...Over lunch in the bacteriology division, nervous scientists would share stories about their latest unpleasant encounters with the FBI and ponder whether they should hire criminal defense lawyers, according to one of Ivins's former supervisors. In tactics that the researchers considered heavy-handed and often threatening, they were interviewed and polygraphed as early as 2002, and reinterviewed numerous times. Their labs were searched, and their computers and equipment carted away.
...colleagues and friends of the vaccine specialist remained convinced that Ivins was innocent: They contended that he had neither the motive nor the means to create the fine, lethal powder that was sent by mail to news outlets and congressional offices in the late summer and fall of 2001. Mindful of previous FBI mistakes in fingering others in the case, many are deeply skeptical that the bureau has gotten it right this time.
"I really don't think he's the guy. I say to the FBI, 'Show me your evidence,' " said Jeffrey J. Adamovicz, former director of the bacteriology division at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, or USAMRIID, on the grounds of the sprawling Army fort in Frederick. "A lot of the tactics they used were designed to isolate him from his support. The FBI just continued to push his buttons."
Investigators are so confident of Ivins's involvement that they have been debating since Friday whether and how to close the seven-year-old anthrax investigation. That would involve disbanding a grand jury in the District and unsealing scores of documents that form the basis of the government's case against Ivins.
...a government source said that the probe could be shuttered as early as tomorrow. The move would amount to a strong signal that the FBI and Justice Department think they got their man -- and that he is dead, foreclosing the possibility of a prosecution. No charges are likely against others, that source added.
Of course, if they don't close the case, the implication is one or more of the other Fort Detrick scientists will be charged.
Of course, the FBI has no interest in finding the four "investigation sources," alledgedly one of these scientists, who told ABC and the nation as quoted by Bu$hie 2003 State of the Union address that the anthrax used was contaminated with Iraqi soil.
Of course, the Fort Detrick guys were the ones who really shot down this Bu$h administration claim.
Interesting how the FBI focussed on the guys who tried to throw a wrench in the war machine as the perps, isn't it?
Closing the investigation not only means the real perpetrator never gets caught, it means that the person who provided this misinformation will never be uncovered.
And the documents that get "unsealed" are doubtless only documents that aren't Classified as part of National Security.
Not that keeping it open would mean the source of misinformation- likely Karl Rove- would ever be uncovered, either.
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