Judiciary Report - Scientists Challenge The FBI In Anthrax Case

Scientists Challenge The FBI In Anthrax Case

August 8. 2008

Senator Patrick Leahy (left) Robert Mueller (right)

This is a follow up to yesterday's article titled More Criticism Over The FBI Anthrax Case. In it I stated the FBI should release the evidence they've clearly held back. Today, "Scientists are challenging the FBI" to release said evidence.

Separately, Bruce Ivins' lawyer is under the impression the FBI letting the case drag on for years and having let his client roam free, testifies to the notion they had nothing, "If it's such earth-shattering stuff, what's been going on since 2005. Why is he on the street if they think it's that important?"

On the contrary, this is the FBI we’re talking about – the same agency that let terrorists dangerously roam free in New Jersey for 18-months while they watched them under the guise of gathering intel.

FBI headquarters exhibits very poor judgment time and time again in this regard. Letting criminals run free for years is not uncommon with them, nor is it proof of their innocence, but a shameful reminder of the FBI’s poor practices that endanger American and world citizens on a regular basis.

The FBI is going to cause a terrible disaster one day with this practice that will make 9/11 look small in comparison. They have capable FBI agents, but headquarters is broken beyond repair, refusing to change.

Scientists Challenge FBI to Release Data in U.S. Anthrax Probe

Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Scientists challenged the FBI and prosecutors to share more data to back their allegation that an Army bioweapons expert worked alone to kill five people who handled anthrax-laced letters he put in the U.S. mail.

Researchers and legal experts questioned the reliability of novel genetic tests cited by the FBI as ``breakthrough'' evidence that pinned the 2001 crime on scientist Bruce E. Ivins. Because the FBI hasn't offered such tests in criminal cases, experts said it's uncertain the results could have been used in court as evidence against Ivins, who died July 29 of a drug overdose.

http://www.bloomberg.com

Gaps in system kept Ivins at high-security lab

Or was it just that the government's evidence was too weak to act? That's what Ivins' attorney says. "If it's such earth-shattering stuff, what's been going on since 2005?" Paul F. Kemp asked Wednesday after the government made its case with a news conference and a pile of documents. "Why is he on the street if they think it's that important?"

http://ap.google.com