Posted on 06/02/2002 9:22:27 PM PDT by FreedominJesusChrist
DAY OF INFAMY, 2001
Agent: FBI could have prevented 9-11
Whistleblower claims upper management stymied terror investigations
By: Jon Dougherty
© 2002 WorldNetDaily.com
An FBI special agent says upper managers inside the agency stifled investigations into terrorist organizations that he says could have prevented the Sept. 11 attacks.
Agent Robert Wright told Fox News in an interview last night that "mismanagement" and "obstruction" at the agency's Chicago field office thwarted his attempts to investigate the Iran-backed terrorist organization Hamas, as well as Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network, both operating here in the United States.
Wright, who is represented by the Washington, D.C.-based legal group Judicial Watch told Fox News' Rita Cosby that between 1993 and 1994 he was responsible for tracking terrorist assets. He said even though he attempted to do his job, he received "very little support" from upper managers.
When asked why he believed Washington headquarters wasn't interested in tracking potential terrorists, Wright said he didn't know.
"No reason was given," he said.
"I tried to do the best I could," Wright said. "I would average four hours of overtime per day" on weekends, trying to keep track of the terrorist groups.
He said he was working "to try to prevent something from happening in the future," in terms of possible attacks that would take American lives.
But, he said, "there were actually efforts to prevent (the investigation) from moving forward," though he didn't name specific agents or managers.
The bureau "should have been conducting criminal investigations" with an eye towards arresting potential terrorists or, at a minimum, doing what could be done legally to get potential terrorists "out of the country."
Asked whether he was attempting to make money off of his research, Wright said he was only motivated by a desire "to save American lives."
"I'm not doing this for financial gain," he said.
At one point during his investigation, he said a Muslim co-worker refused to record the activities of a Muslim suspect.
The agent in question told him, "A Muslim doesn't record a Muslim," Wright said.
Asked if the Sept. 11 attacks could have been prevented, Wright was ambivalent. However, he said if FBI managers were more attentive, it was possible that at least a few of the attacks might have been detected.
Judicial Watch, headed by chief counsel Larry Klayman, developed a reputation for taking on cases involving alleged government fraud and abuse during the Clinton administration.
Prove it by stopping the next one, then everyone will believe you, AND be very grateful. Wrong time for looking back.
Something didn't ring true about his emotion.
Call me cynical, but as soon as someone says he is not doing it for financial gain, I become suspicious.
Wasn't it predictable after such a disaster, that people would crawl out of the woodwork with "If they had only listened to me" and "I told you so"? Is all of it plausible? Could anyone have stopped it? I seriously doubt it, but that won't prevent the many claims that are being made.
And is he writing a book or what? Why do they want to know if he's trying to make money off his research? What research?
Asked if the Sept. 11 attacks could have been prevented, Wright was ambivalent. However, he said if FBI managers were more attentive, it was possible that at least a few of the attacks might have been detected.
Weasel words.
Of course we cannot redo the past, but this does not mean that we should not review the actions of the FBI or what we could have done better. If anything, both constructive criticism and critical review will help us better prepare for future terrorist threats.
That's how it struck me too. Either he has something solid or he doesn't. If he does, he sure isn't arguing his case well.
Lots of people who will do most anything for attention. This guy and that woman might be totally on the mark, or they might be attention-grabbers, I don't know.
I do know that if the Israelis can't stop all the suicide bombers, we're going to have trouble stopping all terrorist attacks in our country too.
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