7/31/13

Keating to FBI: We Need Answers on Boston Bombings

July31,2013 Mr.JamesComey Director,FederalBureauofInvestigation 935PennsylvaniaAvenue,NW Washington,DC20535 DearDirectorComey:

AsaformerDistrictAttorneyfortwelveyears,Ishareagreatappreciationfortheintegrityofour judicialprocessesandunderstandthechallengesfacedbytheFederalBureauofInvestigations(FBI). Forthisreason,Iwouldliketostartoutbyofcourse,congratulatingyouonyourrecent confirmationandthankingthemenandwomenoftheFBIfortheirexceptionalworkand commitmenttoprotectingourcountry.Ihavebeenparticularlyengagedonthedevelopments surroundingtheBostonMarathonbombingsinmyhomestateandlookforwardtoworkingwithyou onthismatterfurther. ThededicationoftheFBIsagentswasmadeapparentinmeetingsIhadinBoston(June21,2013) andMoscow(May29,2013).Theseofficialmeetingsweredesignedtoinvestigateproceduraland resourcerelatedshortcomingsleadinguptoandduringtheBostonMarathonbombings.Theobvious intentofwhichistohelppreventfuturetragedies.Unfortunately,nearlyalloftheseinquirieshave goneunanswered.Further,thecontinuedreluctanceoftheFBItoaddressMembersofCongresson theCommitteeonHomelandSecurity(mostrecentlyonJuly10,2013)impairsCongress responsibilitytoconductproperoversight.Itisnot,astheFBIhasdescribed,anissueofwhocan providetestimonyjurisdictionally,ratherwhetheranagencythatinvestigateshomelandsecurity issuesiswillingtoshareinformationcriticaltoimprovingthesecurityofourNation.Forexample, wehavenojurisdictionalauthorityovertheCityofBoston,yetBostonsPoliceCommissionerhas testifiedbeforeCongressonimprovementsthatcanbemadeinourcurrenthomelandsecurity processesandprocedures. Openquestionsremain,particularlyinregardtoinadequateinformationsharing,restrictive investigativeguidelines/protocols,andaninabilitytofollowuponsuspiciousactivities/travelof individualsresidingintheUS.Finally,IwouldliketonotethatwhileinMoscowonMay30,2013,I wasabletoobtainareadoutoftheMarch4,2011andApril22,2013communicationsfromthe FederalSecurityServiceofRussia(FSB)totheFBIandCentralIntelligenceAgency(CIA).Despite numerousrequeststoobtainacopyofanddiscussthisinformation,Ihavenotheardanythingback fromtheFBI.

Forthesereasons,Iamdetailingsomeofmyunansweredinquiriesinthisletterinorderto illustratethatIamnotinfactaskingforanymaterialsrelatedtoactive,ongoinglawenforcement investigations,butamratherseekinginformationthatwillhelpCongressbetteraddressthe

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Keating to FBI: We Need Answers on Boston Bombings

homelandsecurityconcernsofmyconstituents,particularlyfollowingtheBostonbombings.Perhaps, whenviewedonpaper,theproceduralnatureofthesequestionswillbecomeapparent,andtheFBI willagreetoassistinclosingloopholesthatmayhinderthefutureidentificationorcaptureof dangerousindividualsbeforelivesarelost.

1. Asmentionedearlier,IwasrelayedtheinformationcontainedinbothwarningsaboutTamerlan

TsarnaevwhileIwasinMoscow.TheMarch4,2011message,inparticular,wasquitedetailed. TheFBIhasadmittedtoreceivingcommunicationsfromtheRussiansandhasreportedlytried tofollowupontheMarchwarningtwice.(AccordingtoformerDirectorMuellersrecent testimonybeforetheSenate,theFBIfollowedupinAugustandOctoberof2012.)WhenIasked theFSBwhytheydidntrespondtotheFBIsfollowupinquiries,thesenior,deputylevelFSB officialsintheroomvehementlydeniedthatanyfollowupfromtheFBIoccurredandaskedme toprovidethemwithconcretedatesandnamesassociatedwithsuchrequests.Iwouldaskthat theFBIprovidetheexactdatesofanyfollowupcommunicationsstemmingfromtheUSand detailwheretheyweresent.ThisinformationcanaidinillustratingalapsewithintheRussians owninternalcommunicationsandprovidetheopportunitytocorrectthisinthefuture.
2. YourpredecessortestifiedbeforetheSenateJudiciaryCommitteeonMay16,2013andstated

