Sunday, August 25, 2013

CNN's Q and A with FBI Director Robert Mueller

http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/22/politics/fbi-mueller-interview

Washington (CNN) -- Robert Mueller became FBI director just days before 9/11. And now, nearly 12 years later, he's preparing to step down. CNN's Joe Johns sat down with him to get his thoughts on the war on terror, cyber security, the Boston Marathon bombing, NSA snooping and the Benghazi investigation.
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CNN: We're coming up on the anniversary of 9/11. We've had embassies overseas close and reopen. Are we bracing for an imminent attack?

MUELLER: I don't think so, although we have to monitor the situation very carefully. We had, the reports of the possibility of an attack on our embassies in the Middle East perhaps a month ago. We took precautions, and by that I mean the administration and the State Department. And it may well be that's been postponed. But we are monitoring the situation very carefully to determine whether that's the case. I don't think, at this particular juncture, we see an imminent attack.

CNN: Is the threat greater now than it was in past years since 9/11? Or is it about the same, has it been constant?

MUELLER: Well, I think it's changed. And there's a different landscape out there. After September 11th, you had core al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan with (Osama) bin Laden. Bin Laden was killed. You have al Qaeda growing in countries like Somalia, but most particularly in Yemen. And there's still substantial threat out of Yemen. And now you have the countries in the Arab Spring: Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Mali; Egypt most recently, where they're breeding grounds for radical extremists who may not stay there, but may present an attack. And, finally, you have, within the United States, the growth of homegrown, radicalized extremists who are radicalized on the Internet and then get their instructions for developing explosives on the Internet, as well.

CNN: If we had the kind of intelligence that we were collecting through the NSA before September 11th, the kind of intelligence collection that we have now, do you think 9/11 would have been prevented?

MUELLER: I think there's a good chance we would have prevented at least a part of 9/11. In other words, there were four planes. There were almost 20 -- 19 persons involved. I think we would have had a much better chance of identifying those individuals who were contemplating that attack.

CNN: By this mass collection of information?

MUELLER: By the various programs that have been put in place since then. ... It's both the programs (under the Patriot Act) but also the ability to share the information that has made such dramatic change in our ability to identify and stop plots.

CNN: One of the great controversies in this country right now is about drones, the use of domestic drones. Do you foresee the day when the United States arms drones to take out individuals who are posing threats to Americans on American soil?

MUELLER: No, I do not. I do not.

CNN: You would rule it out?

MUELLER: I do not see that day. And I will tell you that as well when you talk about (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and there's been some discussion recently about the FBI's use of it. We have used it a handful of times to provide surveillance in tactical situations where we, for instance, have a hostage rescue operation undergoing and for very narrow tactical purposes in limited situations.

CNN: Do you foresee the day when most Americans are surveilled by drones at one time or another?

MUELLER: No. No, I do not.

CNN: The attorney general has even suggested that it would be legal to take somebody out with a drone if they were posing a threat to America.

MUELLER: I'm not familiar with that comment, but I don't see that happening. ... There are a number of ways of accomplishing what you need to accomplish, whether it be in the law enforcement arena or in the national security arena, without resorting to that.

CNN: Are we in the day where Big Brother is now present in Americans' lives?

MUELLER: I wouldn't go so far as to say that at all. No. I would think of the programs (that) have come under scrutiny recently are designed to pick up, for the most part, metadata or to that extent that there is more than metadata, you have to do it by court order. And they're tailored to do that. And the other point I would make, is we are the one country that has a court that has a role of overseer of these programs. If you go to just about any other country in the world, it is the attorney general of that country that has a right to sign a sheet of paper and do the interception. We have inspector general oversight. We have the oversight conducted by the FISA court. We have Congress, the administration. We've got privacy advocates in each of our institutions. And so I do believe that there is a fulsome oversight capability.

CNN: We've given up some civil liberties, though, since 2011. Do you agree?

