November 26, 2007
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel07/editor112607.htm
FBI Response to Congressional Quarterly Article Alleging Willie T. Hulon and Phil Mudd’s Involvement in So-Called “Falafel Investigation”
We at the FBI were surprised to read about a supposed FBI program to monitor the sales of Middle Eastern food products in the San Francisco Bay area in support of counterterrorism intelligence gathering (“FBI Hoped to Follow Falafel Trail to Iranian Terrorists Here,” November 2, 2007).
Having never heard of this, I spoke to the counterterrorism managers, who in the story were identified as having hatched the plan, as well as everyone else who would have had any knowledge of it. Nobody did. At one point in the story, writer Jeff Stein opines “as ridiculous as it sounds,” in reference to the alleged food monitoring plan, which reportedly was described to Mr. Stein by “well-informed sources.”
In this case, too ridiculous to be true.
While the story may have been the source of some amusement, I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight on something that touches on something so important as national security and civil liberties.
John Miller
Assistant Director, Office of Public Affairs
Federal Bureau of Investigation
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UPDATE:
Note: The following post is a quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1930886/posts
BREAKING NEWS: FBI downplays reports of terrorist threat against Fort Huachuca
Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Review ^ | Bill Hess
Posted on 11/26/2007 5:53:54 PM PST by SandRat
FORT HUACHUCA — A federal report in May that this southern Arizona Army post may be the target of Middle Easterners who were smuggled into the United States from Mexico is “not valid or credible,” a FBI spokesman said Monday.
While an agency report has been leaked to some members of the media it does not mean the document contains vetted and true information, Special Agent Richard Kolko said.
More information will be published in Tuesday’s Herald/Review.