there was a detroit terror cell
several days ago, i wrote a bit about the sleeper cell that wasn’t, and i closed with this:
either there was a real detroit sleeper cell planning terrorist attacks, and my justice department screwed up the prosecution so badly that they’ll be out on the streets in a few years, or there wasn’t a real detroit sleeper cell, in which case my justice department spun its wheels trying to make terrorist charges stick where no terrorists exist.
today, i found a story from the associated press that describes an email [pdf] from special agent in charge daniel roberts on the subject. he asserts that the fbi “acted aggressively and worked very hard on this case in an effort to prevent a terrorist attack.”
taking daniel roberts at his word – and i have no reason to doubt the integrity or intent of the fbi or mr. roberts – i guess this means i have the answer: the justice department (and by this i mean attorney general ashcroft’s justice department) botched the prosecution of terrorists. i guess it’s a good thing these terrorists can be charged with something other than terrorism.
so there was a detroit terror cell? or shouldn’t i just accept the fbi view?