Judicial Watch - Because no one is above the law!

FBI Failures Put American Lives at Risk
A Press Statement by JW Client and FBI Special Agent Robert Wright

Larry Klayman, Judicial Watch: ³We're here today to conduct this press conference because Special Agent Wright has material information about FBI negligence and recklessness with regard to not investigating terrorism leading up to the events of 9/11. He is the first active FBI agent to appear before the cameras to speak directly to the American people about the breakdown at the FBI. Special Agent Wright is an American hero. Special Agent Wright is coming forward on behalf of the American people at great risk to himself and to others that work with him and are around him."

Agent Wright: Since August of 1999, I've been working to legally expose the very real and foreseeable Middle Eastern terrorist threats to American citizens at home and abroad. From 1993 to 1999, I was assigned to the Chicago Division's counterterrorism task force. In this capacity, I became familiar with the techniques used by international terrorist organizations to surreptitiously move money, launder money in and out of the U.S., including through the use of domestic financial institutions, in support of terrorist and paramilitary activities and operations in the United States and abroad, including the state of Israel and elsewhere.

My efforts have always been geared towards neutralizing the terrorist threats focused on taking the lives of American citizens, in addition to harming the national and economic security of America. However, as a direct result of the incompetency and at times intentional obstruction of justice by FBI management to prevent me from bringing the terrorists to justice, Americans have unknowingly been exposed to potential terrorist attacks for years.

Since August 1999, I've been working to legally expose the FBI's incompetence and dereliction of duty in the terrorism arena. As a result, starting in August of 1999, I began writing a manuscript. It was single-spaced, 500 pages, and it was titled Fatal Betrayals of the Intelligence Mission. The manuscript outlines the FBI's intentional, at times, failure, to pursue the terrorists and thereby prevent terrorist attacks. Ironically, I completed the text of the manuscript two days after the September 11th attack. On September 10th, I had all but the last three pages completed.

On June 9th, 2001, after questioning by friends, co-workers and family members regarding my motive for writing this manuscript and for exposing the bureau's dereliction of duty in the terrorism arena, I drafted a Mission Statement, which was completed 91 days before September 11th. And I will read that to you now. That also was reviewed by FBI headquarters and approved. The mission statement reads:

The FBI is America's top law enforcement agency, and as such, its mission is to protect America and its citizens at home and abroad. The strength of the FBI has always been in the public's trust and integrity in the quality of the FBI's investigations. However, in light of the many FBI mistakes which have surfaced during the past decade, and additional mistakes which will be exposed in future legal actions and a book I'm writing entitled, Fatal Betrayals of the Intelligence Mission, America's confidence level in the FBI will further erode.

However, as a nation we must work together in seeking to regain the confidence level we once had in the FBI to achieve its vital mission of protecting the safety and welfare of its citizens at home and abroad. The FBI is going through a difficult time. However, I am confident the FBI and the American people can overcome these difficulties. Together we can and must resolve the difficult issues surrounding the problems within the FBI.

America cannot afford to have its top law enforcement agency continue to be lax in areas fundamental to the national security of this country. I love America and I love the FBI, particularly its purpose and its mission.

However, the mission has been seriously jeopardized, in my opinion, to the point that American lives have been needlessly lost. Accordingly, I am seeking a thorough review and complete 'house cleaning' to identify and fix the FBI's problems, whether they be managers, agents, procedures, policies, and/or inadequate laws.

Knowing what I know, I can confidently say that until the investigative responsibilities for terrorism are removed from the FBI, I will not feel safe. The FBI has proven for the past decade it cannot identify and prevent acts of terrorism against the United States and its citizens at home and abroad.

Even worse, there is virtually no effort on the part of the FBI's International Terrorism Unit to neutralize known and suspected terrorists residing within the United States. Unfortunately, more terrorist attacks against American interests, coupled with the loss of American lives, will have to occur before those in power give this matter the urgent attention it deserves.

Realizing more American lives are going to be needlessly lost, no one should expect me to consciously sit idly by and pretend to forget the things I know. By sharing what I know, the terrorism problems plaguing America may be corrected. Knowing what I know, I truly believe I would be derelict in my duty as an American if I did not do my best to bring the FBI's dereliction of duty to the attention of others.

Therefore, in an effort to prevent more deadly terrorist attacks against American interests at home and abroad, I have made it my mission, with the legal assistance of attorney David Schippers, to legally expose the problems of the FBI to the President of the United States, to the United States Congress, and to the American people.