Look at it this way. Suppose they actually do have a good description from the witnesses. It is obviously someone Middle Eastern. What happens if they release the sketch?
The perpetrator ducks into a safe house and quits shooting, and then moves to another city and can continue his jihad there. It is obvious that this is what would happen...the sniper is obviously following the news.
On the other hand, if they put out the statement that they have no conclusive descriptioin (even though they do) then the sniper is lulled into a false sense of security while the feds match up the description to a visa photo or whatever. It is lots easier to find this guy if he is given no reason to bolt.
In addition, although there are many sensible people who would make good use of the description, there are many more who would form into vigilante groups, attacking mosques and such. I have already seen postings on several threads suggesting this. This would not help the cause of the US, and lots of innocent people could be injured or killed.
So, I am unwilling to ascribe the non-release of the sketch to PC motives, despite Chief Moose's statement. I think more is going on that meets the eye.
One other thing...if the idea is for this guy to keep taunting the LE people until he gets caught, at which point he detonates a large bomb in his truck, we do NOT want the average citizen trying to stop him.
My suspicions are similar to yours, Jane, and I thought of something else last night.
We know that terrorist cells in Portland and Buffalo were being observed for the past year and finally busted.
What about a cell in the DC area? Surely that would have been known about? Or maybe it was as sly as this shooter, and wasn't on the radar screen til this shooter,
and they are connected.
Maybe the composite isn't being released so as not to tip off the other members of the cell, til the LEOs and FBI are sure they have them all.
Of course this decision would be weighed against the potential value the composite would have to find the shooter, and the risk run that he'll kill again, while the authorities delay...
In the DC area, most (not all - Fairfax is an exception) jurisdictions are very much indeed afraid of the racial profiling bogeyman. In Montgomery county, MD, for example, police must record the race of each person to whom they cite for traffic violations, and this is fed into a database. This is only one example.
That aside, the balance of your argument does make sense, though I tend to lean more toward the FBI view on this and that is they don't want to cause panic, so much as vigilantism. Besides, the DC area is sufficiently cosmopolitan and diverse, I'm not sure that would occur anyway.
Now if there's an intersection with a National security issue, then that's another thing - and it's also something we wouldn't be told.
I've been worrying about this! If they tighten the net with military surveillance, satellites, etc., it would be so easy to pick up and go somewhere else. Even if funds are short, striking in another area for just two days would throw everyone into a panic.
It's so hard to keep up with all the reading these days....whole lotta brainstormin' going on!