The New York Daily News - EDITORIAL - December 18, 2011
Agents ignored Mueller orders to stop dissing cops
FBI terror fighters were so determined to denigrate the NYPD’s bust of a homegrown suspect that they ignored direct orders from Director Robert Mueller to keep their mouths shut. The bureau opted out of pursuing self-radicalized alleged pipe-bomb plotter Jose Pimentel, leaving the NYPD to track him alone. Then, he actually started work on a bomb, hoping to target cop cars, post offices and U.S. troops, police said. So they arrested him. And FBI agents launched a whispering campaign, ridiculing the case. They anonymously questioned the role of a confidential informant, leaving the strong implication that they believed a poor dimwit had been entrapped. It became very clear that unacceptable interagency jealousies had come into play. Now, in testimony before a Senate committee, Mueller revealed that he had to order his minions not once but twice to knock off the counterproductive carping about the Police Department’s intelligence unit. “I gave directions that that should not happen,” he told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “and when I saw it happening, again went back to give directions to have it stopped.” That’s two admonitions too many. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but it should never have taken two warnings to convince FBI agents that their duty is to fight terrorism, not other agencies that are also battling it. Least of all, the NYPD, as Mueller made clear. “[Police Commissioner] Ray Kelly has done a remarkable job in terms of protecting New York City from terrorist attacks, New York City being a principal target,” he said. In other words, you’re all on the same side, and don’t forget it.
FBI terror fighters were so determined to denigrate the NYPD’s bust of a homegrown suspect that they ignored direct orders from Director Robert Mueller to keep their mouths shut. The bureau opted out of pursuing self-radicalized alleged pipe-bomb plotter Jose Pimentel, leaving the NYPD to track him alone. Then, he actually started work on a bomb, hoping to target cop cars, post offices and U.S. troops, police said. So they arrested him. And FBI agents launched a whispering campaign, ridiculing the case. They anonymously questioned the role of a confidential informant, leaving the strong implication that they believed a poor dimwit had been entrapped. It became very clear that unacceptable interagency jealousies had come into play. Now, in testimony before a Senate committee, Mueller revealed that he had to order his minions not once but twice to knock off the counterproductive carping about the Police Department’s intelligence unit. “I gave directions that that should not happen,” he told the Senate Judiciary Committee, “and when I saw it happening, again went back to give directions to have it stopped.” That’s two admonitions too many. It shouldn’t have happened in the first place, but it should never have taken two warnings to convince FBI agents that their duty is to fight terrorism, not other agencies that are also battling it. Least of all, the NYPD, as Mueller made clear. “[Police Commissioner] Ray Kelly has done a remarkable job in terms of protecting New York City from terrorist attacks, New York City being a principal target,” he said. In other words, you’re all on the same side, and don’t forget it.
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