MUELLER: Well, I would query about what do you mean in terms of civil liberties. ... Do we exchange information in ways we did not before? Absolutely. You can say that that is a -- to the extent that you exchange information between CIA, FBI, NSA and the like -- you could characterize that as somehow giving up liberties. But the fact of the matter is, it's understandable and absolutely necessary if you want to protect the security of the United States.

CNN: How safer, though, has it really made us?

MUELLER: Hugely.

CNN: There has been a Boston bombing, though.

MUELLER: The number of plots that we have disrupted would be in the dozens, and not just disrupted here but disrupted overseas. The ability now to work and exchange information with the CIA, with NSA, with our counterparts in the intelligence services and law enforcement entities overseas has grown substantially. And that makes us all safer.

CNN: Do you think the government botched the Edward Snowden (matter), letting him slip out of the country?

MUELLER: Well, I mean I don't think there was any opportunity to -- that would -- you would look back and say look, 'we botched something like that.' No. I don't think that's accurate at all.

CNN: What about just detecting what he was doing?

MUELLER: I think you will see, without getting into the details, ourselves, the NSA and others, are putting into place measures that would perhaps stop an individual such as this, in the future, undertaking the same activity.

CNN: How much of a hero do you think he is? Has he done anything useful here?

MUELLER: I'm not going to comment on it. All I will tell you is that there are outstanding charges and our expectation is that he can and should be brought to justice.

CNN: You talk a lot about the cyber threat.

MUELLER: A cyber attack would be devastating, on the financial institutions, for instance. ... It could be hospitals, it could be infrastructure, it could be the energy infrastructure. But now we are aware of these potential targets and DHS, ourselves, the NSA, DOD, are all making preparations to prevent that from happening. But an attack will probably slip through at some point in time.

CNN: Do you think the Benghazi investigation was a failure?

MUELLER: No, absolutely not.

CNN: Getting people on the ground so late.

MUELLER: No, no, no, no, no, no. It's not a failure. ... It's a unique situation. I'm not going to tell you it's not, because it is a unique situation and very difficult for us to operate. .. When we had these African bombings of those embassies, we had an intelligence service in there that helped us. We had law enforcement agencies that helped us. We had access. In Libya, you have a government that does not control most of Libya, or a good portion of Libya. And consequently, the ambassador, the State Department, ourselves -- were pushing to get in there at the earliest possible moment. And that ended up being a couple of weeks down the road. But that does not mean that we have not very thoroughly investigated that and are continuing to investigate it. And I do believe the persons responsible will be brought to justice.

CNN: Can you predict when?

MUELLER: No.

CNN: The Boston bombing? Do you think the FBI did everything it could and do you think there's any fix in the way situations like that are handled so that you might be able to prevent something like that from happening?

MUELLER: We got notice from the Russians who looked at this particular individual and the agent who received that on the Joint Terrorism Task Force did a very thorough job in following up that. He ran all the -- all of the traces. (Went) to the college that he had attended (and) interviewed the parents and ultimately interviewed him and could not find any basis to do a further in -- investigation. So I think we did follow up on that.

CNN: Now, in the context of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, are there other things that perhaps could be done?

Yes, one or two.

CNN: Do I think it would have made any difference?

Probably not. It's all speculation. ... We are pretty good at what we do at this point. And so in the future, it may be if you have other attacks, that person may have been on our radar screen. But everybody who comes on our radar screen, we cannot investigate, indict and prosecute.

CNN: What could have been done? Could you have gone to the Russians and been more forceful in asking for more information?

MUELLER: Well, we asked on, what, two, I think three occasions. We got the information back to the Russians and we went to the Russians and said will you -- what more do you have? We couldn't get anything more out of them.

CNN: Would there have been any other things you could have followed up that you didn't?

MUELLER: At that time, the only thing that we could have been alerted to his travel back and forth to Russia. That is the only thing that was different.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Director Mueller on the Future of Cyber Security

Aug 08, 2013 05:30 PM
Director Mueller on the Future of Cyber Security

Director Robert Mueller spoke today on the future on online threats at the International Conference on Cyber Security hosted by the FBI and Fordham University this week in New York City.

