rssFBI: We Should Have Known About Abdulmutallab, but Father’s Warning Wasn’t Enough to Search Him
Thursday, December 31, 2009 at 1:49 pm
- 11 Comments
Following up on my earlier post on the FBI’s longstanding problems with putting terror suspects on its terror watchlist, I just got off the phone with FBI spokesman William Carter, who clarified a few things.
Although Carter couldn’t talk specifically about the case of the failed Northwest Airlines Flight 253 bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, he explained that the National Counterterrorism Center, or NCTC, is an inter-agency center headed by the CIA. However, it includes members of the FBI. And it’s the NCTC that’s responsible for nominating someone to the terror watchlist. So the FBI should have at least known about the concerns about Abdulmutallab.
That doesn’t answer why Abdulmutallab wasn’t on the terrorism watchlist, but the rest of Carter’s explanation might. Although Carter couldn’t tell me anything about this case, he strongly suggested that just because someone’s father warns the U.S. embassy that his son is a radicalized Muslim who’s hanging around with terrorists in Yemen and sending scary text-messages, that doesn’t necessarily land him on any watchlists. Not even the low-level watchlist, called the Selectee list (as opposed to the No-Fly list), Carter explained — the one where security officials will simply question or search a person more than usual before letting him on the plane.
“They have to fit a certain criteria,” said Carter. “A reasonable suspicion that they will be involved in terrorist activity. The fact that a person has been radicalized or espoused radical views,”that’s exercising your constitutional rights. You have the right to not agree with the United States. You have the right to hate the United States. It’s only when they’ve committed an act of terrorism” that it becomes a crime.
He continued: “Reasonable suspicion requires an articulable fact when, taken with rational inferences” leads to the conclusion that the individual is “engaged in terrorist activity” or “preparing for terrorism.”
Apparently, the NCTC didn’t think that the specific warnings about radicalization and terrorist training from the suspect’s own father warranted asking him questions or searching him or his belongings before allowing him to board a plane for the United States.
11 Comments
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Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 10:25 am
As security is watered down to avoid hurting anyone's feelings, there will be more of this.
Prifiling is nothing more than good police work.
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 1:03 pm
Earlier this year there were a lot of hurt feelings on the right when the HSA report on rightwing terrorism, which arguably involved 'profiling', was publicized. I never heard such squealing in my life! The 'hurt feelings' escalated into calls for Napolitan's resignation in no time.
Seems that some among us have a fatally narrow idea of where all of the terrorists come from…
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 1:30 pm
The only Right Wing terrorism that I'm familiar with was in OK City in the mid 90s. Please enlighten me.
I would submit that many among us are misinformed, and actually think that the terrorists can be reasoned with.
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 4:53 pm
Terrorists cannot be reasoned with, whether they come from Saudi Arabia or Idaho.
If you want to make this country terror-proof more than your feelings will be hurt, even if you don't wear a towel on your head.
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
Thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot about the U.S. Government terrorizing the Weaver family at Ruby Ridge Idaho.
Thank God for the right to bear arms. Randy Weaver is a hero of mine.
I'm a little confused though. Were the Government thugs from Idaho?
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
Earlier this year there were a lot of hurt feelings on the right when the HSA report on rightwing terrorism, which arguably involved 'profiling', was publicized. I never heard such squealing in my life! The 'hurt feelings' escalated into calls for Napolitano's resignation in no time.
Seems that some among us have a fatally narrow idea of where all of the terrorists come from…
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 6:30 pm
The only Right Wing terrorism that I'm familiar with was in OK City in the mid 90s. Please enlighten me.
I would submit that many among us are misinformed, and actually think that the terrorists can be reasoned with.
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
Terrorists cannot be reasoned with, whether they come from Saudi Arabia or Idaho.
If you want to make this country terror-proof more than your feelings will be hurt, even if you don't wear a towel on your head.
Comment posted January 2, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
Thanks for reminding me. I almost forgot about the U.S. Government terrorizing the Weaver family at Ruby Ridge Idaho.
Thank God for the right to bear arms. Randy Weaver is a hero of mine.
I'm a little confused though. Were the Government thugs from Idaho?
Comment posted October 8, 2010 @ 4:23 am
it's good article ,thank you for your sharing
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