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CNN Live At Daybreak

FBI Reorganization Follows Criticism of Handling of Pre-9/11 Terror Signs

Aired May 29, 2002 - 06:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: That FBI reorganization follows criticism of the agency's handling of pre-9/11 terror signs.

CNN justice correspondent, Kelli Arena, picks up the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The new priority for the FBI is clear-cut, protecting the United States from a terrorist attack. It is part of the major reorganization aimed at changing the culture and structure of the FBI from crime fighting to prevention. Even long-time critics are somewhat optimistic.

SEN. CHARLES GRASSLEY (R), JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: I believe that the FBI mindset can change. Will it change? I don't know, and it will be a few months or years down the road before we know for sure. I do happen to know that director Mueller's heart is in the right place.

ARENA: Mueller will announce the creation of flying squads, elite mobile terrorism units that can be dispatched around the globe to give field agents a big picture perspective. The FBI will hire about 500 analysts with expertise in languages, world cultures and technology. Officials say that currently the FBI does not have the analytical capacity to deal with the volume of information coming in.

On the agent side, more than 500 will be reassigned to terrorism units from narcotics, white collar crime and violent crime squads. The thinking is the Drug Enforcement Agency and state and local law enforcement can pick up the slack.

BILL BERGER, INTL. ASSN. OF CHIEFS OF POLICE: There is certainly a lot of duplication over the previous administration. Just about every crime was being federalized, and we saw a great exception to that. So I think if anything, as long as it's done in a prudent manner.

ARENA: As CNN previously reported, the FBI will also establish an Office of Intelligence to be led by someone from the CIA. Its goal: to be proactive rather than reactive.

ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: We must refocus our mission and our priorities, and new technologies must be put in place to support new and different operational practices.

ARENA (on camera): Along with what the FBI is proposing, officials say the Justice Department is rewriting investigative guidelines to give agents more flexibility in the field, especially when it comes to surveillance. The attorney general is scheduled to announce those changes on Thursday.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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