thatinformationinregardtoTsarnaevstraveltoRussiawasnotadequatelysharedwithinthe JointTerrorismTaskForceinBoston.HefollowedthisstatementbysayingthattheFBIhas beendoingbetterandimprovingitsproceduressincethen.Pleaseclarifywhatinformationin particularwasnotsharedandhowthesystemhasbeenimprovedsincetheBostonMarathon bombings.

3. Further,TamerlanTsarnaevwasflaggedafterhisreturnfromRussiaandagainwhenhe

appliedforUScitizenship.USCISofficialsinBostonconfirmedonJune21,2013thathisname wasflagged,butwhentheycontactedtheFBItheyweretoldthathiscasewasclosedandthat theycouldmoveforwardwithhisnaturalizationprocess.TamerlanTsarnaevwassubsequently grantedacitizenshipinterview.IstheFBIrequiredtoconductasecondbackgroundcheckona previouslyinvestigatedindividualifthisindividualisapplyingforcitizenship?

4. TheMarch2011communicationfromtheRussiansalsocontainedinformationpertainingto

aliasesthatTsarnaevmayhaveusedandindicatedthepossibilityofhimalteringhisname.Is thereamechanismthatcanoverridethealgorithmsinplacethatprovedinadequateinflagging TsarnaevstraveltoRussiainJanuary2012?Isthereanywaytoincorporateoutsidetipson namechangesintotheconsolidatedterrorwatchlists?

5. TwoHomelandSecurityCommitteewitnesses,namelyformerMayorRudolphGiulianiand

formerSenatorJoeLieberman,citedexistinglawsandguidelinesthatconstrainedthe Tsarnaevinvestigationearlyon.EvenRussiansecurityofficialsstatedthattheFBIhadtold themthatlegislationhadobstructedtheirabilitytoinvestigate.Aretheresuchconstraintsto FBIinvestigations?Ifso,howcanCongressassistineasingthem?

6. PoliceCommissionerEdDavisofBostonhastestifiedtothefactthatinformationabout

TamerlanTsarnaevwasnotadequatelysharedwithlocalofficersuntiltheaftermathofthe tragedyinBoston.WhiletheFBIhasindicatedthatinformationaboutTamerlanTsarnaevwas inadatabasethatlocalmembersoftheJointTerrorismTaskForce(JTTF)hadaccessto,these localofficialscouldnotsearchthedatabaseforsomethingthattheydidnotknowexisted. Further,policechiefsthroughoutthecountryhaveexpressedconcernoverthefactthatofficers assignedtoJTTFscannotsharecriticalinformationwithotherofficials,includingtheirsuperiors withinthepolicedepartment.WouldyoupleaseexplainwhyinformationabouttheBoston MarathonbombingsuspectswasnotsharedwiththelocalpolicedepartmentinBoston?

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Keating to FBI: We Need Answers on Boston Bombings

Further,wouldyoudetailcurrentprotocolinregardtoinformationsharingbetweenofficerson theJTTFandtheirDepartmentHeads?
7. ThesecondcommunicationfromtheRussianFSBonApril22,2013detailedIbragimTodashev

undermattersofsignificance.DidthiscommunicationinitiatetheFBIsinvestigationinto Todashev?Sincehisnameappearedinamodeofcommunicationconsideredtobeforeign intelligence,wasitpermittedtobesharedwithlocalauthorities?

Ifneedbe,Iwouldgladlydiscussthesensitivenatureoftheserequestsinasecureenvironment.I thankyouforyourtimeandlookforwardtotheFBIsresponse.Further,Ilookforwardtoworking withyouinyournewposition.Myofficeremainsopentoyouragency,andIhopethatwecanwork togethertofacilitategreatercommunicationbetweentheFBIandCongressasweworktogetheron mattersofsecurityandforeignemergingthreatsthataffecthomelanddefense.

Sincerely, WILLIAMR.KEATING MemberofCongress

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