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February3,2010TheHonorableMitchMcConnellUnitedStatesSenateWashington,D.C.20510

DearSenatorMcConnell:

IamwritinginreplytoyourletterofJanuary26,2010,inquiringaboutthedecisiontochargeUmarFaroukAbdulmutallabwithfederalcrimesinconnectionwiththeattemptedbombingofNorthwestAirlinesFlight253nearDetroitonDecember25,2009,ratherthandetaininghimunderthelawofwar.AnidenticalresponseisbeingsenttotheotherSenatorswhojoinedinyourletter.

ThedecisiontochargeMr.Abdulmutallabinfederalcourt,andthemethodsusedtointerrogatehim,arefullyconsistentwiththelong-establishedandpubliclyknownpoliciesandpracticesoftheDepartmentofJustice,theFBI,andtheUnitedStatesGovernmentasawhole,asimplementedformanyyearsbyAdministrationsofbothparties.Thosepoliciesandpractices,whichwerenotcriticizedwhenemployedbypreviousAdministrations,havebeenandremainextremelyeffectiveinprotectingnationalsecurity.Theyareamongthemanypowerfulweaponsthiscountrycanandshouldusetowinthewaragainstal-Qaeda.

Iamconfidentthat,asaresultofthehardworkoftheFBIandourcareerfederalprosecutors,wewillbeabletosuccessfullyprosecuteMr.Abdulmutallabunderthefederalcriminallaw.IamequallyconfidentthatthedecisiontoaddressMr.Abdulmutallab'sactionsthroughourcriminaljusticesystemhasnot,andwillnot,compromiseourabilitytoobtaininformationneededtodetectandpreventfutureattacks.Therearemanyexamplesofsuccessfulterrorisminvestigationsandprosecutions,bothbeforeandafterSeptember11,2001,inwhichbothoftheseimportantobjectiveshavebeenachieved--allinamannerconsistentwithourlawandournationalsecurityinterests.Mr.AbdulmutallabwasquestionedbyexperiencedcounterterrorismagentsfromtheFBIinthehoursimmediatelyafterthefailedbombingattemptandprovidedintelligence,andmorerecently,hehasprovidedadditionalintelligencetotheFBIthatweareactivelyusingtohelpprotectourcountry.Wewillcontinuetosharetheinformationwedevelopwithothersintheintelligencecommunityandactivelyfollowuponthatinformationaroundtheworld.

1.Detention.ImadethedecisiontochargeMr.Abdulmutallabwithfederalcrimes,andtoseekhisdetentioninconnectionwiththosecharges,withtheknowledgeof,andwithnoobjectionfrom,allotherrelevantdepartmentsofthegovernment.OntheeveningofDecember25andagainonthemorningofDecember26,theFBIinformedits

 

TheHonorableMitchMcConnellPage2partnersintheIntelligenceCommunitythatAbdulmutallabwouldbechargedcriminally,andnoagencyobjectedtothiscourseofaction.InthedaysfollowingDecember25

-

includingduringameetingwiththePresidentandotherseniormembersofhisnationalsecurityteamonJanuary5-high-leveldiscussionsensuedwithintheAdministrationinwhichthepossibilityofdetainingMr.Abdulmutallabunderthelawofwarwasexplicitly

.

discussed.NoagencysupportedtheuseoflawofwardetentionforAbdulmutallab,and

noagencyhassinceadvisedtheDepartmentofJusticethatanalternativecourseofactionshouldhavebeen,orshouldnowbe,pursued.SincetheSeptember11,2001attacks,thepracticeoftheU.S.government,followedbypriorandcurrentAdministrationswithoutasingleexception,hasbeentoarrestanddetainunderfederalcriminallawallterroristsuspectswhoareapprehendedinsidetheUnitedStates.ThepriorAdministrationadoptedpoliciesexpresslyendorsingthisapproach.UnderapolicydirectiveissuedbyPresidentBushin2003,forexample,"theAttorneyGeneralhasleadresponsibilityforcriminalinvestigationsofterroristactsorterroristthreatsbyindividualsorgroupsinsidetheUnitedStates,ordirectedatUnitedStatescitizensorinstitutionsabroad,wheresuchactsarewithintheFederalcriminaljurisdictionoftheUnitedStates,aswellasforrelatedintelligencecollectionactivitieswithintheUnitedStates."HomelandSecurityPresidentialDirective5(HSPD-5,February28,2003).Thedirectivegoesontoprovidethat"(fJollowingaterroristthreatoranactualincidentthatfallswithinthecriminaljurisdictionoftheUnitedStates,thefullcapabilitiesoftheUnitedStatesshallbededicated,consistentwithUnitedStateslawandwithactivitiesofotherFederaldepartmentsandagenciestoprotectournationalsecurity,toassistingtheAttorneyGeneraltoidentifytheperpetratorsandbringthemtojustice."Inkeepingwiththispolicy,theBushAdministrationusedthecriminaljusticesystemtoconvictmorethan300individualsonterrorism-relatedcharges.Forexample,RichardReid,aBritishcitizen,wasarrestedinDecember2001forattemptingtoigniteashoebombwhileonaflightfromParistoMiamicarrying184passengersand14crewmembers.Hewasadvisedofhisrighttoremainsilentandtoconsultwithanattorneywithinfiveminutesofbeingremovedfromtheaircraft(andwasreadorremindedoftheserightsatotaloffourtimeswithin48hours),pledguiltyinOctober2002,andisnowservingalifesentenceinfederalprison.In2003,IymanFaris,aU.S.citizenfromPakistan,pledguiltytoconspiracyandprovidingmaterialsupporttoal-QaedaforprovidingtheterroristorganizationwithinformationaboutpossibleU.S.targetsforattack.Amongotherthings,hewastaskedbyal-QaedaoperativesoverseastoassesstheBrooklynBridgeinNewYorkCityasapossiblepost-9111targetofdestruction.Afterinitiallyprovidingsignificantinformationandassistancetolawenforcementpersonnel,hewassentencedto20yearsinprison.In2002,the"LackawannaSix"werechargedwithconspiring,providing,andattemptingtoprovidematerialsupporttoal-Qaedabasedupontheirpre-9111traveltoAfghanistantotrainintheAlFarooqcampoperatedbyal-Qaeda.Theypledguilty,agreedtocooperate,andweresentencedtotermsrangingfromseventotenyearsinprison.Therearemanyother