Joining the heads of the CIA and National Security Agency at a keynote roundtable, the Director predicted that the cyber threat will “equal or even eclipse the terrorist threat” and pointed to the “proliferation of adversaries in the cyber arena” in recent years.
“As you have discussed this week, these criminals are constantly discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities in our software and our networks,” he said. “They have also become increasingly professional: They are organized…they network…and they share tools, stolen data, and know-how.”
From the FBI’s perspective, Director Mueller said that it is important to combat the threat by “focusing on the individuals behind the keyboards” and using traditional law enforcement and intelligence capabilities to identify and stop them. “We must remember that behind every intrusion is a person responsible … a warm body behind the keyboard, whether he or she sits in Tehran or Tucson; Shanghai or Seattle; Bucharest or the Bronx,” he said. And whether these individuals are “state actors, organized criminal groups, or 18-year-old hackers,” the Director noted, “we must devise a response that is effective, not just against that specific attack, but for all similar circumstances.”
Describing such successful joint ventures as the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force, InfraGard, and the Domestic Security Alliance Council, the Director stressed the need to further “expand the channels of information sharing and collaboration.”
“Only by sharing intelligence swiftly will we be able to forecast coming attacks—and deter future ones,” the Director said. “By fusing private-sector information with information from the intelligence community, we can produce a complete picture of cyber threats—one that benefits all of us."

http://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog

Thursday, August 1, 2013

REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER AT THE FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR FBI DIRECTOR ROBERT S. MUELLER


Holder’s Remarks At Farewell Ceremony for Outgoing FBI Director Robert Mueller
By Main Justice staff | August 1, 2013 1:09 pm


REMARKS AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BY ATTORNEY GENERAL ERIC HOLDER
AT THE FAREWELL CEREMONY FOR FBI DIRECTOR ROBERT S. MUELLER
WASHINGTON, D.C.

Photo

Thank you, Jim [Cole], for those kind words – and thank you all for being here. It’s an honor to be with you this morning, and a privilege to welcome Bob’s wife, Ann; their daughters, Cynthia and Melissa; and their families back to the Great Hall. As anyone who knows Bob can tell you, his passion for his work is exceeded only by his dedication to his family. So it’s great to have you all with us.

I also want to welcome each of our distinguished guests – especially Administrator [John] Pistole, former Director of Central Intelligence [George] Tenet, and all of the current and former Justice Department and Administration officials who are with us today. Thank you for taking the time to be here. And I’d like to thank David Margolis for being an incomparable master of ceremonies.

Normally, this is where I might say it’s a pleasure to join you for this important event. But I know this is a moment we’ve all been dreading for quite some time: the day we have to try and do our jobs without Bob Mueller. Nevertheless, I appreciate this chance to stand with such a distinguished group as we thank Bob for his dedicated service over the years; applaud his leadership as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and celebrate his contributions in protecting our fellow citizens from crime, ensuring America’s national security, and transforming the FBI into the dynamic, threat-focused organization it is today.

Of course, Bob’s service to our nation began long before he became one of the top law enforcement officials in this country; before he served as Deputy Attorney General, or as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division; and before he assumed his post as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. In fact, Bob’s patriotism, and his dedication to service, have defined and distinguished just about his entire life – beginning with the moment when he graduated from college and decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps.
As a young officer, he was soon entrusted to lead a rifle platoon – of the legendary Third Marine Division – in Vietnam. For his exemplary conduct, he was awarded the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals, the Purple Heart, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He was praised by his superiors for his “courage, aggressive initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty.” And – as anyone who’s had the privilege of working with Bob will tell you – these qualities have remained his hallmark ever since.

I would say that he is proud to be a former serviceman – but I know there’s no such thing as a former Marine. And even after he left the Corps, earned his law degree, and became a litigator, Bob’s passion for public service quickly drew him back to the federal government – this time as a prosecutor.

