[1895] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: BXA denies my administrative appeal
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Brian Davis)
Wed Nov 26 11:17:14 1997
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 1997 04:24:08 -0500 (EST)
From: Brian Davis <bdavis@thepoint.net>
To: Phil Karn <karn@qualcomm.com>
cc: smith@securecomputing.com, cryptography@c2.net
In-Reply-To: <199711242334.PAA06722@servo.qualcomm.com>
On Mon, 24 Nov 1997, Phil Karn wrote:
>
> This comes as no surprise at all. Having been peripherally involved in
> responding to several computer intrusion cases, I quickly realized
> that the FBI -- thanks to its own insufferable arrogance -- is its own
> worst enemy. They go out of their way to alienate the very same people
> (victims of computer break-ins, the computer industry generally) who
> could most help them do their jobs.
>
> My (admittedly limited) experiences also confirmed that if you give
> the FBI a choice between quietly protecting a victim and making an
> arrest they can publicize, they invariably choose the
> latter. *Nothing* is more important than getting that trophy on the
> wall.
>
> Phil
>
Indeed. During my last few years as a federal prosecutor, the local FBI
Special Agent in Charge was soooooo media hungry that he was
derisively nicknamed "Hollywood" by his own agents.
He spouted off so much that the U.S. Attorney had to formalize a media
policy for federal law enforcement in the district (which I helped write).
Brian Davis
no longer a fed
P.S. I've received an inquiry about the Jim Bell situation and will try
to post my thoughts in the next day or so.
