Trevor Aaronson: How this FBI strategy is actually creating US-based terrorists

譯者: FBC GLOBAL 審譯者: xueling Sun

The FBI is responsible for more terrorism plots

在美國，聯邦調查局（FBI）

in the United States

策劃的恐怖陰謀數量

than any other organization.

遠遠超過其它任何組織

More than al Qaeda,

基地組織，

more than al Shabaab,

索馬里青年党，

more than the Islamic State,

伊斯蘭國，

more than all of them combined.

這些加在一起都不敵FBI。

This isn't likely how you think about the FBI.

這跟你想像中的FBI大相徑庭。

You probably think of FBI agents gunning down bad guys like John Dillinger,

你也許覺得FBI探員的使命就是掃蕩 像約翰．迪林格這樣的悍匪

or arresting corrupt politicians.

或是抓捕自甘墮落的政客。

After the 9/11 terrorist attacks,

911恐怖襲擊後，

the FBI became less concerned

FBI不再熱衷於對付惡棍匪徒和

with gangsters and crooked elected officials.

為升遷不擇手段的官員。

The new target became terrorists,

恐怖分子成為他們的新寵，

and the pursuit of terrorists has consumed the FBI.

對恐怖分子的追逐讓FBI心無旁騖。

Every year, the Bureau spends 3.3 billion dollars

FBI在本土反恐行動上

on domestic counterterrorism activities.

每年耗資高達33億美金。

Compare than to just 2.6 billion dollars combined for organized crime,

相形之下，FBI僅僅花費26億美金

financial fraud, public corruption

打擊有組織犯罪、金融詐騙、公共腐敗

and all other types of traditional criminal activity.

及其他各類類型的傳統犯罪活動。

I've spent years pouring through the case files

我花了多年時間深入研究

of terrorism prosecutions in the United States,

美國恐怖主義起訴案件的卷宗，

and I've come to the conclusion that the FBI

最終得出這樣一條結論：

is much better at creating terrorists than it is at catching terrorists.

FBI更擅長製造而非抓捕恐怖分子。

In the 14 years since 9/11,

911事件之後的14年裡，

you can count about six real terrorist attacks in the United States.

美國總共發生大約6起真正的恐怖襲擊，

These include the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013,

包括2013年波士頓馬拉松爆炸案，

as well as failed attacks,

另外還有多起未遂的恐怖襲擊，

such as the time when a man named Faisal Shahzad

比如一個名叫費薩爾．哈紮德的恐怖分子

tried to deliver a car bomb to Times Square.

企圖在紐約時代廣場引爆一枚汽車炸彈。

In those same 14 years,

然而，在這14年時間裡，

the Bureau, however, has bragged

FBI大肆吹噓自己如何大顯身手

about how it's foiled dozens of terrorism plots.

接連挫敗數十起恐怖主義陰謀。

In all, the FBI has arrested more than 175 people

在極具侵略性的臥底反恐打擊行動中，

in aggressive, undercover conterterrorism stings.

FBI總共逮捕了175名「嫌犯」。

These operations, which are usually led by an informant,

這些行動一般由FBI的線人來主導

provide the means and opportunity,

為患有精神疾病和經濟陷於絕境的人

and sometimes even the idea,

提供方法和機會，

for mentally ill and economically desperate people

甚至為他們出謀劃策，

to become what we now term terrorists.

幫助他們變成所謂的「恐怖分子」。

After 9/11, the FBI was given an edict:

911恐怖襲擊發生後，FBI臨危受命：

never again.

絕不讓悲劇重演！

Never another attack on American soil.

讓恐怖主義從美國領土上徹底消失！

FBI agents were told to find terrorists before they struck.

FBI探員們奉命在襲擊發生前鎖定恐怖分子。

To do this, agents recruited a network of more than 15,000 informants nationwide,

他們為此在全國雇傭了1萬5千多名線人，

all looking for anyone who might be dangerous.

傾巢而出瘋狂搜尋潛在的危險分子。

An informant can earn 100,000 dollars or more

線人為FBI提供一個恐怖襲擊案線索

for every terrorism case they bring to the FBI.

就能獲得10萬美元以上的酬勞。

That's right, the FBI is paying mostly criminals and con men

沒錯，FBI在這些罪犯和騙子身上

six figures to spy on communities in the United States,

豪擲六位元數，讓他們監視美國的社區，

but mostly Muslim American communities.

其中大部分是穆斯林社區。

These informants nab people like Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif

這些線人的獵物是 阿蔔．卡利德．阿卜杜爾．拉蒂夫

and Walli Mujahidh.

和瓦利．穆賈希德

Both are mentally ill.

這樣的精神病人。

Abdul-Latif had a history of huffing gasoline and attempting suicide.

