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Cop tipped terror suspect that the FBI was investigating him, gets probation

By see-dubya  •  April 23, 2008 06:08 PM

Okay, this story has me asking a whole lotta questions:

In June 2005, when federal agents had a Fairfax man under surveillance, the man apparently asked [Fairfax County PD Sgt. Weiss] Rasool to check the license plates of three vehicles he thought were following him. Rasool’s lawyer described the man as a member of Rasool’s mosque.

According to court records, Rasool checked the databases and left the following voice-mail message for the man:

“Umm, as I told you, I can only tell you if it comes back to a person or not a person, and all three vehicles did not come back to an individual person. So, I just wanted to give you that much.”

The three vehicles were undercover FBI vehicles, according to a letter from the FBI filed in court yesterday, and Rasool’s message “likely alerted the subject of the FBI investigation which had a disruptive effect on the pending counterterrorism case.” …

The target was arrested in November 2005, then convicted and deported, according to court filings in Rasool’s case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanine Linehan said that the target and his family were already dressed and destroying evidence at 6 a.m. when agents arrived to make the arrest, indicating that they had been tipped off. The target’s name and the charges against him have not been disclosed.

Among my questions: Fairfax, huh?

And then we get into the questions about why this guy’s still a cop.

Anybody shed any more light on this?

MORE: An earlier WaPo report reveals that they caught this guy because there was a FISA wiretap on his phone. So here’s a cop abusing his authority–doing unwarranted background checks on what, for all he knew, were private citizens–and caught by the eeeevil FISA wiretaps. Who does the ACLU root for now?

Here’s more dirt:

Hundley said Rasool was checking the federal terrorism “watch list to see if he or others close to him were incorrectly listed. None of them were, and he never divulged it. And anyone that was on the watch list, he didn’t divulge that either.”

Clever. Okay, well, not really.

{post by See-Dubya}

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  1. #1
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm, brooklyn red said:

    Treason, in a time of war…

  2. #2
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:16 pm, thefoundingfathers said:

    The USA loves shooting itself in the foot any tying itself up in red tape.

  3. #3
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    I grew up in Fairfax County…it has since become a cesspool of degenerate activity.

    This isn’t surprising.

  4. #4
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm, rooster said:

    Hmmmm, seems there is no mention of race or ethniticity. If it would have been a white cop, I’m quite sure his picture would have been front and center in the article.

    I hope the Sheriff has enough sense to fire this guy.

  5. #5
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:21 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    Rasool’s lawyer described the man as a member of Rasool’s mosque.

    Hmmmm…

  6. #6
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:22 pm, alaskangrizzly said:

    My first thought was… why were the FBI cars tailing this suspect so closely that he not only noticed the three cars tailing him but was able to get license plate numbers?

    Sounds like a lot of government officials need some remedial training. Either way, the ultimate result was an investigation that was only partially successful and led to a loss of evidence into this terror organization.

  7. #7
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:24 pm, brooklyn red said:

    A. “Rasool’s lawyer described the man as a member of Rasool’s mosque.” (what a surprise)

    B.”The target was arrested in November 2005, then convicted and deported, according to court filings in Rasool’s case.”

    It is amazing that any of us are still alive. Once, just once can we hang a traitor?

  8. #8
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:27 pm, wise_man said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm, brooklyn red said: “Treason, in a time of war…”

    And the ACLU would fight to their last penny in the bank to find some legal technicality to make sure everyone involved would go free, despite their actions that is exactly that - treason in a time of war.

  9. #9
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:28 pm, alaskangrizzly said:

    From the linked article:

    In October 2007, the FBI confronted Rasool about his computer inquiries on the man’s behalf. According to a brief written by Linehan, Rasool denied knowing the man. When presented with the recording of his message for the man, Rasool admitted checking the databases, Linehan wrote.

