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FBI Still Watching Hatfill - Anthrax investigation
Publicly, not much at all has happened in the FBI's anthrax investigation since the search last winter of a small pond in upper Maryland. Divers went to the bottom but came up empty handed. Privately, however, agents say it would only have been icing on the cake because they believe they already have their man, even if they never get his indictment, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart. Bio-weapons researcher Dr. Steven Hatfill, sources confirm, remains the FBI's number one suspect in the attacks, even though round-the-clock surveillance and extensive searches have failed to develop more than what even Justice Department prosecutors describe as a "highly circumstantial" case." And now one possible outcome, sources suggest, is that the government might take the unusual step of bringing charges against Hatfill unrelated to the anthrax attacks at all, if they become convinced that's the only way to prevent future incidents. Not unlike, for example, the income tax evasion charges finally brought against Al Capone, when evidence of racketeering proved elusive. Hatfill and his attorneys are aware of this possibility. They say they have always offered their full cooperation to the FBI. Van Harp is the senior FBI official in charge of the case. He's retiring this week and he also declined to talk specifics. âI think we've made progress,â said Harp of the case against Hatfill. âIt's frustrating that it took so long. I think everyone involved in the investigation is frustrated over it.â Much of that frustration, investigators admit, has been the sheer volume of the science involved in not only identifying the strain of anthrax used, but then reverse engineering it and breaking down its DNA. âWe just can't hurry the science, nor would we want to. And we're making sure whatever the results are, that it's admissible," said Harp. Admissible in the event, that is, that anyone is ever actually charged with the crimes. Damn, I hope the FBI, which has had so many F-ups in the recent past, has this one right. If not, they've done another Richard Jewell on someone, and we'll end up paying the compensation. All this guy has to do is have another anthrax mailing while he's jugged and it'll blow up in their face Posted by: Frank G 2003-05-09 |
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