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Entries in anthrax (2)

Wednesday
Sep172008

Senate Judiciary Committee demands more insight on anthrax attacks


"It should be a concern of all American people that are on our soil, biological weapons was used to attack us," Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said at the Senate Judiciary Committee on the oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The committee discussed the handling of past anthrax attacks and further biological weapon threats on America.

Leahy addressed the 2001 anthrax attacks, asking Director of the FBI, Robert Mueller if there are other facilities that develop anthrax weapons in America. According to Mueller there are laboratories existing on both American grounds and overseas. Leahy pushed for answers on the anthrax incident where Leahy himself addressed one of the contaminated letters. "My office and myself was put at risk [...] but I realize we did not suffer like the families of those who had people die," Leahy said.

Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) supported the chairman, keeping the rough tone at Director Mueller saying that he's skeptic against the new regulations causing limited insight to the investigations and demanding further answers on the investigation. Mueller assured the committee that the FBI is focusing on the threats from terrorists in form of biological weapons that have been experienced on Congress, saying that they have handed over suspect Bruce E. Ivins work to National Academy of Science for further review.
Monday
Jun092008

Dept. of Justice bashed for compromising civil liberties

Support for the Patriot Act was expressed by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) at the American Civil Liberties Union conference. Specter said that though he supports the Patriot Act, a clearer separation of law enforcement and constitutional rights is necessary to protect Americans’ civil liberties. Specter said the Department of Justice must work harder to ensure that the right to an attorney and presumption of innocence are not compromised. Specter also said that congressional and judicial oversight of executive decisions has been insufficient and that a checks and balance system is crucial to prevent the government from gaining the immunity it wants when controversial policies are challenged.

James Risen, a New York Times reporter that co-authored a piece revealing government wire-tapping programs, said that American reporters being jailed for refusing to reveal sources is a negative reflection on the United States. According to Risen, these measures justify the actions of leaders in countries like China and Zimbabwe, two states in which New York Times reporters have been arrested previously.

Toni Lacy, a USA Today reporter held in contempt for refusing to reveal the sources of an anthrax report, also spoke at the conference. Lacy emphatically said that the American public has a right to know the details of government action during the anthrax scare. Lacy said if reporters are subpoenaed for unnecessary “fishing expeditions” by law enforcement agencies, media outlets will be “destroyed out of fear,” halting coverage of on-going events. Lacy closed her speech by saying that a confidential source is not synonymous with being a traitor.