    Linehan also noted that Rasool made computer inquiries about himself, through the National Crime Information Center system, about 17 times in 18 months, purportedly to see whether his name appeared on the terrorism watch list. His lawyer, James W. Hundley, said Rasool checked the database because of increased scrutiny of Muslims in the United States after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

    Emphasis mine.

  10. #10
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 pm, see-dubya said:

    And he’s also buggering up the lie detector tests. The FBI apparently still thinks he’s dirty, though no doubt he and his lawyer would say they’re just mad at him for blowing their case.

  11. #11
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 pm, PBoilermaker said:

    Soooo…Rasool is a traiterous mole in an LE position.

    Nice.

  12. #12
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm, dejack said:

    What do these people have to do before certain morons will take the threat seriously? Blow things up in the United Sta…..wait….hmmm…

  13. #13
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:33 pm, Tennessee Dave said:

    He should be at Gitmo keeping company with fellows of the same like mind.

  14. #14
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:34 pm, John Ansell said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:30 pm, PBoilermaker said:
    Soooo…Rasool is a traiterous mole in an LE position.

    Rasool is a tool.

  15. #15
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:35 pm, graysonret said:

    Glad I’m leaving this County. It used to be a very nice place to live, but not today. The County Executive ran on supporting illegals, and still won. It shows how far down this area has gone. Corrupt police isn’t new, but it’s very disconcerting to know they patrol the streets.

  16. #16
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:36 pm, brooklyn red said:

    Treason.

    There, I said it. Treason! Treason! Treason! Treason! MOUST FOUL!

    And in case their search engine is slow… I said Treason!

  17. #17
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:37 pm, wise_man said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:33 pm, Tennessee Dave said: “He should be at Gitmo keeping company with fellows of the same like mind.”

    You would think that interfering with a federal investigation, aiding and abating a person under surveillance by a federal agency such as the FBI, who ended up destroying evidence before being apprehended - would be a felony, capable of being punished by multiple years in a federal penitentiary …

  18. #18
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:42 pm, josetheguerilla said:

    Isn’t “Rasool” the supervillain from Batman begins? heh. Maybe the cop was under deep cover or something like that. For Example, if you have an undercover cop who is trying to bust drug dealers. The drug dealers are going to get suspicious if the undercover cop never snorts coke in front of them. Right? I don’t know, I’m not a cop. This story does provoke lots of questions. I know there are lawyers, and cops who comment on this sight, so—Que pasa?

    Why isn’t this guy in jail?

    /s/

    the guerilla

  19. #19
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:44 pm, alaskangrizzly said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:32 pm, dejack said:
    What do these people have to do before certain morons will take the threat seriously? Blow things up in the United Sta…..wait….hmmm…

    Reminds me of the end of the Narnia books where those dwarves continue on arguing through the end of time oblivious to their fate.

    Some people will never wake up to the reality that this threat of terrorism (mainly of the radical islamic jihad variety but also from homegrown groups like the weather underground and eco-terrorists) is still alive and well and not just in the mountains of Pakistan or the battlefield of Iraq but in our own backyard as well. Which is why the rest of us folk “trust but verify” and “carry a big stick”.

  20. #20
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:50 pm, brooklyn red said:

    Pronunciation: \ˈtrē-zən\

  21. #21
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:51 pm, undrseige247 said:

    This submoron cop reminds me of Barney Fife; the hat is too big for his head because his brain is the size of a mealy tomatoe. Retard shoulda got the 1950’s style FBI smackdown.

  22. #22
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 6:54 pm, dejack said:

    The common thread is a deep hatred of the U.S., in the case of our homegrown terrorists it is usually populated with those who have benefited greatly from this country but, nevermind. I wonder when we will see a merging of them.

  23. #23
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:09 pm, zorro said:

    Someone should just go ahead and say it… (cue brooklyn)

  24. #24
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:10 pm, zorro said:

    And where is the FISA bill today? Piled high right next to Nancy’s gasoline price relief bill, no doubt.

  25. #25
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:20 pm, brooklyn red said:

    Sorry zorro… had to pee.

