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CNN Live Today

FBI's Focus to Switch From Prosecution to Prevention

Aired May 30, 2002 - 13:17   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 LIN, CNN ANCHOR: President Bush this morning endorsed the plans announced by Mueller and Attorney General John Ashcroft yesterday to drastically reorganize the FBI. The changes will shift much of the bureau's work from investigating crime to thwarting terrorists. Ashcroft and Mueller will be holding a 2:30 news conference about those FBI reforms and new investigative guidelines for the Department of Justice. And CNN will carry it live.

Our justice correspondent Kelli Arena broke the news yesterday. And she joins us right now from Washington with more. Kelli, how today's announcement going to be different from what we heard yesterday?

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yesterday we heard about a massive restructuring, and there are more significant changes in store. As you said, we reported earlier this week Justice will give FBI agents new authority in the field. Now, field officers will now have the authority to initiate undercover probes and open terror investigations without having to get approval from headquarters. Agents will also be allowed to gather information on individuals even if they're not under a criminal investigation. Now, that includes monitoring Internet sites, libraries and religious institutions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OLIVER 'BUCK' REVELL, FORMER ASSOCIATE FBI DIR.: Some of these activities will be chilling. There's no question of it. But if the public expects and if the Congress expects there to be preemption of terrorist activities, there's going to have to be a collection of information. And that collection at times will certainly be problematic to people's concerns.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARENA: Now, some civil right groups are very concerned about the new guidelines, saying that they basically amount to domestic spying. One Justice Department official says, quote: "The focus of the FBI is turning 180 degrees from prosecution to prevention. All the guidelines do is free agents to use every means possible under the law to keep us safe." By the way, Carol, the changes do not need congressional approval. Back to you.

LIN: All right. So, Kelli, the new changes -- does this mean that field agents investigating cases can actually initiate warrants themselves without having to go to headquarters then?

ARENA: Right. They still, obviously, have to go to court to be able to get a search warrant or a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) request. But they don't have to go through headquarters. And if you remember, that was the agent's in Minneapolis basic concern, Coleen Rowley, who caused the big stir by writing a letter to FBI Director Mueller, complaining that the request to search the computer of Zacarias Moussaoui was not -- was not given approval at -- you know, to actually go to court.

Well, now agents if they think they have enough, can go directly to court themselves and say, hey, we want a warrant, you know, let's hear if we can get one. So it cuts out that middle man and does address some of the concerns that were stated in the Rowley letter.

LIN: Faster action. Thank you very much, Kelli Arena.

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