ICE Disses FBI: Consequences Another 9/11?

A stunning report by the Inspector General reveals a turf war between the FBI and ICE (Immigrations and Customs Enforcement). The dispute has resulted in major terrorism cases being dropped or ignored by ICE agents, so as to avoid working with FBI agents.
Source: The Aviation Nation

When the 9/11 Congressional Report was released in June of 2003 it was revealed that “issues” within the CIA and FBI lead to their failure to heed “repeated warnings that al Qaeda intended to strike inside the United States.”

The report concluded that in the months before the hijacking, the FBI and CIA did not comprehend the gravity and imminent nature of the threat inside the United States and failed to assess all of the available information about the risk of an attack. As a result, the report said, the agencies missed opportunities that would have "greatly enhanced" the chances of disrupting the terror plot.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle

A new report released by the Inspector General reveals that agents of yet another government agency, ICE, or Immigration and Customs Enforcement, made the decision to withhold key leads in investigations relating to terrorist activity from the FBI. The excuse, the agents "didn't want to work" with the FBI. Iowa Senator Charles Grassley requested the investigation in response "to reports from retired ICE agent Joe Webber, a 30-year veteran and former head of the Houston field office."

Using a hypothetical example, the report said, if a case involved two leads — one involving illegal drugs and the other involving terrorism — an agent would pursue the drug lead in order to avoid working with the FBI. In such cases, the agent did not always forward the terrorism lead to the joint task force, the report said.
Source: USA Today

What is both alarming and appalling about these findings by the Attorney General is that agents of a government agency, entrusted to serve and protect, are putting personal biases ahead of the welfare of U.S. citizens. Their decision to not share crucial information about possible terrorist activity with the FBI could once again lead to another 9/11 type attack.

ICE should take heed of the lessons learned by the FBI and CIA when their agencies were raked over the coals by the 9/11 Commission. The FBI and CIA suffered the slings and arrows of well-deserved scorn; but it was the people--those whose family members and friends were murdered by the terrorists--that were the ones who suffered the greatest and still continue to suffer. We cannot allow bumbling and/or ill-will between agencies to give those who seek to harm us yet another opportunity to strike. If agents cannot rise above pettiness in their profession, then it's time to weed them out.

We, the citizens of the United States, deserve better.

By LBG
Hat Tip - Awa Puhi




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