FBI Still Watching Hatfill

CBS NEWS ^ | May 9, 2003 02:16:06

[Princeton]

(CBS) Publicly, not much at all has happened in the FBI's anthrax investigation since the search last winter of a small pond in upper Maryland. Divers went to the bottom but came up empty handed. Privately, however, agents say it would only have been icing on the cake because they believe they already have their man, even if they never get his indictment, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart.

Bio-weapons researcher Dr. Steven Hatfill, sources confirm, remains the FBI's number one suspect in the attacks, even though round-the-clock surveillance and extensive searches have failed to develop more than what even Justice Department prosecutors describe as a "highly circumstantial" case.

"I am not the anthrax killer," said Hatfill, denying the accusations.

And now one possible outcome, sources suggest, is that the government might take the unusual step of bringing charges against Hatfill unrelated to the anthrax attacks at all, if they become convinced that's the only way to prevent future incidents.

Not unlike, for example, the income tax evasion charges finally brought against Al Capone, when evidence of racketeering proved elusive.

Hatfill and his attorneys are aware of this possibility. They say they have always offered their full cooperation to the FBI, but declined to comment.

Van Harp is the senior FBI official in charge of the case. He's retiring this week and he also declined to talk specifics.

?I think we've made progress,? said Harp of the case against Hatfill. ?It's frustrating that it took so long. I think everyone involved in the investigation is frustrated over it.?

Much of that frustration, investigators admit, has been the sheer volume of the science involved in not only identifying the strain of anthrax used, but then reverse engineering it and breaking down its DNA.

?We just can't hurry the science, nor would we want to. And we're making sure whatever the results are, that it's admissible," said Harp.

Admissible in the event, that is, that anyone is ever actually charged with the crimes.

[Princeton]

"I am not the anthrax killer,"

[Paleo Conservative]

Considereing anthrax was not something he specialized in, I doubt he could have done it alone.

[ex-snook]

This seems to be destined for the same deep hole as finding out who duped Bush and Powell with forged nuclear bomb reports about Iraq.

[Cicero]

Who put that .45" round hole in the top of Ron Brown's head?

[Princeton]

"I believe that I may actually get arrested
when all this is said and done, and if it occurs,
it will have nothing to do with anthrax.
It will have everything to do with my
being named the national person of interest."

Steve Hatfill

[Dark Wing]

You can believe as much of this as you want. The FBI's record on intelligence/counter intelligence is not promising, when I look at this anthrax investigation.