    Main Entry: trea·son
    Pronunciation: \ˈtrē-zən\
    Function: noun
    Etymology: Middle English tresoun, from Anglo-French traisun, from Latin tradition-, traditio act of handing over, from tradere to hand over, betray — more at traitor
    Date: 13th century
    1 : the betrayal of a trust : treachery
    2 : the offense of attempting by overt acts to overthrow the government of the state to which the offender owes allegiance or to kill or personally injure the sovereign or the sovereign’s family

    Treason! does anyone else get this?

  26. #26
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:23 pm, thegreatbeast said:

    Lt. Susan Lamar, the assistant commander of the McLean station, where Rasool worked. Lamar wrote that, compared with similar computer violations by Fairfax officers, Rasool’s “seems to be the least significant.”

    Well, now I feel better.

  27. #27
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm, Hangfire said:

    Lt. Susan Lamar?????? That’s a dead giveaway.

    Who will play her in the movie?

  28. #28
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm, John Ansell said:

    brooklyn red: Tell us how you really feel. LOL. You are spot on though. Hammer, meet the head of a nail. Head of nail, meet hammer.

  29. #29
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm, dreid said:

    I find it interesting that the suspect was able to make 3 surveillance vehicles. There is more to this story and there are different angles that are as of yet unknown…

  30. #30
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:32 pm, zorro said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:20 pm, brooklyn red said:
    Sorry zorro… had to pee.

    LOL!

  31. #31
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:34 pm, zorro said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm, dreid said:
    I find it interesting that the suspect was able to make 3 surveillance vehicles. There is more to this story and there are different angles that are as of yet unknown…

    That’s a safe assumption.

  32. #32
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:42 pm, brooklyn red said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:30 pm, dreid said:
    I find it interesting that the suspect was able to make 3 surveillance vehicles. There is more to this story and there are different angles that are as of yet unknown…

    Hmmm, well trained I guess…

    compared with similar computer violations by Fairfax officers, Rasool’s “seems to be the least significant.”

    And the Feds have not taken over the Fairfax PD yet because???

    War, does anyone get it???

  33. #33
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:47 pm, Boomer said:

    I’m sure the other Officer’s guilty of computer violations were probably for downloading porn from the internet. This guy should be classified as an enemy combatant and on his way to join his Muslim brothers in Gitmo.

    Have to agree with brooklyn red about the treason and would like to throw in a sedition charge for fun. If I remember correctly sedition was punishable by death in WWII. One tradition we need to uphold or all is lost.

  34. #34
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:55 pm, John Ansell said:

    Hundley said Rasool was checking the federal terrorism “watch list to see if he or others close to him were incorrectly listed. None of them were, and he never divulged it. And anyone that was on the watch list, he didn’t divulge that either.”

    There, fixed it.

  35. #35
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:57 pm, nbarry said:

    If not treason, how about obstruction of justice? Wouldn’t that be easier to prove in court, and wouldn’t that tag him as a felon for the rest of his life?

  36. #36
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:10 pm, brooklyn red said:

    nbarry said:
    If not treason, how about obstruction of justice? Wouldn’t that be easier to prove in court, and wouldn’t that tag him as a felon for the rest of his life?

    Hmmmmmm, no. Treason. Treason in time of war. With all due respect, you sound like a lib… oooh tag him as a felon, oooh

    Here’s a marlboro… would you like a blindfold? Now that is more like it. Take a stand.

  37. #37
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:12 pm, gridlock said:

    Who does the ACLU root for now?

    The Bad Guys, of course!

  38. #38
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:14 pm, John Ansell said:

    Here’s a marlboro… would you like a blindfold? Now that is more like it. Take a stand.

    And Charge him for the bullet before he’s given his justice.

  39. #39
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 pm, brooklyn red said:

    naaaw, this one’s on me.

  40. #40
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm, brooklyn red said:

    This is for real.
    Treason.
    Where are the trolls, where are the seagulls…

    Our “peace officers” are selling us out to their mosques… come on, stand up…

  41. #41
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:31 pm, zorro said:

    Forgot to say nice catch see-dubya.

