The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported yesterday that its special agents are continuing to work closely with the Department of the Army in the joint, ongoing investigation into the mass-murder that occurred at Fort Hood on November 5.
According to an FBI update submitted to police organizations such as the National Association of Chiefs of Police, the Army's Criminal Investigative Division is leading a coordinated criminal investigation with the support of the FBI and other components of the US Department of Justice as well as the Department of Public Safety's Texas Rangers.
The investigation is in its early stages, and the information they are able to provide now is limited at this point, according to the NACOP report.
The FBI reported that personnel from its Counterterrorism Division, Laboratory Division, and the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) are on site in support of DOD investigators. The personnel deployed by the Laboratory and CIRG are specialists in crime scene analysis, evidence collection, and shooting incident reconstruction. In addition, victim assistance teams are working closely with their counterparts at the Department of Defense, and FBI agents and technicians will continue to provide whatever resources are necessary to support the investigation.
So far, according to FBI officials, there is no information to indicate Major Nidal Malik Hasan had any co-conspirators or was part of a broader terrorist plot. Agents are working with the military to obtain, review, and analyze all information relating to Major Hasan in order to allow for a better understanding of the facts and circumstances that led to the Fort Hood shootings. Understandably, there is a large volume of information in various forms, and it will take some time for investigators and forensic technicians to complete their work, which includes the crime scene investigation and documentation of evidence and investigative aids.
HASAN ALREADY A KNOWN ENTITY
There has been and continues to be a great deal of reported information about what was or might have been known to the government about Major Hasan prior to the shooting.
Major Hasan first came to the attention of the FBI in December 2008 as part of an unrelated investigation being conducted by one of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces ( JTTFs are FBI-led, multi-agency teams made up of FBI agents, other federal investigators, including those from the Department of Defense, and state and local law enforcement officers).
In this case, the JTTF included investigators and analysts from, among other agencies, the FBI and the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS). Investigators on the JTTF reviewed certain communications between Major Hasan and the subject of that investigation and assessed that the content of those communications was consistent with research being conducted by Major Hasan in his position as a psychiatrist at the Walter Reed Medical Center.
Because the content of the communications was explainable by his research and nothing else derogatory was found, the JTTF concluded that Major Hasan was not involved in terrorist activities or terrorist planning. Other communications that the FBI was aware of were similar to the ones reviewed by the JTTF.
According to the NACOP-obtained report, standard protocols -- based on federal law, regulations, and policy, including the Privacy and Freedom of Information Acts -- govern information handling in federal task force settings, including JTTFs. JTTF-generated information may only be disseminated outside the structure of the JTTF (including to a member’s home agency) with the approval of the JTTF FBI supervisor.
In this case, following the review and analysis conducted by investigators, there was a conclusion made by the investigator and the supervisor that Major Hasan was not involved in terrorist activities or planning. Further dissemination of the information regarding Major Hasan was neither sought nor authorized.
According to an FBI press statement, their top priority is to ensure that the person responsible for the Fort Hood shooting is held accountable. The ongoing investigation includes forensic examinations of Major Hasan’s computers and any Internet activity in hopes of gaining insight into his motivation. But the investigation to date indicates that the alleged gunman acted alone and was not part of a broader terrorist plot.
After meeting with the President, FBI Director Robert Mueller ordered a review of this matter to determine all of the facts and circumstances related to this tragedy and whether, with the benefit of hindsight, any policies or practices should change based on what we learn, according to the NACOP-obtained report.
Investigators stressed there is still much to learn. As a pending criminal case, the government remains limited in what information can be disclosed publicly about a U.S. citizen under investigation.
He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com and PHXnews.com. He's also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc.
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Comments
Yeah, well, if the Obama bureaucracy wants to speed it up, they can read this thread at JOM: justoneminute.typepad.com/main/2009/11/any-day-now.html
Especially the linked 11/11/09 STRATFOR article on emails between AQ-connected radical imam Anwar al-Awlaki and Hasan. Anwar posted a msg on his website on 11/9/09 praising Hasan's actions. Even the LA TImes is reporting NSA intercepts.
It seems the MSM is turning against Obama on this and the rest of us want fast action, not only an investigation. Are they going to spend a year navel-gazing for his motives? Obviously, he's crazy, but so was Hitler. Churchill didn't sit around having him analyzed.
I want the 15,000 Muslims in the military to be given a choice: join a spcial unit to use all their skills against the enemy, starting right here on our soil, in the mosques, and overseas, or be discharged.
If the 15,000 want to walk out right now, and be dishonorably discharged, it’s great cover. The imams won't know who to trust.
Sun Tzu - here's the enemy mo, easily duplicated by the 15,000.
Excerpt frm Stratfor.com
“…by their very nature, individual actors & small cells are very difficult for the govt to detect. They must somehow identify themselves by contacting a govt informant or another person who reports them to the authorities, attend a militant training camp or conduct correspondence with a person or organization under government scrutiny.“
“…it is tactically impossible for a govt to identify every aspiring militant actor and to pre-empt every act of violence. The degree of difficulty is increased greatly if an actor does indeed act alone and does not give any overt clues through his actions or his communications of his intent to attack.”
So, 15,000 heroes, reverse the tactic back on them. True heroes don’t need medals; one day you can tell your grandchildren.
The natives are getting restless. No more dithering. No more dissing our military.
Here's the full link for the 11/9/09 article at STRATFOR:
www.stratfor.com/weekly/20091111_hasan_case_overt_clues_and_tactical_challenges?utm_source=SWeeklyA&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=091111&utm_content=textversion2
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