FBI Botched Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Bomb Case

January 26. 2010

Dennis C. Blair

Director of National Intelligence, Dennis C. Blair, slammed the FBI, headed up by Robert S. Mueller, for botching the arrest of terror suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.

Robert S. Mueller

Among Blair's claims against the FBI, are the suspect, "Should have been questioned by the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, or HIG."

Blair: FBI mishandled bomb case

Testimony reveals rift over criminal vs. terrorist treatment

Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair on Wednesday criticized the decision by FBI agents last month to question the Christmas Day airline bombing suspect as a criminal and not interrogate him as a terrorist.

Mr. Blair, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, revealed a previously undisclosed disagreement among the Obama administration's top officials over the handling of the Nigerian who is accused of attempting to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253.

The intelligence chief said Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab should have been questioned by the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group, or HIG, a special panel established by President Obama....

http://washingtontimes.com 

FBI Director Robert Mueller comes under fire on terrorist arrest

January 21, 2010 - 12:18pm - From "Intel chief concedes errors in Christmas bomb case" on FederalNewsRadio.com:

"Many Republicans insist that major terror suspects such as [accused Christmas bomber] Abdulmutallab should be tried in military courts because civilian courts do not have the capacity to handle such high-profile cases.

"'It's crystal clear to me that somebody in the Department of Justice prematurely decided that they should treat this as a normal criminal case,' Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said after the hearing. 'Obviously no care and time was spent on this one, it was just, "Boom!" a decision made quickly - way too quickly in my view.'…

http://www.federalnewsradio.com