  42. #42
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:46 pm, nyc123me said:

    What the hell? Is there anyone in authority not working against the United States?

  43. #43
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:49 pm, gitarfan said:

    Lt. Susan Lamar, the assistant commander of the McLean station, where Rasool worked. Lamar wrote that, compared with similar computer violations by Fairfax officers, Rasool’s “seems to be the least significant.”

    If alerting a terror suspect is the least damaging computer violation she’s seen then this lt. should resign along with most of the force. What an idiot!!

  44. #44
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 10:01 pm, Texas Tiger said:

    Who does the ACLU root for now?

    Whoever can kill the greatest number of Americans, duh.

  45. #45
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 10:25 pm, et said:

    He should be at Gitmo keeping company with fellows of the same like mind.

    Actually he should be enjoying the Tim McVeigh accommodations at Terre Haute, Indiana.

  46. #46
    On April 23rd, 2008 at 11:01 pm, libocrat said:

    If a sentence contains the word “MOSQUE” bad things seem to happen.

    Anyone else notice that?

  47. #47
    On April 24th, 2008 at 12:00 am, Sanddog said:

    The Wapo story makes it sound like the feds prosecuted him for running tags but that’s no a federal offense. However, accessing the NCIC for personal reasons without an open case is prohibited and that’s probably how they were able to bring his case to trial (along with lying to the FBI investigators).

  48. #48
    On April 24th, 2008 at 12:37 am, alaskangrizzly said:

    On April 24th, 2008 at 12:00 am,

    Sanddog said:

    The Wapo story makes it sound like the feds prosecuted him for running tags but that’s no a federal offense. However, accessing the NCIC for personal reasons without an open case is prohibited and that’s probably how they were able to bring his case to trial (along with lying to the FBI investigators).

    What they prosecuted him for was not the running of the 3 plates. But for lying to investigators about calling the suspect and leaving a message about the results and tipping off the terrorist that he was being watched. Let’s see a summation of what I read about the case:

    1. Suspect under FBI surveillance sees 3 cars tailing him and records the license plate info.
    2. Suspect contacts police officer Rasool to run 3 plates for him.
    3. Rasool runs the 3 plates per the suspect’s request.
    4. Rasool leaves a message for the suspect about the plates. The FBI claim that was a tip off to the suspect.
    5. Rasool denies knowing the suspect and only confesses to leaving the message after the FBI play him the recording he left for the suspect.
    6. The suspect went to the same mosque as Rasool.
    7. Due to the tipoff the terrorist suspect was able to destroy evidence before the FBI counterterrorism team arrested him and then later deported him.

    And now you can see why many of the posters here are upset that Rasool didn’t even get any kind of felony conviction and only got 2 years probation when he should be in Gitmo.

  49. #49
    On April 24th, 2008 at 1:11 am, Republicanvet said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 7:26 pm, Hangfire said:

    Lt. Susan Lamar?????? That’s a dead giveaway.

    Who will play her in the movie?

    Someone named Hedy I’m sure…like Blazing Saddles?

    One would have to wonder if this were the LEAST significant, what the hell were the other violations then?

    Surfing here at MM or at Hotair? or going to FoxNews.com?

    Do these nitwits actually carry guns as well?

  50. #50
    On April 24th, 2008 at 1:18 am, Republicanvet said:

    On April 23rd, 2008 at 8:24 pm, brooklyn red said:

    This is for real.
    Treason.
    Where are the trolls, where are the seagulls…

    Our “peace officers” are selling us out to their mosques… come on, stand up…

    So…this guy checks the NCIC to see if his buddies at the corner mosque are listed, or if he himself were listed (what was he doing that would make him worried about that?), yet an INS agent in Colorado legally provides information on a criminal illegal alien that committed more crime, an alien that the democrat candidate was lying about, and the INS agent is tied up in court for months defending himself against political charges.

