FBI Finally Returns Illegally Confiscated Package - May 19, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 10

May 19, 2003 Vol. 4 No. 10:

Published: 05/19/2003

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FBI Finally Returns Illegally Confiscated Package

An Associated Press package that was illegally confiscated, as reported in a March 24 OMB Watcher article, was finally returned to the AP after 7 months. The FBI returned the package on May 11, with general counsel Patrick Kelley acknowledging that they had mishandled the material. An internal disciplinary inquiry is taking place, as well as the development of guidelines on handling news media material.

Kelley reinforced that the FBI believes the seized documents were “law enforcement sensitive,” although they are an unclassified 8-year old lab report which had been released publicly before. The package was sent from an AP reporter in the Philippines to John Solomon, an AP reporter in the U.S. and was intercepted by U.S. Customs and handed over to the FBI. The AP was never notified, and only learned of the incident from leaked information. This is the second time that Solomon has been targeted for government seizure.