Over the next two decades, he held a variety of positions in U.S. Attorneys’ offices and here at Main Justice, in Washington. He excelled in every role – overseeing high profile investigations and prosecutions, from major organized crime and financial fraud cases; to the infamous Lockerbie bombing; to the prosecution of Manuel Noriega. In every endeavor, Bob’s skill, his intellect, his excellent judgment, his humility, and his natural sense of leadership were on constant display. But I think the single best illustration of Bob Mueller’s sense of duty – and his passion for public service – actually came after he left the Justice Department, in the mid-1990s, to accept a prestigious job in private practice.

At that time, I was serving as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, and Bob had been working in white-collar crime litigation for a couple of years. One day he called me – out of the blue – and asked if I could use a homicide prosecutor in my office. I reminded him that he already had a great job; that there was no way I’d be able to match his current salary; and that – having already served as Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division – he might be a little overqualified for a job as a line prosecutor. But, before he could change his mind, I just said “when can you start?” And before I knew it, Bob was hard at work as a senior litigator in the homicide section – heading out to crime scenes and developing strong relationships with local detectives and the people of this city. Not long after, he became chief of the homicide section, and – much to everyone’s annoyance – regularly called early-morning meetings even after he and everyone else had pulled late nights at the office. This was at a time when our nation’s capital was a city in great distress – we were called the murder capital of the United States. Bob’s work literally helped to save lives and also made better the lives of people who were too often unseen or forgotten.

He was eager to make a difference. And he did. And he was determined – not just to get back on the other side of the courtroom – but to serve the people of this city. To make our community safer. And to represent the interests of the United States.

That’s why it was no surprise when, in 1998, President Clinton appointed Bob to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California. And, just a few years later, President Bush nominated him to become FBI Director – a position to which he was unanimously confirmed in 2001.

The rest, as they say, is history. Like many of you, I can’t imagine the Bureau – or the Justice Department or my professional life – without Bob. Since I took office as Attorney General in 2009, he and I have started nearly every day together, being briefed about the most serious recent threats against the United States and American citizens around the world.

Let me assure you, as much as I like Bob, this is not a fun way to start your day. But there’s no question that the American people are safer because Bob Mueller has been in those meetings every day for the past 12 years.

During his time as FBI Director, Bob has served as a key advisor to two Presidents, a critical member of this country’s national security team – and an indispensable partner to me. In the years since the September 11th attacks – which occurred just one week into his tenure – he has led nothing less than a large-scale, historic transformation of the Bureau. He has helped to adjust and adapt its capabilities, redefining it as an intelligence-driven agency. And he has led efforts to thwart, and to investigate, some of the most serious
terrorist plots our nation has faced since 9/11.

Along the way, he has won the respect, and the admiration, of his colleagues – all of the brave men and women who serve the FBI here in Washington, across the country, and around the world. He has fostered a culture of unsurpassed excellence at every level of the Bureau – ensuring that every Special Agent, analyst, technician, and support professional is dedicated to, and incredibly effective at, protecting our national security and combating crime. He has, in short, set the standard for what it means to be the Director of the FBI – positioning the Bureau to deal with 21st century threats without losing sight of its traditional law enforcement missions.

That’s why, when his 10-year term as Director was set to expire in 2011, President Obama took the extraordinary step of asking the U.S. Senate to extend it by two full years. It’s why the Senate – once again – unanimously approved that request. And it’s why, although I regret that we’ve been unable to convince Bob and Ann to stick around for another two years – or maybe another 12 – I’m confident that he will leave this nation not only safer, but stronger and more prepared than he found it.

Bob and Ann, as you open an exciting new chapter in your lives– and, hopefully, take a long and well-deserved vacation – I wish you nothing but the best. I thank you Bob for your leadership, for your service, and – most of all – for your friendship over the many years I’ve had the good fortune of working with you. On behalf of a grateful nation I also want to thank you, Ann, for your service and sacrifice these many years. Standing with this great man has been a truly great woman.

I know I speak for President Obama, for everyone in this Great Hall today, and for many others far beyond it, when I say that – while we are confident that Jim Comey will be a superb FBI Director, and that he will continue to uphold the standards of excellence and integrity that you’ve established – all of us will miss you a great deal. Your example, and your tireless dedication, will guide and inspire us for many years to come. And wherever your career may lead you, you should know that you are, and always will be, an essential part of the Justice Department family – and a dear friend.

