(KATU photo)
Could the Mayfield case be another long bungle, a la Yee? With Yee, we heard first that he had classified documents. Then we heard that the prosecution wasn't sure whether or not they were classified. Then all charges were dropped, although an official was quoted saying something cryptic about how national security concerns prevented further pursuit of the charges.
In Mayfield's case, we heard that his fingerprints were on material linked to the Madrid bombings. Now it's just one fingerprint, and it may not be his.
The threat of terror is real, and that's why every one of these arrests is a high-stakes proposition. The Justice Department's credibility and honesty are at stake. Not much of it is left after Yee. Will they squander the remainder on Mayfield? From AP:
The newspaper El Pais reported Saturday that Spanish investigators have serious doubts as to whether the fingerprint found on a plastic bag tied to March 11 explosions on commuter trains is that of Portland-area lawyer Brandon Mayfield.The report said Spanish forensics experts found only eight points of similarity between the print and the one of Mayfield held in U.S. files because of his status as a former member of the Army.
The FBI said it found 15 such points, El Pais said.
The Interior Ministry declined to comment on the report.
Mayfield, 37, was arrested at his law office on Thursday as a material witness in the March 11 bombings, which killed 191 people and wounded 2,000.
He has not been charged with a crime.
Spanish officials say at least one fingerprint thought to be Mayfield's was found on a plastic bag containing detonators of the kind used in the attacks. The bag was found in a van left near the station from which three of the four trains bombed departed.
U.S. officials also said a single print of Mayfield's was found on the bag.
The number of points of coincidence required to submit prints as evidence had changed over the years.
The Weekly Detail, an Internet newspaper for fingerprint experts, says a certain number of coinciding so-called Galton points used to be required by various countries before an identification was legally accepted.
However it said that now investigators evaluate prints on a number of levels, thus "there is no statistical foundation for a minimum point requirement" because modern tests are both qualitative and quantitative and too complex to be quantified.
Jews represent 0.25% of the population of the world. That's one quarter of one percent. For every 400 people in the world, 1 is Jewish. Statistically, Jews don't even exist. They round down to zero. If there were twice as many Jews, they'd still round down to zero.
Now why would anyone want to blame all their peoblems on the Jews? That's a toughie, isn't it? But let's try an answer: Maybe its easier than actually trying to solve their own problems.
Gee, I posted the above in response to a virulently anti-semitic comment that preceeded it. I guess Robert or Hugh pulled that comment. Good work, R or H.
hey what happened to that guy the professor from florida? the one that was on O'really and then soon after had terrorism charges against him for sending money to hamas was it? any new info about this guy
Luigi and Joseph:
With all do respect to you fellows ,but are responding to some article on a different page ??
Mackie, there was an opening comment, a rambling screed against Jews. I think the forum moderator pulled it, as well he should.
The credibility of the justice department should not, and cannot be an issue at all.
Since This is a very high stakes process. It would be a serious mistake for the justice department to ignore, or not react to the smallest degrees of evidence or potential leads whether they pan out or not.
This is not a popularity contest to see how many times somone is wrong or right on an investigation.
It was that politically correct attitude that contributed greatly to 9-11 because our justice department was unable to or failed to act on the slimest of evidence.
God for bid if we offend anyone!
Luigi:
Copy that.
I may be getting into tinfoil hat area here but I think there's a lot more to the Yee case than we'll ever know. I suspect we may be seeing the intelligence equivalent of someone turning "State's Evidence".
This Mayfield thing is a puzzler; though. I'm not sure what to think.
This is interesting.
Kill the jews,
Then we people,
christians and moslems,
can live happily together.
About as illogical.
The FBI is screwed up again. A search through the man's travel records would have cleared suspicions. These guys must have run the fingerprint on their AI systems with "Muslim " as keyword and Mayfield's name came up, that hundreds of others might share the same fingerprint profile did occur to them. All in all another self inflicted kick in the groins.
Self inflicted...not exactly.
The FBI says Spain got Mayfield's print via interpol contacted the FBI and demanded that Mayfield be put under surveilence. The FBI says Spain leaked Mayfield's name to the press.
Actually, even if there's nothing to it, I'm glad this occured. It means there is surveilance and cooperation internationally, that it moves fairly quickly.
I'll be curious to see what turns up.
I guess no chance he left the US on a different passport?
Odds of findings a fingerprint in Spain that matches a Muslim in the US that represents what percent of the US population out of how many billion chances is?
Never ever take 'El Pais' as a valid nwewsource, ever. They're practically PSOE's newspaper, they'll publish anything (as in, lie, manipulate, omit vital data) to spread socialism and attack local oposing parties and the US.
To be clear, Al-Jazeera could be considered blatantly pro-american compared to El Pais.
And to get your minds thinking, muslims weren't the only ones involved in 3/11. Zap's puppet masters have a very dark past in corruption and terrorism.
Ivan:
The FBI is screwed up again. A search through the man's travel records would have cleared suspicions.
Ivan:
When it comes to criminal investigations, things are not that cut and dried, or in simple black and white for all to see. In most cases much of the foot work done investigating possible crimes is not released to the public for evaluation for obvious reasons.
I can assure you that there are dozens of agents on this case as we speak, whether Mr. Mayfield is being held or not.
You people ever hear of the mail and as-amble in differant places, and some parts in certain countrys draw at-cion think out side the box! Over there they do not have the freedom you got here in this Great Country the USA! Now I know you are smarter than that h-ll we get our parts for cars all over the world
Member of the American Tribe
I have seen articles (didn't save links) which have said the opposite --that it was the US who questioned the fingerprint and Spain said it was an exact match.
That was reported prior to the coverage which is now claiming that Spain questions it.
I also saw it reported that it was Spain who was pressuring to take him into custody.
The interesting thing about this is the attorney, Tom Nelson is also the attorney for a guy who was in prison in Iraq, Egyptian born and a Canadian citizen but a permanent citizen of the US who "lost" his green card. He apparently went to Iraq to convince Saddam to give up and not go to war, was captured by Americans and spent time being "beaten" in Abu Gharaib prison.
Very strange connection of the two men, via their attorney.