    I agree BR, where are the apologists and surrendercrats?

  51. #51
    On April 24th, 2008 at 4:12 am, frayed said:

    Hundley said Rasool was checking the federal terrorism “watch list to see if he or others close to him were incorrectly listed. None of them were, and he never divulged it.

    And anyone that was on the watch list, he didn’t divulge that either.”

    A crooked muslim cop that told one of his friends about liscene plates and didn’t tell any of them if they were on a terrorist watch list. I guess the lawyers weasel words would be right if he only told the ones that were correctly listed.

    I think I will get back on that turnip truck and keep on going.

  52. #52
    On April 24th, 2008 at 4:14 am, graysonret said:

    Well, we’ve got terrorist kids suing for millions, and county cops getting probation. I’m sure he’s right back “on the job” today. It sure doesn’t add too much confidence in our police department here. “This is 911. We’re busy right now…prayer time…call back with your emergency in 20 minutes.”

  53. #53
    On April 24th, 2008 at 4:59 am, Thunderbird 1 said:

    RE: Republicanvet’s post above (#50) - the INS agent was acquitted last week (thank goodness). It was still a spurious case at best.
    That being said, had I accessed the same info on the same NCIC database at my law enforcement job as did this Fairfax Sergeant, I would almost certainly have been summarily dismissed for abuse of access. Rule of thumb: “you don’t run (look up) the President of the U.S., and you don’t look up license plates of that cute girl you passed on the way to work…” (In other words, just because you have the capability doesn’t mean you have permission to.)

  54. #54
    On April 24th, 2008 at 6:41 am, gunslingerpatriot said:

    Why run the license plate of that cute girl when you can put her license plate number into any one of the commerically available internet search engines and get her info…

    My mistake–the abuse of power issue and agree that the cop should be in Gitmo, stripped of his police powers like the scene in Judge Dredd and bannished.

    Just my 2 cents worth.

    GSP

  55. #55
    On April 24th, 2008 at 8:54 am, StandardDeviation said:

    They shouldn’t be discussing whether or not this guy gets to keep his job, they should be discussing when to fire up Sparky.

  56. #56
    On April 24th, 2008 at 9:35 am, poppop said:

    I work as a clerk for bureau that collects demographic/economic information for the federal government.
    We are repeatedly informed of penalties
    of up to 5 years in jail and $500,000 fines if we mention ANY information we come across to a co-worker, let alone a civilian.PROBATION!!?

  57. #57
    On April 24th, 2008 at 10:01 am, sambo said:

    Wonder if Rasool is on the watch list now?

  58. #58
    On April 24th, 2008 at 11:14 am, henryinga said:

    This is just another example of the justice system in this country gone a mock. Send him to Gitmo.

  59. #59
    On April 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm, mojo said:

    WTF?

    Misusing those systems will get you a 5-year stretch, most places.

  60. #60
    On April 24th, 2008 at 10:27 pm, Republicanvet said:

    On April 24th, 2008 at 4:59 am, Thunderbird 1 said:

    RE: Republicanvet’s post above (#50) - the INS agent was acquitted last week (thank goodness).

    I had read he was acquitted…and surprised the case had taken so long.

    I had always understood accessing NCIC was a no-no unless there was a very valid reason, but was surprised when I saw it was the INS agent’s JOB to do what he did…and the fact that that little tidbit had been left out of all the previous articles.

    On April 24th, 2008 at 10:01 am, sambo said:

    Wonder if Rasool is on the watch list now?

    Depends. Maybe the one’s who update the list are buffoons like Lamar.

  61. #61
    On May 13th, 2008 at 10:07 pm, Straight_Talk_Luigi said:

    Maybe he was just trying to be “tolerant?”

  62. #62
    On June 13th, 2008 at 6:59 pm, DJM said:

    When will the dhimmileft learn? Muslims protect muslims. There is no duty or honor to defend the kuffar.

    Muslims will ALWAYS protect other muslims.

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