FBI’s Embarrassing Terrorist Flip Flop Raises Deeper Questions
An old saying states if something walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. That adage is known as the duck test. The duck test is a well-known example of abductive reasoning that is often referenced in everyday conversations. The test suggests that a person can identify an unknown subject by observing that subject’s habitual characteristics. It is sometimes used to counter complex arguments that something might not be what it seems.
The FBI should familiarize itself with the test because it does itself no favors by ignoring the obvious and attempting to lie to the American public. At approximately 3:15 am on January 1st, a murderer, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran from Texas, drove his pickup truck into a crowd of people celebrating the new year. At least 15 people were killed, and another 35 injured.
Law enforcement stated that Jabbar was not acting alone and was part of a more extensive terrorist network. A black ISIS flag was hanging from the back of the rented truck Jabbar used to carry out his terror attack. He was firing a rifle from the truck while wearing body armor and a helmet, according to a law enforcement bulletin. After driving into the crowd, he exchanged gunfire with several police officers, wounding two of them, before being shot dead by the officers.
Approximately 30 minutes after Jabbar was shot dead, investigators discovered a pipe bomb containing nails and suspected C4 explosives inside an ice chest. This was left near police patrol cars at the intersection of Bourbon and Orleans streets, about three blocks from where the attack concluded.
A second device was discovered approximately one block away from the first device. Investigators also found a potential third device inside a purple suitcase at the intersection of North Rampart Street and Esplanade Avenue, near the upper edge of the French Quarter.
Two of the devices were confirmed to be pipe bombs hidden inside coolers, and they were connected for remote detonation, according to the bulletin. Investigators found a matching remote control in Jabbar’s truck, which also contained mason jars filled with a clear liquid that appeared to be explosive.
Investigators discovered that Jabbar was staying at a short-term rental in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans, approximately two miles from the French Quarter. When they arrived, they found that the property had been intentionally set on fire. After firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control, they uncovered bomb-making materials inside the home.
Federal and local authorities descended on a home in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday, believing it to be Jabbar’s residence. According to the FBI, Houston, federal agents, and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office were in the 12000 block of Crescent Peak Drive in north Harris County.
According to NBC affiliate KPRC 2 Houston, a SWAT team evacuated several individuals, including children, from a home. A man was also seen surrendering to the SWAT team.
FBI Houston officials announced Thursday morning that the police had completed their search of a property believed to be the residence of the suspect Jabbar. No arrests have been made. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez stated that he did not believe his office had received any prior calls for service at the address before the search.
Initially, the FBI tried to convince everyone that this was not a terrorist attack. They trotted out an obviously unprepared black agent named Alethea Duncan, who was sporting a nose stud who stated this:
“This is not a terrorist event. What it is right now is there were improvised explosive devices that was found, and we are working on confirming if this is a viable device or not.”
Duncan’s nose stud has garnered considerable attention, with some believing it demonstrates a lack of professionalism. That said, nose stud or not, the FBI’s attempt to downplay the obvious fact that this was an act of terrorism is yet another chapter in the organization’s diary of lies. Duncan was obviously not the best spokesperson to do the briefing on such a tragic incident and that fact exposed another deeper flaw within the FBI.
Under FBI Director Christopher Wray’s leadership, DEI initiatives have been front and center in the agency’s efforts to diversify its workforce. According to a report submitted to the House Judiciary Committee, these initiatives prioritize race, gender, and sexual orientation over traditional qualifications such as physical fitness, integrity, and experience. Critics argue that this shift undermines the FBI’smission to protect national security.
The report compiled by an alliance of active-duty and retired FBI agents paints a grim picture of recruitment practices. It alleges:
Candidates with significant physical fitness deficits and questionable academic qualifications are being admitted.
The drug policy for applicants has been “liberalized,” allowing individuals with histories of substance abuse to join the bureau.
Supervisors are pressured to advance candidates who fail basic requirements, including fitness tests and English proficiency, to meet DEI goals.
The debate over DEI is nothing more than a debate over whether or not quotas are legal. Deliberately hiring based on skin color, gender, and sexual orientation rather than merit or experience is outright discrimination. DEI is not merely about hiring. It’s about the consequences of those hires. Can any organization be true to its core mission, which in the FBI’s case is safeguarding the nation when merit means nothing?
DEI does not strengthen an organization. It weakens it by creating division within and by lowering expectations. That combination of issues damages public perception and inspires lawbreakers to no longer fear what used to be a preeminent law enforcement agency.
