FBI agents have their hands tied in investigating terrorism because the agency has bowed to pressure not to target Islamic groups — a factor that hindered them in zeroing in on the Boston Marathon bombers, Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert says.
“It most likely did play a part … How do you question a guy to determine whether or not he’s been radicalized, when you’re not allowed to go into things like jihad and al-Qaida?’’ Gohmert told Newsmax TV’s “The Steve Malzberg Show.’’
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“Or if you’re not allowed to know enough about radical Islam?’’
Gohmert, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, said he and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann had reviewed the terms that had been cleansed from FBI training manuals because of pressure from Arab-American groups.
Incredibly, the terms that have been removed can’t be discussed, he added, because they have been classified by the agency.
“But they classified it not because it would hurt the country to know what those words are. It wouldn’t have at all,’’ he said.
“It would have hurt the FBI. It would have embarrassed them. And we knew that … Why in the world would they classify what they’ve purged except to protect them.’’
Gohmert said the FBI must be allowed to use any and all information to weed out terrorists, such as marathon bombing suspects, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
“If you’re not allowed to study radical Islam because we don’t want to use ‘jihad’ and ‘radical Islam’ and those terms, how do you ask this kid questions that let you know whether or not he’s been radicalized?,’’ he asked.
“I don’t see how you can do it.’’
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