Tip of the Iceberg?

" For the very latest news conference to get under way we're gonna begin to dig into the forehead investigation. Where lots of finger pointing continues to emerge -- exactly what the FBI knew -- and what they told the army. Regarding connections between suspect -- has sun. And radical American teen mom Anwar a Lockheed now he's a man who was once arrested on terror suspicions he was later freed in Yemen. -- many officials were told are looking for him right now they don't seem to know where he is. There are reports his -- links may go beyond that one man but here's what we know so far. US officials say that he acted alone. And that he will be tried by the military we -- that he communicated with this radical cleric an email exchanges ten to twenty times. Over the last -- in that of the year finally we know that investigators looked into the matter and decided that his son was quote not. A security threat at that time still create a -- to figure out where -- this is headed Mike Baker. Is a former CIA covert operations officer he's also the president diligence LLC a global intelligence and security farm. Bill Gavin is a former FBI assistant tractor welcome to -- the view you are the perfect people -- to discuss this with us today as we look into this investigation. Like let me -- a little bit about this first you know we don't we know all about the joint terror task force it was a newly created after 9/11. -- there were so much criticism that these agencies weren't talking to each other. But now we're learning that the members -- the GA TT -- are communicating with each other but not necessarily with their own agencies outside. And then there were some questions about you about has not and that may not have gotten duration got."

" Right I mean that there there's a lot there it did to cover but first of all I think in and I know this is going to sound simplistic but investigation still ongoing so a lot of this. We'll end up being speculation. At at best is a couple of true isn't about about counterterrorism and and when people argue about what is an act of terror -- not. In a broad sense this is an active chair if you -- terror in a very narrow sense is an organized active effort by a group of al-Qaeda well they'll -- obviously fit that. But. In counterterrorism. Operations one of the true -- is you're not gonna stop everything it's not a zero sum game you never reduce the risk down to zero. Another truth is unfortunately after every incident that does occur that gets through. -- a lot of finger pointing a lot of have to find out where the plane as. The investigation as is going on right now. Would would certainly seem to indicate that the bureau yes of course he was on their screen why was he on this screen it's because while -- lucky. -- Who's had a long history and has been. On our screen for a number of years was being monitored overseas interestingly enough. The communications that occurred between house on an hour Lockheed then pointed to -- they started watching him. There's a lot of -- nothing in counterterrorism happens in a bubble. So the fact that you're watching how lucky he was based overseas in Yemen. And I picked up the communications with someone based in the US that speaks to the discussions we've been having over the past couple of years about monitoring of traffic of communications inside the US right."

" But yeah and -- let me turn this year now because Mike did a great job closer to setting up where this is headed. The bill when it turns out that the person that a -- is communicating west. Ten to twenty times and the investigator from DOD on this said. There was nothing you know that he felt that rose to the level of needed investigating he said they -- spiritual discussions -- religious discussions and that there was some research that. The doctor doctor -- was doing. About he has sort of the ramifications of fighting in Iraq things along those lines. But just the fact that this person it was in the military. What does that change this picture -- does that produce an immediate red flag -- this is somebody who is involved in the US military."

" But it certainly does make you -- categorical a little bit. Picture that the joint terrorism task forces is but conglomerate of -- vote law enforcement local federal intelligence agencies military. Information comes in you just can't conduct a preliminary investigation on anybody because you think something happens that has to be some -- initiative. That something is going -- So for instance this information comes into the communications between a -- and and a son. -- so -- that goes it goes to the military contingent of the joint terrorism task force this individual or individuals would have the situation might be in this case. He analyzes and information. The end there is a --"

" Called to pass on you for me and dynamic let me -- my -- the second I know that there's a protocol but I bet a lot of viewers out there frustrated when they hear this -- Because the fact remains that this is a person who you know gave a presentation. On suicide bombings and justification in certain instances for suicide bombings. They add that to the fact that he's been communicating with an -- even if their communications. Seemed fairly innocuous when you put them did you facts alone together. Doesn't at least justify pulling this person out of the running for somebody who might be headed to Afghanistan or at least doesn't merit. A deeper investigation and a removal of this person from his position at least temporarily to discuss how --"

" Martha probably so and that probably -- then what of what would have happened should this information have been passed on to the Defense Department by the represented -- on the -- Yes it wasn't the analysis was made by this individual was -- not to go any further I the end it probably should've been the other thing that we have to be concerned about your marker I think to a degree."

" It's -- fact that. All the information that we know today may not be."

" All the information it's -- to be known at this particular dynamic memory formation that we have to plug --"

" And then -- about tonight and that -- there's every indication. From what's filtering out there we don't know how much of that is true not true. That there are other connections that there are other links that you what do you think about that what are we likely to find out here."

" Well what's -- so peeling away the layers of the onion. You'll be looking for. Any association -- has what's the concern the concern is that. People may have been. Either directing or actively trying to recruit the son. So that's that's the purpose of of of all the investigation that's going on right now getting back to what bill said he's absolutely right to talk about the protocols. One of the frustrating parts of this that you point to Martha is everyone looks set it on on Monday morning and says well wait -- that we had these connections. Well the bureau. Is operating with certain limitations with certain parameters put in place to protect. Civil liberties in over the years has been this discussion about well we have to be very careful. You know there is a tradeoff between security. And civil liberties and you have to find that right balance -- the bureau. Oftentimes we'll go as far as it can and then look at the information say according to the restrictions that we have been in possibly moving -- general."

" It doesn't really have to have to try to prosecute anybody -- bring an -- that you couldn't you couldn't raise a red flag and say. Let's reconsider whether or not this person needs to be assigned to Afghanistan with our military at this point whether or not they should be on a military base in OK you can you know implement a period. Sort of shut down period and a discussion period the very least I would think."

" Well you -- you would like to think like a lot of discussions going on the in the in this side. -- area but at the same time I think that that that the point being is that. There are very specific restrictions put in place as do what you can and cannot do regarding how US citizens and that we got -- whole separate issue of because he was a Muslim American. -- were treading very carefully here."

" Now while Mike thank you very much and bill Gavin thank you gentlemen good to have you with us for -- for this news conference."