Numerous published reports say a lack of coordination, or perhaps even a rivalry between different law enforcement units, led to the seemingly premature arrest of terrorism suspect Najibullah Zazi, a Denver International Airport shuttle bus driver.
If that’s true, it’s a shame.
After 9/11, there was agreement that agencies needed to work together and communicate with one another. It’s one of the reasons the Homeland Security Department was created.
These types of investigations can be difficult because authorities understandably want to close in before a terrorist plot is carried out. However, it’s also important to collect enough evidence in order to round up all of the key players and make the arrests and ensuing charges stick.
This case illustrates the tensions inherent in such operations, and the complications that can result.
As Zazi remains in custody on what seem like thin charges of lying to investigators, authorities reportedly are searching for a clandestine bomb-making hideout that would give them solid evidence of terrorist activity. They’re also looking for suspected accomplices in the plan.
Meanwhile, the government issued expanded terrorism warnings about a potential al-Qaeda plot to set off backpack bombs in stadiums, hotels, transit systems and entertainment venues.
“It’s not totally clear to us at this point what it is they had in mind, though I think it is clear that something very serious and something very organized was underway,” Attorney General Eric Holder told CBS.
When Zazi came to the attention of authorities, it seemed the Aurora man embodied a dangerous combination of traits and skills.
He had traveled to Pakistan last year, where, authorities allege, he had received weapons training in an al-Qaeda camp. As a legal U.S. resident, he also had the knowledge and ability to move freely around this country.
When he drove a rental car to New York just before Sept. 11 and booked a return trip to Colorado via plane, all sorts of alarms went off. Authorities seized his rental car in New York and in it found a laptop containing images of nine pages of handwritten notes about the building and handling of bombs.
Chilling stuff, no doubt.
The investigation apparently was blown when New York police, acting without the knowledge of the FBI, questioned an imam about Zazi.
According to criminal complaints, the imam tipped off Zazi about authorities’ interest in him. Zazi and the imam, Ahmad Wais Afzali, were arrested after questioning and accused of lying to authorities. Zazi is accused of falsely saying he had never seen the handwritten bomb-making notes. Afzalik is accused of lying when he denied tipping off Zazi.
Both men have denied wrongdoing.
Counter-terrorism is difficult business, and we appreciate the efforts of those who have diligently worked within our system of laws to ensure there has not been a repeat of the 9/11 attacks in the United States.
But we hope that those who are responsible for the nation’s security will view the Zazi terrorism investigation as an opportunity to extract some lessons about the need for cooperation and coordination.
