-Caveat Lector- http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010718/ts/crime_fbi_dc_7.html Wednesday July 18 9:32 AM ET FBI Finds Weapons, Computers Missing or Stolen By James Vicini WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The FBI, the law enforcement agency plagued by a series of recent blunders, has discovered that 449 of its weapons and 184 of its laptop computers have been stolen or lost, FBI officials said on Tuesday. They said one of the missing laptop computers contained classified information from two closed investigations while three others may have contained classified information. The unaccounted-for firearms ranged from pistols and handguns to rifles, shotguns and sub-machine guns, they said. One official said one of the stolen firearms had been used in a homicide. The latest embarrassment came a day after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft told FBI employees the public's trust in it has been shaken by the discovery of a longtime spy within its ranks and by the misplaced Oklahoma City bombing files. Informed on Tuesday of the unaccounted-for weapons dating back about 11 years and the missing laptop computers, Ashcroft immediately ordered a review by the Justice Department's inspector general. NEW REVIEW TO COVER ALL OF JUSTICE That review would cover not only the FBI, but also the entire Justice Department. It will focus on inventory controls and ``the accounting for law enforcement equipment issued to employees and agents,'' Ashcroft said in a memo to the inspector general. The inspector general already has been investigating the case of former FBI agent Robert Hanssen, who this month pleaded guilty to spying for Moscow for more than 15 years, and the FBI's belated discovery of the Oklahoma City bombing files. A commission headed by former FBI and CIA head William Webster is investigating ways to improve security at the FBI in the wake of the Hanssen case, and Ashcroft also has ordered a comprehensive review to reform the troubled agency. Of the unaccounted-for firearms, 184 were stolen while 265 were reported lost or missing, the officials said. Of the 265, 91 were training weapons while 66 involved agents who retired and four involved agents who died or were fired. The FBI officials said they have ordered a search for the missing weapons, and that criminal investigations would be opened into retired or fired agents who failed to turn in their guns. In March, the Justice Department's inspector general found in a similar audit of the Immigration and Naturalization Service 539 unaccounted-for weapons. Concerning the missing laptop computers, the officials said there was no indication yet that any investigation had been compromised, but they would not know for sure until the damage assessment was completed. Thirteen of the laptops were stolen while the rest were missing, they said. The new disclosures will be a topic of discussion at a hearing about the FBI on Wednesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, a spokesman for the panel said. ``Chairman (Patrick) Leahy (a Vermont Democrat) and other members of the panel will be asking about this,'' said David Carle, a committee spokesman. Among the witnesses will be assistant FBI director Bob Dies and deputy assistant director Kenneth Sensor, both of whom have been critical of the agency's security safeguards. FBI officials estimated there are nearly 50,000 weapons at the agency, and almost 13,000 laptop computers. They said the missing weapons were discovered as part of an inquiry that began about four weeks ago, and that it was the first time the FBI had done such a ``comprehensive review.'' <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
