UC Irvine update
Last week I wrote an article for FrontPageMag.com about the revelation that the FBI is monitoring students at UC Irvine. Today, The Orange County Register reports that the FBI is not monitoring UCI students:
The FBI and Muslim community leaders met again Monday night, one in a series of gatherings since 9/11 intended to promote a better understanding of each other.
The latest meeting was needed, Muslim leaders said, because of a report by Register columnist Frank Mickadeit last month in which Pat Rose, head of the FBI's Orange County al-Qaida squad, was quoted as saying her agency was looking for potential terrorists here through a variety of electronic eavesdropping techniques.
Rose said the FBI is aware of large numbers of Muslims at UC Irvine and USC. And she said she was "quite surprised" that "there are a lot of individuals of interest right here in Orange County."
Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, told about 100 people gathered at the Islamic Center of Irvine, that "we do not, we cannot, we do not" monitor students at UC Irvine and USC.
As I read the rest of the article, I couldn't help but wonder whether Tidwell was choosing his words extra carefully. Some astute readers at LittleGreenFootballs noticed the same thing:
"Translating this is simple.
The FBI does not monitor UC Irvine and USC students just because they are UC Irvine and USC students.
The FBI does not monitor the Muslim community in general just because they are Muslim.
To do so would be against our laws.
However, the FBI most certainly is monitoring or investigating individual people, for specific documented justifications that meet our legal requirements, and these people may happen to be students, members of the Muslim community, or both. "
"This looks to me like a non-story. Tidwell's remarks are carefully ambiguous, at least as reported.
Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, told about 100 people gathered at the Islamic Center of Irvine, that "we do not, we cannot, we do not" monitor students at UC Irvine and USC.
"We will set aside whether (Rose) was accurate or it was reported accurately or not," he said in his opening remarks.
Tidwell explained how the FBI investigates tips and how a threat assessment is made and sent to agency headquarters in Washington.
"There are rules and guidelines as to how and why we conduct an investigation," he said.
So: we're not doing blanket wiretapping of students; I'm not saying either way whether there are 'individuals of interest' we are following here; and we have rules about how to conduct investigations.
To quote the brilliant, eloquent "joewilson": duh.
This is a careful statement of the obvious. It is NOT saying "we are ignoring any threats coming out of this community". "
"Phooey. This is a semantics game. The FBI does not investigate anyone based on their lawful activities. Being a student is lawful. Being Muslim is lawful. Therefore, the FBI does not "monitor" people JUST because they are Muslim students.
That does not mean a thing. The agent is reacting to the freakout caused by agent Rose's mention that the FBI is pursuing leads and surveiling "leads."
My guess is if a Muslim student is engaged in suspect activity, he/she will be a "lead" or a "suspect" and will be surveiled. "
The FBI and Muslim community leaders met again Monday night, one in a series of gatherings since 9/11 intended to promote a better understanding of each other.
The latest meeting was needed, Muslim leaders said, because of a report by Register columnist Frank Mickadeit last month in which Pat Rose, head of the FBI's Orange County al-Qaida squad, was quoted as saying her agency was looking for potential terrorists here through a variety of electronic eavesdropping techniques.
Rose said the FBI is aware of large numbers of Muslims at UC Irvine and USC. And she said she was "quite surprised" that "there are a lot of individuals of interest right here in Orange County."
Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, told about 100 people gathered at the Islamic Center of Irvine, that "we do not, we cannot, we do not" monitor students at UC Irvine and USC.
As I read the rest of the article, I couldn't help but wonder whether Tidwell was choosing his words extra carefully. Some astute readers at LittleGreenFootballs noticed the same thing:
"Translating this is simple.
The FBI does not monitor UC Irvine and USC students just because they are UC Irvine and USC students.
The FBI does not monitor the Muslim community in general just because they are Muslim.
To do so would be against our laws.
However, the FBI most certainly is monitoring or investigating individual people, for specific documented justifications that meet our legal requirements, and these people may happen to be students, members of the Muslim community, or both. "
"This looks to me like a non-story. Tidwell's remarks are carefully ambiguous, at least as reported.
Stephen Tidwell, assistant director in charge of the FBI in Los Angeles, told about 100 people gathered at the Islamic Center of Irvine, that "we do not, we cannot, we do not" monitor students at UC Irvine and USC.
"We will set aside whether (Rose) was accurate or it was reported accurately or not," he said in his opening remarks.
Tidwell explained how the FBI investigates tips and how a threat assessment is made and sent to agency headquarters in Washington.
"There are rules and guidelines as to how and why we conduct an investigation," he said.
So: we're not doing blanket wiretapping of students; I'm not saying either way whether there are 'individuals of interest' we are following here; and we have rules about how to conduct investigations.
To quote the brilliant, eloquent "joewilson": duh.
This is a careful statement of the obvious. It is NOT saying "we are ignoring any threats coming out of this community". "
"Phooey. This is a semantics game. The FBI does not investigate anyone based on their lawful activities. Being a student is lawful. Being Muslim is lawful. Therefore, the FBI does not "monitor" people JUST because they are Muslim students.
That does not mean a thing. The agent is reacting to the freakout caused by agent Rose's mention that the FBI is pursuing leads and surveiling "leads."
My guess is if a Muslim student is engaged in suspect activity, he/she will be a "lead" or a "suspect" and will be surveiled. "
posted by Aaron Hanscom | 7:17 PM
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