|
Puerto Rico Asks Congress to Lean on
FBI
By ELISABETH GOODRIDGE
The Associated Press Tuesday, March 28, 2006; 2:18 PM WASHINGTON -- Puerto Rico's attorney general asked members of Congress on
Tuesday to pressure the FBI to cooperate with his investigation into raids by
its agents against independence advocates in the U.S. island territory.
In a briefing for House Democrats, Attorney General Roberto J. Sanchez
Ramos said bureau officials have stonewalled his investigation of an FBI raid
that left one militant independence leader dead.
"Only through open and frank communication between Commonwealth and federal
authorities can we hope to best service our common interest in the protection of
our citizens," Sanchez Ramos said.
Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, the senior Democrat on the House Judiciary
Committee, said he organized the briefing "to establish that there is a
case."
In September 2005, FBI agents raided the house of Filiberto Ojeda Rios, a
fugitive leader of a pro-independence militant group. Witnesses and his widow
allege that the FBI shot Ojeda Rios and let him bleed to death. The FBI has said
Ojeda Rios shot first.
During a raid last month that the FBI has said was to thwart a "domestic
terrorist attack" planned by independence militants, witnesses allege that
agents used pepper spray on nearby reporters and protesters.
The raids sparked an anti-FBI rally Sunday in San Juan capital that drew
more than 1,000 protesters.
The FBI has refused to disclose the identities of the its agents who took
part in the raids or provided more than a minimal amount of information, Sanchez
Ramos said.
Eduardo Bhatia, executive director of the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs
Administration, read a statement from Puerto Rican Governor Anibal Acevedo-Vila
at the briefing.
"It must be clearly stated that in no way does the Commonwealth wish to
impinge on any FBI investigation related to domestic terrorist activity nor to
infringe on the FBI's ability to do its job," Acevedo-Vila said in the
statement. "But just like the FBI must do its job, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, through its attorney general, has the right to require and obtain due
cooperation from federal agencies when exercising its legitimate investigative
powers."
Bill Carter, an FBI spokesman in Washington, said the complaints filed to
the agency from members of Congress and Puerto Rican officials have been
referred to the FBI Inspection Division for investigation and review.
"We can't comment further until that investigation is complete," Carter
said.
New Pacifica Working Group http://www.egroups.com/group/NewPacifica 'Save Our Stations!'
SPONSORED LINKS
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
|