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FBI to Expand Role Battling Terrorism

Marks effort toward investigation, criminal prosecution of accused terrorists

By Matt Cantor, Newser Staff

Posted May 28, 2009 9:21 AM CDT

(Newser) – The FBI will take a bigger role in the fight against terrorism, the Los Angeles Times reports, moving into investigation and criminal prosecution of accused terrorists. The shift marks a change from the secretive CIA operations favored by the Bush administration, and ties in with President Obama’s assertion that most alleged terrorists should be able to defend themselves against charges.

“Regardless of where any bad guy is caught, we want the bureau to be in a position to put charges on them,” said a counterterrorism official. The FBI was at the forefront of international counterterrorism before 9/11, using “non-coercive interrogations” that pushed suspects to talk through knowing “all of the intelligence” about them, said a former CIA agent. But the CIA and military will continue to play key counterterror roles, officials said.

[Images (2)]

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FBI Director Robert Mueller testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 20, 2009, before the House Judiciary Committee. (AP Photo/Harry Hamburg)

President Barack Obama speaks about the economy, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, at Thunderbirds Hangar at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

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We have to return to the practice that we had before of arresting terrorists and putting them on trial. - Richard Clarke, former counter-terrorism official

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 3 comments

Rob

May 28, 2009 9:44 AM CDT

Not under siege? How much threatening rhetoric do we need to hear before we admit that we are certainly going to be hit again?

Mad

May 28, 2009 5:26 AM CDT

Wow, amen, Brother. I wonder what all those Homeland Security Assholes do with their time, once they realize the largest US government beurocrasy faces a relative minor threat. Where are they going to direct all those resources, once they figure out America is not under siege? On Americans, of course

Observer

May 28, 2009 4:38 AM CDT

We better revise the definition of terrorist before the FBI goes berserk on all of us. Anti-government free speech cannot be assumed to be subversive activities. The totalitarian Patriot Act must be repealed or dramatically revised to assure the civil rights this country was founded upon.

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Los Angeles Times (Source Grid »)

national security • CIA • FBI • Robert Mueller • counterterrorism • investigations • criminal prosecution

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FBI to Expand Role Battling Terrorism