Jeffrey Goldberg

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Is the FBI Capable of Fighting Islamist Terrorism?

24 Nov 2009 08:49 am

Reuel Gerecht says no:
It shouldn't require the U.S. to have a French-style, internal-security service to neutralize the likes of Maj. Hasan. He combines all of the factors--especially his public ruminations about American villainy in the Middle East and his overriding sense of Muslim fraternity--that should have had him under surveillance by counterintelligence units. Add the outrageous fact that he was in email correspondence with Anwar al-Awlaqi, a pro-al Qaeda imam well-known to American intelligence, and it is hard not to conclude that the FBI is still incapable of counterterrorism against an Islamic target.

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