Before you take the podium, I’d like to make a special presentation. As Attorney General, the highest award I can bestow within the Justice Department is the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service – which is typically presented only once each year. Today, in recognition of Bob Mueller’s leadership of the FBI, his contributions over the course of his career, and his exemplary service to the American people, it is my privilege to present him with this year’s Exceptional Service Award.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a round of applause for Director Bob Mueller.

http://www.mainjustice.com/2013/08/01/holders-remarks-at-farewell-ceremony-for-outgoing-fbi-director-robert-mueller/

Colleagues mark FBI Director Bob Mueller's retirement

Colleagues mark FBI Director Bob Mueller's retirement

FBI Director Bob Mueller was saluted by top Justice Department officials and other colleagues Thursday as he prepares to give up the leadership of the premier federal law enforcement agency — an organization he took over just a week before the Sept. 11 attacks.

“This is a moment we’ve all really been dreading for quite some time: the day we have to try to do our jobs without Bob Mueller,” Attorney General Eric Holder told a crowd of several hundred gathered in the Great Hall at the Justice Department headquarters. “He has, in short, set the standard for what it means to be the director of the FBI.”

The send-off event turned out a who’s who of the U.S. national security apparatus, including former Central Intelligence Agency Director George Tenet and current Director John Brennan.

“Bob Mueller has never changed. His life has been defined by trust, discipline and honor,” Tenet said. He was one of several speakers who paid tribute to Mueller for reorienting the FBI after the Sept. 11 attacks.
“This very decent man transformed the FBI and kept our country safe,” Tenet added.

Mueller, 68, spoke briefly, mainly paying tribute to his family and his colleagues.

“I leave knowing that the work will continue under the leadership of individuals in the Department of Justice and the FBI alike who embody the FBI’s motto of fidelity, bravery and integrity in the truest and best sense of those words,” he said.

Transportation Security Administration Administrator John Pistole, who served as a deputy to Mueller, said the director never sought the spotlight. “I don’t think there’s a single reporter on Bob Mueller’s speed dial,” Pistole said.

Mueller stepped into public service in the mid-1960s as a Marine platoon leader in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. He began working as a federal prosecutor a few years after graduating from law school. Mueller was named head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division in 1990 and U.S. attorney in San Francisco in 1998.

Mueller’s successor, James Comey, was confirmed by the Senate on Monday in a 93-1 vote. He’s expected to take over the FBI early next month.

CORRECTION (Thursday, 4:44 P.M.): An earlier version of this post gave an incorrect first name for Margolis.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-the-radar/2013/08/colleagues-mark-fbi-director-bob-muellers-retirement-169714.html

F.B.I. Said to Find It Could Not Have Averted Boston Attack

August 1, 2013

F.B.I. Said to Find It Could Not Have Averted Boston Attack

WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. has concluded that there was little its agents could have done to prevent the Boston Marathon bombings, according to law enforcement officials, rejecting criticism that it could have better monitored one of the suspects before the attack. 

That conclusion is based on several internal reviews that examined how the bureau handled a request from a Russian intelligence agency in 2011 to investigate whether one of the suspects, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, had been radicalized during his time in the United States.

Mr. Tsarnaev, who along with his brother, Dzhokhar, came to the United States about a decade ago from the Russian republic of Dagestan, was killed during a shootout with the police four days after he and his brother detonated two bombs at the finish line of the marathon, killing 3 people and injuring more than 200, the authorities say.

Members of Congress have contended that the F.B.I. should have done a more extensive investigation of Mr. Tsarnaev in response to the Russian request. And they have said the bureau should have followed up with Mr. Tsarnaev after he returned from a trip to Russia in 2012.

But F.B.I. officials have concluded that the agents who conducted the investigation and ultimately told the Russians that there was no evidence that Mr. Tsarnaev had become radicalized were constrained from conducting a more extensive investigation because of federal laws and Justice Department protocols. Agents cannot use surveillance tools like wiretapping for the type of investigation they were conducting.

