generals
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up Evacuating and Rebuilding New Orleans" Bush, Brownie, et.al.
"Oops Honey, I Screwed Up the Economy and the Dollar" Bush, Greenspan, Bernanke, JPMorgan, and numerous bootlicking bankers and financiers
"Oops Honey, I broke the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and National Guard", Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Gates, nuerous bootlicking generals and PNAC'ers.

Must add:

"Oops Honey, I Invaded the Wrong Country" Bush, Cheney, Rummy and the usual suspects

I feel like people promoting "incompetence/blwoback" with 9/11, and overall "The White House is merely incompetent" should be ashamed of themselves.

Anyone who sees the film No End In Sight, should see that the "screwup" in Iraq, was CLEARLY by design.

The left in America feels like they are being "Edgy" and "rebelious" by angrily deriding the Bush regime as "incompetent". In reality, the
government WANTS people to think they are the three stooges.

[AhabsOtherLeg]

Hatfill leads to Dr. Larry Ford. Larry Ford leads to South Africa.

Operation Coast. And it's List of Honourables.

Hatfill will never be prosecuted (probably because he is not personally guilty).

And it's far too late to try the likes of Ford and his superiors. They're either dead or dying or openly guiltless and blackmailing like Ken Alibek.

[isachar]

Hatfill leads to Dr. Larry Ford. Larry Ford leads to South Africa.

Operation Coast. And it's List of Honourables.

Hatfill will never be prosecuted (probably because he is not personally guilty).

And it's far too late to try the likes of Ford and his superiors. They're either dead or dying or openly guiltless and blackmailing like Ken Alibek.

Hmmmm, new info. Thanks.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_ ... ord/1.html

[AhabsOtherLeg]

Hmmmm, new info. Thanks.

http://www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_ ... ord/1.html

It's like Inslaw, Promis, and the Gosch case, I'm afraid. It gets so circuitous and untrustworthy that you just end up where you started, only much much sadder. And feeling ill all the time.

http://cryptome.quintessenz.at/mirror/hatfill-spd.htm

Some more Hatfill. I don't find Dresch wholly reliable, but there's nothing wholly reliable or honest anywhere in the bioweaponeering industry. Biofem, for Christs' sake.

More links pending. I need me bed.

But it's all findable, mainly in downloadable .PDF. They're not shy about it.