(ABC News) EXCLUSIVE: How the FBI Botched the Anthrax Case

[sabra]

Source: ABC News


Former Agent Explains What Went Wrong in the Investigation

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.

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.


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

[yardwork]

1. Since the anthrax used was military grade and identical to that produced by the U.S. military

the whole thing appears to have been an inside job from the beginning. I have no idea whether the FBI knew that or not. In any case, I always felt that Hatfill was used as a decoy.

[Bushknew]

4. Definitely an inside job, it was OUR anthrax!

That no one has been caught, shows how high up this goes.

[yardwork]

5. Rumors are that it goes straight to Dick Cheney's office.

It was a "false flag" operation.

[MinM]

12. Connecting the Daschle Dots?

Connecting the Daschle Dots

Bush asks Daschle to limit Sept. 11 probes

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x368778

[NewEnglandGirl]

16. I agree

In the beginning I tried not to believe it but there is no way this crime wouldn't have been solved if done by an ordinary nutjob.
People were killed as a result of this including an elderly woman from CT who never hurt anyone.
I can only hope that one day it is exposed.

[Bushknew]

2. "top-heavy leadership from high ranking, but inexperienced FBI officials"

What? These people somehow rose to a high ranking position of leadership within the FBI yet they were inexperienced officials!

Oh, that explains it.

[yardwork]

6. That was a job requirement - inexperience.

[napi21]

11. That's the same thing Shrub did in EVERY Gov't Dept. He got rid of the

experienced but DEM LEANING management, and replaced them all with his big STUPID & inexperienced contributors! I shudder to think how big of a task it's going to be to fix this HUGH MESS!

[Supersedeas]

14. do you smell the cronyism?

[Ian David]

3. The "investigation" was designed to fail.

[Doctor_J]

7. Whitewash alert!

This trail would have led right back to the White House. It's wasn't "botched", it was spiked.

[comradebillyboy]

8. The FBI could fuck up a wet dream

Know thyself
If you have questions ask the FBI

[flashsmith]

9. Makes sense it was botched

It was a government plot to get Bayer AG out of bankruptcy. Our government stops a nothing to help out a big corporation. http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/ciencia_anthrax-cia.htm

[jaksavage]

10. It was definatly and inside job.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=3226716

[superconnected]

13. LIHOP

[Bushknew]

17. If they let this happen, it's MIHOP.

Since it's our Anthrax.

[chimpymustgo]

22. MIHOP - MADE it happen. And this isn't the only one. Wake up people!

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[soothsayer]

18. ummm, ok.

[spag68]

19. They paid the guy

precisely because he could not be allowed to have a court hearing. Even if he is not he one, his name did not come out of thin air. In this day and age they can find out when you fart, and what you ate to make it happen, yet letters go to elected officials and nothing happens. So Dashle gets beat and the anthrax man gets 5mil. to shut up. The ending to this story will be when this Hatfil guy is found to be a suicide and the money is missing. On edit, I think I smell an O North here.

[goforit]

20. They say it is inexperience, but was it arranged by the WH(aka Rove)?

[AwakeAtLast]

21. Am I the only one surprised this is coming from ABC?

:shrug:

I'm hoping this will get more coverage even if it is, but I am surprised by the source.