FBI denies report that probe curtailed

Keith Paul

Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2001 | 10:08 a.m.

FBI officials in Las Vegas Tuesday denied a published report that the investigation into the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is being curtailed to pursue leads regarding another possible round of attacks.

"The investigation has not been curtailed; it is ongoing," said Special Agent Daron W. Borst, a spokesman for the FBI's Las Vegas office. "The Justice Department and all of its component agencies, including the FBI, are continuing their two-pronged approach to terrorism."

The two tracks to thwart terrorism are: finding those involved in the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington and identifying and disrupting any future terrorism.

"The two tracks are both important and often overlap," Borst said. "The only priority distinction that can be made is one you would expect; when an agent finds a lead that is prevention related, that lead is immediately followed up on."

FBI officials have released few details locally or nationally about the investigation, but reacted quickly to a story published Tuesday in the New York Times. FBI headquarters notified all field offices that the FBI claims the story is inaccurate.

"There was no directive handed down from the Department of Justice to scale back the investigation," Borst said. "We are investigating everyone involved and retracing the movements of the 19 hijackers no matter where they were. Obviously, protection of life comes first, but there has been no slowdown in the investigation."

At least five of the 19 hijackers were in Las Vegas prior to the Sept. 11 attacks. FBI-identified terrorist Ziad Samir Jarrah, Nawaf Alhazmi, Mohamed Atta, Hani Hanjour and Marwan Al-Shehhi have all been seen in Las Vegas during various times or have been identified via hotel or car rental receipts between May and August.

"The investigation is trying to find any place where these five people were and who they contacted," Sheriff Jerry Keller said. "To my knowledge they haven't found anyone in Las Vegas they were meeting with."

Keller said the FBI is the lead agency locally in the investigation, but Metro Police detectives continue to assist.

"If they need 100 detectives, they would have them with one phone call," he said.

Borst said any threats for a second round of attacks would be investigated, but so far there have been no credible threats involving Southern Nevada.

Keller said the FBI and Metro have been searching for any tidbit that names Las Vegas as a target, but have found none.

In addition to the five terrorists spotted in Las Vegas who died in the hijackings, Algerian pilot Lofti Raissi, who was linked by British prosecutors to the terrorist plot, was here June 23. Prosecutors have alleged Raissi, who is under arrest in London, may have helped train the terrorists to pilot the large passenger planes.

Keller said he remains confident the FBI and assisting law enforcement agencies will track down the leads necessary in the case.

"They call them terrorists because of the fear they cause, but they are criminals, plain and simple," Keller said. " And we are very good at catching criminals."