FBI Agent Faults Counterterrorism Work
By MARYCLAIRE DALE – January 12, 2008
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The FBI's counterterrorism agents lack the language
skills and cultural understanding needed to succeed, an agency whistle-blower
charged Saturday.
Bassem Youssef, a decorated FBI supervisor who was born in Egypt
and speaks fluent Arabic, also said jealousy, discrimination and flawed
directives hinder the FBI's attempts to fight terrorism.
"The FBI has publicly stated that expertise in working counterterrorism
matters, and cultural understanding of the Middle East
and the radical Islamic groups, as well as the language, are not necessary to
run the counterterrorism division," said Youssef, speaking publicly for
the first time on the subject Saturday at an American Library Association
meeting.
Youssef, 49, the highest ranking Arab-American agent, has a discrimination
lawsuit pending against the bureau. He has also raised concerns about the FBI's
alleged misuse of warrantless searches.
Youssef canceled plans to deliver prepared remarks, after what his lawyer
called FBI censorship and threats of disciplinary action, and instead answered
questions from the audience.
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said speeches are reviewed to protect employees
and classified information, but that the agency respects its employees' First
Amendment rights.
Youssef's lawsuit, filed in 2004, alleges that he was passed over for
several promotions after the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks despite his relevant skills and experience, including
a stint in Saudi Arabia
when he said he came to know Osama bin Laden's brother.
The FBI denies discriminating against him and says it now has 46 agents and
285 language analysts who speak at least conversational Arabic.
"We have enough language qualified personnel to do our job, but that
doesn't mean we don't want more and we are continuing our recruiting efforts in
this area," Kolko said in a statement Saturday.
Youssef earned a distinguished service medal from the CIA in 1994 after
infiltrating the Islamic group led by blind Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, the
mastermind of the 1993 World Trade
Center bombing.
In recent years, he has run an FBI communications analysis unit within the
counterterrorism division.
In July 2006, the Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility
concluded that the FBI had retaliated against Youssef because of disclosures he
made to the agency's director and a member of Congress.
No trial date has been set for his discrimination lawsuit.
