ADL Welcomes Plan for Overhaul Of FBI Says Government Must Have Tools To Combat Extremism
New York, NY, May 30, 2002 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today commended the initiative to overhaul the Federal Bureau of Investigation, calling the proposed changes outlined by Director Robert Mueller, "long awaited, but very encouraging steps."
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:
For more than three years we have urged the federal government to adopt meaningful changes in the process by which information on extremists is gathered and shared among the various agencies. The changes outlined by Director Mueller are long awaited,
but very encouraging steps toward enabling the FBI to identify and stop extremism before the crime.
Director Mueller, Attorney General Ashcroft, the Justice Department, and the Bush Administration clearly recognize that in the aftermath of September 11 the government must have the ability to monitor the ongoing threat that domestic and international terrorists pose to our nation. We encourage the Justice Department to pursue meaningful changes that will enable the United States to identify and track extremists using the most advanced technology and resources. We believe the FBI's expanded focus on intelligence gathering, coupled with more sophisticated analysis of that information, are the best means of preventing further acts of terror at home and abroad.
For too long, the FBI has been hamstrung in its efforts to combat extremism and has taken a too timid approach to initiating investigations against potential terrorists. We believe there can be a greater emphasis on tracking extremists while protecting civil liberties. Recalibrating this balance should be at the forefront of efforts to revitalize the investigative structure of the FBI.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
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