FBI Director Visits Utah

None by KCPW

Talks Polygamy, Terrorism and Media Investigations

(KCPW News) During a visit to Utah today Wednesday, FBI Director Robert Mueller defended his agency's decision to put Utah polygamist Warren Jeffs on the FBI's list of Top Ten Most-Wanted fugitives. Jeffs, who is wanted on alleged sexual assault on a minor and conspiracy to commit sexual conduct, joins the ranks of suspected robbers, killers, child molesters and even terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden.

Director Mueller says Jeffs is quote "a person who preys on children and belongs behind bars." He adds that elevating a fugitive to the top ten list often results in speedy arrest. The FBI put Jeffs on its list May 7th at the request of state and local law enforcement officials. Utah and Arizona authorities have had arrest warrants out for Jeffs since last June.

HOMEGROWN TERRORISM
Twelve men in Canada have been arrested and charged with planning an "al-Qaeda-inspired" bombing campaign in and around Toronto. FBI Director Robert Mueller told Utah reporters today that authorities are worried about a similar threat in the U.S.

"The London bombings were homegrown plots, and the Madrid bombings were homegrown plots, esstentially," says Mueller. "And you have to be concerned that the same thing could be happening in the United States."

Since 9-11, Mueller says the U.S. has successfully prevented terrorist attacks at home because of federal coordination with state and local law enforcement to track all suspicious leads. This week's news of terrorist plots in Canada is likely to intensify U.S. terror investigation. Canadian officials say the arrested men posed a quote "real and serious threat" with "capacity and intent to carry out the attacks."

INVESTIGATING THE MEDIA
The FBI is justified in its efforts to obtain private files of the late columnist Jack Anderson. That according to FBI Director Robert Mueller.

"Because we had information that amongs the papers were documents that were classified, relating to national security," says Mueller. "Our effort has been to determine what those documents might be before they were publicized and determine whether or not there would be an adverse impact on national security. That has been the sole interest we have in those documents."

Anderson's son is a Utah lawyer who alleges the FBI fooled his mother into signing a release that would give the feds access to his father's files, which are currently held by George Washington University. The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee is demanding that the Justice Department explain the FBI's interest in Anderson's file.

Mueller maintains the FBI simply wants to be certain nothing in the files could jeopardize national security if released. Furthermore, Mueller says the investigation does not signal a larger quote "assault on the press." Jack Anderson won the 1972 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting and was a member of President Nixon's "enemies list." He died in December at 83.

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