FBI Regrets Steven Hatfill Characterization
The FBI says it regrets labeling Dr. Steven Hatfill a "person of interest" in the Anthrax probe.
[FBI Anthrax probe leader Michael] Mason told reporters Monday that giving out "person of interest" information publicly "leads to the same sort of calamity" that occurred when Richard Jewell was wrongly accused in the 1996 bombing at the Atlanta Olympics. "It's very hard to take that back if you're wrong," Mason said.
Meanwhile, Hatfill's suit against the FBI and Ashcroft, "accusing the government of "a campaign of harassment" and unfairly singling him out," is pending.
So "person of interest" now becomes a justly deprecated term. We hope "under the umbrella of suspicion" is next.
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