Agent: FBI Ignored Moussaoui Warnings
Testifies That Bureau Missed 'Serious Opportunity' To Stop 9/11 Attacks
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Play CBS Video Video Star Witness Surprise The man expected to provide the strongest evidence for putting Zacarias Moussaoui to death instead took aim at his own bosses at the FBI when he took the stand. Jim Stewart reports.
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Video FBI Agent Blames Superiors The agent who arrested Zacarias Moussaoui took the stand at his sentencing trial, claiming the FBI ignored his warnings that Moussaoui was a terrorist. Drew Levinson reports.
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Video Moussaoui Trial Resumes Testimony resumed in the sentencing trial of Zacarias Moussaoui, after proceedings were put on hold when it was discovered that a government attorney coached witnesses. Drew Levinson reports.
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(CBS/AP)
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Carla Martin of the Transportation Security Administration leaves federal court in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday, March 14, 2006. (AP)
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Prosecutor David Novak, right, and defense attorney Edward MacMahon, center, plead their cases to the U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema during the fifth day of Zacarius Moussaoui's sentencing trial, Alexandria, Va., on March 13, 2006. (AP)
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Timeline In Terror's Wake A look at the major developments following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
MacMahon also questioned Samit on whether the government could have legally searched Moussaoui's Minnesota hotel room without first obtaining a warrant.
Samit said that in certain circumstances agents can conduct a search on foreign nationals immediately and obtain a warrant after the fact. But he said in Moussaoui's case, he and his supervisors determined that it would be best to arrest Moussaoui first.
Samit testified before the trial's recess last week that Moussaoui lied to him after his arrest and thwarted his ability to obtain a search warrant. Samit said that the FBI would have launched an all-out investigation if it had been able to search Moussaoui's belongings.
"You blew an opportunity to search ... without arresting him?" MacMahon asked Samit.
Samit responded, "That's totally false."
He said he found himself in a bureaucratic bind because he had opened an intelligence investigation on Moussaoui rather than a criminal investigation and therefore needed Justice Department approval to get a search warrant. Many of the barriers between criminal and intelligence investigations were removed after 9/11.
Samit's testimony comes a week after U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema delayed the trial because of a government blunder. It was a mistake that could have led to the judge giving Moussaoui life rather than death.
Transportation Security Administration attorney Carla Martin had improperly coached six witnesses who were to testify about aviation related events. Their testimony was viewed as crucial and represented about half the government's case.
The judge ruled those witnesses cannot testify, but others, not coached, can take the stand.
CBS News correspondent Drew Levinson reports Martin is ready to tell her side of the story, and may have to before the additional witnesses can state the stand.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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