What does Robert hanssen have to do with The FBI bungles on terror again?”
THE FBI’s failure to see clear warning signs in the Fort Hood case revives the ques tion of whether it’s up to the task of countering terrorism. Before his murderous rampage, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was exchanging e-mails with a radical Yemen-based imam with ties to the 9/11 hijackers. FBI investigators examined intercepts — and, finding that their “content was explainable by his research,” concluded “that Hasan was not involved in terrorist activities or terrorist planning.” It did not warn the Army of the potential menace. The lapse has been attributed to an FBI bending over backward to avoid giving offense to Muslims. Perhaps it did — but, thanks to reporting by National Public Radio, we’ve learned that sheer incompetence played a larger role. After Hasan’s e-mails came under scrutiny, NPR reports, his investigative file languished for months on an agent’s desk, growing out of date. When the FBI opted to close the case, the file didn’t include fresh e-mails, held in another office,
