AP source: Suspect's family led to FBI cooperation
Matt Apuzzo And Pete YostFBI agents flew to Nigeria in the days following a failed Christmas Day terrorist attack and got the alleged bomber's family to help them persuade him to cooperate.
It worked. A senior Obama administration official says the FBI and family members have been talking to Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab for a week and he's provided fresh intelligence for FBI terrorism investigations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
The Obama administration has drawn criticism for its handling of the Christmas Day attack. Republicans say it showed terrorist suspects can't be treated like criminals.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nigerian man accused of trying to use a bomb hidden in his underwear to bring down a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day has been cooperating with investigators since last week, a federal law enforcement official said Tuesday.
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab has been providing useful intelligence that FBI agents working with the intelligence community have been following up in the United States and overseas, the official told The Associated Press.
The development is significant because several prominent lawmakers have argued that Abdulmutallab should have been placed in military custody immediately or undergone more questioning before being given a Miranda warning by the FBI that he had right to refuse to answer questions.
In a terse exchange Tuesday on Capitol Hill, FBI Director Robert Mueller appeared to confirm that Abdulmutallab is now talking with investigators.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., asked Mueller: "It is also my understanding that Mr. Abdulmutallab has provided valuable information. Is that correct?
"Yes," Mueller replied.
"Thank you," Feinstein said, "and that the interrogation continues despite the fact that he has been Mirandized?"
"Yes," Mueller said. He explained that Abdulmutallab did talk to FBI agents after he was arrested on Christmas Day, speaking freely until he went into surgery for burns on his legs.
In the interim, which lasted a few hours, investigators decided to read Abdulmutallab his Miranda rights when he returned, a second federal law enforcement official told the AP. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Upon Abdulmutallab's return, it became apparent that he was not inclined to continue talking to investigators, so they then read him his rights, said the second official.
The second official made clear that getting Abdulmutallab's renewed cooperation has been an ongoing effort since that day.
In Detroit, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade declined to comment. A message seeking comment was left with Abdulmutallab's lawyer, Miriam Siefer.