The officials have also determined that had the agents known that Mr. Tsarnaev had traveled to Russia for months in 2012, they probably would not have investigated him again because there was no new evidence that he had become radicalized.

The most recent criticism of the F.B.I. from Congress came on Wednesday, when Representative William Keating, Democrat of Massachusetts, sent a letter to James B. Comey, the incoming F.B.I. director. In the letter, Mr. Keating demanded that the bureau respond to several questions about its actions in the years before the attack.

“What I am looking to do is identify our security shortcomings and change them,” Mr. Keating said in the letter. “Without forthright information from the F.B.I., we are prevented from taking the critical steps needed to protect the American public.”

Mr. Keating said in a telephone interview that the F.B.I. had refused three requests by the House Homeland Security Committee to testify about the attack, citing an investigation. “Until they give us facts that we can review as an independent branch of government, I don’t think that’s particularly useful what they think,” he said of the F.B.I.’s conclusion that there was little it could do to stop the attacks.
F.B.I. officials often review how the bureau has handled investigations after attacks, and they have sometimes acknowledged mistakes.

After the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, which left 13 people dead, the criticism of the F.B.I. was far more pointed. The F.B.I. appointed one of its former directors, William H. Webster, to conduct a formal review into how the bureau handled its investigation of the gunman before and after the attack.

That review, which found that the bureau had made mistakes in handling intelligence information, resulted in recommendations for changes that the F.B.I. could make to its information sharing and training.
In the Boston case, the F.B.I. has no plans to appoint an investigator to examine its procedures. But inspectors general from four federal agencies, including the Justice Department, said they would be working together on their own investigation into how the government handled intelligence before the attack. The F.B.I. has been cooperating with the inspectors general by giving them investigative files and the opportunity to interview agents.

A spokesman for the F.B.I. declined to comment, citing the investigation by the inspectors general.
The F.B.I. first learned that Mr. Tsarnaev may have been radicalized in early 2011, when Russian intelligence officials sent a letter to F.B.I. agents stationed at the American Embassy in Moscow. The letter, according to the F.B.I., said that “he was a follower of radical Islam and a strong believer, and that he had changed drastically since 2010 as he prepared to leave the United States for travel” to Russia to join a terrorist group.

The letter prompted the F.B.I. to open an investigation in Boston. As part of that inquiry, counterterrorism agents looked at Mr. Tsarnaev’s criminal, education and Internet histories and found little that made them suspicious.

That April, F.B.I. agents interviewed Mr. Tsarnaev’s parents, and shortly thereafter they interviewed him and found nothing suspicious. Two months later, the agents closed the investigation of Mr. Tsarnaev, determining that they could not find any information linking Mr. Tsarnaev to extremists or extremist beliefs.

The F.B.I. went back to the Russian intelligence service to request more information on Mr. Tsarnaev but was not sent anything, according to bureau officials. The F.B.I. made another request in 2011, but the Russians once again did not send any information.

Mr. Tsarnaev did not show up again on the F.B.I.’s radar until four days after the bombings, when his body was identified at a Boston-area hospital after the shootout. Several hours later, the F.B.I. discovered in its files that it had investigated him in 2011.

It is unclear whether the F.B.I. was informed by the Department of Homeland Security in 2012 that Mr. Tsarnaev had returned from his trip to Russia.

Shortly after realizing that there was no formal way of notifying agents that someone they had investigated may have been traveling outside the United States, the F.B.I. and the Department of Homeland Security changed their procedures so that agents are given written notification that someone they investigated had traveled abroad.

While these changes are likely to streamline information sharing in the future, one law enforcement official said that “it’s fair to say that had these adjustments been in existence before the attacks, the outcome would likely not have been any different.”

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Spy v. Spy


Anonymous Intercept FBI And Scotland Yard Conference Call-FFF

Meet Bob


Can Bob Kill Americans

FBI Director told House lawmakers on Wednesday that he would have to go back and check with the Department of Justice on whether the Attorney General's justification for the targeted killing of Americans overseas also applied to Americans inside the U.S.A.