“Nobody wants to see a 15-year-old kid go to jail if they don’t have to,’’ said one official working on the effort. That official said that when the FBI recommends a potential suspect for counseling, the criminal investigation will continue and agents will be prepared to make an arrest if they believe the person becomes more dangerous.
The issue has sparked an intense debate inside federal law enforcement, where many fear deadly consequences if they misjudge a suspect who is sent to counseling instead of being arrested.
“I get the principle, but there are a lot of potential problems with this, and I think it’s a wrong move,’’ said Peter Ahearn a former FBI counterterrorism agent. “I’m not saying it shouldn’t be done but it shouldn’t be done by the FBI. That’s not the mission.’’
As envisioned, no more than 10% of people under investigation in terrorism cases would be referred for counseling, according to the official. Currently, the FBI has thousands of open cases involving potential terror suspects, according to officials.
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