examplesofsuccessfulterrorismprosecutions

-

rangingfromZacariasMoussaoui(convictedin2006inconnectionwiththe

9111

attacksandsentencedtolifeinprison)to

 

TheHonorableMitchMcConnellPage3

AhmedOmarAbuAli(convictedin2005ofconspiracytoassassinatethePresidentandotherchargesandsentencedtolifeinprison)toAhmedRessam(convictedin2001fortheMilleniumplottobombtheLosAngelesairportandsentencedto22years,asentencerecentlyreversedastoolenientandremandedforresentencing)

--

whichIamhappyto

provideuponrequest.

Infact,two(andonlytwo)personsapprehendedinthiscountryinrecenttimeshavebeenheldunderthelawofwar.JosePadillawasarrestedonafederalmaterialwitnesswarrantin2002,andwastransferredtolawofwarcustodyapproximatelyonemonthlater,afterhiscourt-appointedcounselmovedtovacatethewarrant.AliSalehKahlahAI-Marriwasalsoinitiallyarrestedonamaterialwitnesswarrantin2001,wasindictedonfederalcriminalcharges(unrelatedtoterrorism)in2002,andthentransferredtolawofwarcustodyapproximatelyeighteenmonthslater.Inbothofthesecases,thetransfertolawofwarcustodyraisedseriousstatutoryandconstitutionalquestionsinthecourtsconcerningthelawfulnessofthegovernment'sactionsandspawnedlengthylitigation.InMr.Padilla'scase,theUnitedStatesCourtofAppealsfortheSecondCircuitfoundthatthePresidentdidnothavetheauthoritytodetainhimunderthelawofwar.InMr.AI-Marri'scase,theUnitedStatesCourtofAppealsfortheFourthCircuitreversedapriorpaneldecisionandfoundinafractured

enbane

opinionthatthePresidentdidhaveauthoritytodetainMr.AlMarri,butthathehadnotbeenaffordedsufficientprocesstochallengehisdesignationasanenemycombatant.Ultimately,bothAI-Marri(in2009)andPadilla(in2006)werereturnedtolawenforcementcustody,convictedofterrorismchargesandsentencedtoprison.

WhenFlight253landedinDetroit,themenandwomenoftheFBIandtheDepartmentofJusticedidpreciselywhattheyaretrainedtodo,whattheirpoliciesrequirethemtodo,andwhatthisnationexpectsthemtodo.Inthefaceoftheemergency,theyactedquicklyanddecisivelytoensurethedetentionandincapacitationoftheindividualidentifiedasthewould-bebomber.TheydidsobyfollowingtheestablishedpracticeandpolicyofpriorandcurrentAdministrations,anddetainedMr.Abdulmutallabforviolationsoffederalcriminallaw.2.Interrogation.TheinterrogationofAbdulmutallabwashandledinaccordancewithFBIpolicythathasgovernedinterrogationofeverysuspectedterroristapprehendedintheUnitedStatesformanyyears.AcrossmanyAdministrations,bothbeforeandafter9111,theconsistent,well-known,lawful,andpublicly-statedpolicyoftheFBIhasbeentoprovide

Miranda

warningspriortoanycustodialinterrogationconductedinsidetheUnitedStates.TheFBI'scurrent

Miranda

policy,adoptedduringthepriorAdministration,Iprovidesexplicitlythat"[w]ithintheUnitedStates,

Miranda

warningsarerequiredtobegivenpriortocustodialinterviews....,,2Inbothterrorismandnon-

I

TheDomesticInvestigationsandOperationsGuide(DIOG)wasfinalizedonDecember16,2008.ItistheFBI'smanualimplementingtheAttorneyGeneral'sGuidelinesforDomesticFBIOperations,whichwereissuedbyAttorneyGeneralMukaseyonSeptember29,2008.2FBIpolicyalsoremindsagentsthat"[t]hewarningandwaiverofrightsisnotrequiredwhenquestionswhicharereasonablypromptedbyaconcernforpublicsafetyareasked.Forexample,ifAgentsmakean