FBI director on Fort Dix plot, US attorneys, domestic threats

Robert Mueller says Fort Dix plotters were set to get weapons outside of the bureau's control.

By David Cook

from the May 10, 2007 edition

Page 1 of 2

Robert Mueller III denies that political turmoil surrounding the controversial firing of US attorneys has had any impact on the Federal Bureau of Investigation and warns of continuing terrorist threats to the US, especially from weapons of mass destruction.

The FBI director spoke Wednesday at a breakfast for bureau chiefs and columnists sponsored by the Monitor. His appearance came the day after the arrest of six foreign-born Muslims on charges of plotting an armed attack on Fort Dix, N.J., with assault rifles and grenades. The FBI said it first learned in January 2006 of the plot to kill as many US soldiers as possible.

Mr. Mueller said the bureau and the Justice Department decided to arrest the men this week because the suspects were about to obtain weapons from a source the FBI did not control. "Consequently, the danger of their undertaking the attack without us being knowledgeable about it was enhanced and increased."

On the broader question of the terrorist threat to the US, there is "no doubt in my mind that Al Qaeda is plotting to attack us in the United States," Mueller said. He said "the biggest threat faced by the United States in the counterterrorism arena ... I would say right now is WMD [weapons of mass destruction] in the hands of terrorists."

The FBI director parried repeated questions about whether the controversial firing of eight US attorneys by the Bush administration had affected FBI morale or whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales's weakened political situation affected Mueller's relationship with his boss. Mr. Gonzales is slated to return to Capitol Hill on Thursday to testify about the firings to the House Judiciary Committee.

"The only thing I will talk about is the FBI," Mueller said. "The FBI has not been affected at all. We continue as we have in the past and whatever controversy there has been regarding these eight US attorneys has not affected the work of the FBI with our counterparts in the US attorneys' offices." Mueller spent a considerable portion of his career working in US attorneys' offices – 12 years at the start of his career, then a later stint in the District of Columbia US attorney's office, and finally a tour as US attorney for San Francisco.

Page 1 | 2 | Next Page