FBI; closing the barn door after the horses escaped
Zero sends us a link from Kit Lange from National Public Radio which reports that the FBI is investigating 100 suspected extremists in the military. The report says that a handful are “considered serious” in that the suspects “appear to have demonstrated a strong intent to attack military targets”. Of course this is their reaction to Nidal Hasan’s attack at Fort Hood a few years ago.
The FBI and Department of Defense call these cases “insider threats.” They include not just active and reserve military personnel but also individuals who have access to military facilities such as contractors and close family members with dependent ID cards.
Officials would not provide details about the cases and the FBI would not confirm the numbers, but they did say that cases seen as serious could include, among others things, suspects who seem to be planning an attack or were in touch with “dangerous individuals” who were goading them to attack.
The FBI and the Department of Defense declined to discuss the figures on the record, but three sources with direct knowledge confirmed that the numbers were revealed in a closed session of a House-Senate committee hearing in December. The FBI also declined to say whether it has compiled more up-to-date figures since that time.
“I was surprised and struck by the numbers; they were larger than I expected,” Sen. Joseph Lieberman, an independent from Connecticut and chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, told NPR. He stopped short of confirming the numbers.
Well, I’m glad that the FBI learned their lesson from Hasan, I wish they could have learned in less painful way, though. I can’t help but wonder if any of these “considered serious” suspects were as blatant as Hasan, you know like giving their doctoral thesis on a completely unrelated topic to their field of study to make a political statement and cavorting on the internet with a known terrorist. And then purchasing two handguns and a large amount of ammunition (he fired at least a hundred rounds during the attack, according to reports).
Not that it’s a crime to buy guns and ammunition, but coupled with his obvious intentions that the FBI was well aware of, it should have been some sort of indication to be wary of the man.
And the whole thing about keeping exact numbers from the public doesn’t serve any useful purpose, either. Unless of course, someone doesn’t want to admit that there’s a real threat.
Category: Terror War
What I want to know is why we are disarmed victims when on base, and essentially so if we live off-base, on our way to and from our duty location.
Oh, right, Brass-promotion-“risk”-aversion Syndrome….
Did they say that the extremists are of the Muslim persuasion, or are they going after the white guys that checked TAH on a government computer?
Large hammer that no one is willing to swing: Unless of course, someone doesn’t want to admit that there’s a real threat.
Winter Soldier #2: RTFQ!
What makes you think that they are talking about the “religion of peace”? This is under Holder and Obama, do you really think their “serious suspects” are Islamist? I suspect they are the people who not only listen to Rush but also are NRA members, have a subscription to extremists publications like National Review and occasionally use the internet to read subversive foreign publications like the Jerusalem Post or the Daily Telegraph.
Any wonder why some refer to the FBI as “Famous, But Incompetent”?
It’s a shame we’ve become of reactive over proactive…
Whatever happened to all those gang members in the military the FBI was tracking?
Well, just my thoughts, and now, yard detail…
Way back when, we lovingly referred to the agents as “Fools, Bunglers and Incompetents”…Was well known as the best way to get a few blood pressures up and running too. Hehehe….
The most important phrase popped up that article:
“were in touch with “dangerous individuals” who were goading them to attack.”
Finally, someone says what I’ve always thought: these ‘crazies’ are pushed toward doing something horrific.
My question is, since they’re vulnerable to this kind of manipulation already, how does it escape the notice of people with whom they’re working until it’s too late?
Just asking, not being sarcastic.