阿卜杜爾．拉蒂夫有吸毒和自殺史。

Mujahidh had schizoaffective disorder,

穆賈希德曾患有情感分裂性精神障礙，

he had trouble distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

整日游走於現實與幻想之間。

In 2012, the FBI arrested these two men

2012年，FBI逮捕了這兩個病人，

for conspiring to attack a military recruiting station outside Seattle

罪名是密謀襲擊西雅圖軍方徵兵站，

with weapons provided, of course, by the FBI.

而給他們提供武器的當然是FBI。

The FBI's informant was Robert Childs,

FBI的線人名叫羅伯特．柴爾斯

a convicted rapist and child molester

一個被定罪的強姦犯和兒童猥褻犯，

who was paid 90,000 dollars for his work on the case.

他從這起案件中賺得9萬美金。

This isn't an outlier.

這並不是個案。

In 2009, an FBI informant who had fled Pakistan on murder charges

2009年，一名FBI線人 因謀殺指控而逃離巴基斯坦，

led four men in a plot to bomb synagogues in the Bronx.

他帶領四個人密謀炸毀布朗克斯的猶太教堂。

The lead defendant was James Cromitie,

這次襲擊的主被告人名叫詹姆斯．克羅米蒂爾，

a broke Walmart employee with a history of mental problems.

是一個身無分文的前沃爾瑪員工，有精神病史。

And the informant had offered him 250,000 dollars

線人柴爾斯付給克羅米蒂爾25萬美金，

if he participated in that plot.

誘使他參與這起恐怖陰謀。

There are many more examples.

這樣的例子還有很多。

Today, The Intercept published my new story

今天，Intercept網站刊發了我的一則新故事，

about a counterterrorism sting in Tampa involving Sami Osmakac,

講的是佛羅里達州坦帕灣的一次反恐打擊行動，

a young man who was living near Tampa, Florida.

主謀是一位名叫薩米．奧斯馬卡克， 住在坦帕灣附近的年輕人。

Osmakac also had schizoaffective disorder.

奧斯馬卡克也患有情感分裂性精神障礙。

He too was broke,

他同樣一貧如洗，

and he had no connections to international terrorist groups.

跟國際恐怖組織毫無瓜葛。

Nonetheless,

儘管如此，

an FBI informant gave him a job, handed him money,

一名FBI線人還是給他找了一份差事，付錢給他，

introduced him to an undercover agent posing as a terrorist,

把他介紹給一名假冒恐怖分子的臥底探員，

and lured him in a plot to bomb an Irish bar.

誘使他密謀炸毀一家愛爾蘭酒吧。

But here's what's interesting:

不過，這次發生了有趣的一幕：

The lead undercover agent --

主導這次行動的臥底探員——

you can see him in this picture with his face blurred --

就是照片中這個面容模糊的男子——

would go back to the Tampa field office with his recording equipment on.

在返回駐紮在坦帕灣的辦事處時 忘記關掉錄音設備。

Behind closed doors,

關上門後，

FBI agents admitted that what they were doing was farcical.

FBI探員們承認了他們所做的事情很荒誕。

A federal judge doesn't want you to hear about these conversations.

聯邦法官不想把他們的對話公諸於世。

He sealed the transcripts and placed them under a protective order

於是封存了錄音文字，並申請了保護令，

in an attempt to prevent someone like me from doing something like this.

企圖阻止像我這樣的人揭穿這背後的陰謀。

Behind closed doors, the lead agent,

關上門後，主導這次行動的探員，

the squad supervisor,

也就是這位FBI隊長，

described their would-be terrorist

把他們的假冒恐怖分子說成是

as a "retarded fool who didn't have a pot to piss in."

「連尿壺也買不起的弱智傻瓜。」

They described his terrorist ambitions

他們用「心猿意馬」、「白日做夢」這樣的字眼

as wishy-washy and a pipe dream scenario.

形容這位「恐怖分子」的野心。

But that didn't stop the FBI.

但這些顧慮並沒能阻止FBI的行動計畫。

They provided Sami Osmakac everything he needed.

他們為薩米．奧斯馬卡克提供了一切所需，

They gave him a car bomb, they gave him an AK-47,

包括一枚汽車炸彈，一支AK-47衝鋒槍，

they helped him make a so-called martyrdom video,

還幫他拍攝了所謂的「殉難」影片，

and they even gave him money for a taxi cab

甚至給他計程車費，

so that he could get to where they wanted him to go.

讓他前往他們指定的地點。

As they were working the sting,

在策劃這次反恐打擊行動時，

the squad supervisor tells his agents he wanted a Hollywood ending.

這位隊長對他的探員們說， 他想要一個好萊塢式結局。

And he got a Hollywood ending.

最終他如願以償。

When Sami Osmakac attempted to deliver what he thought

當薩米．奧斯馬卡克試圖

was a car bomb,

引爆想像中的汽車炸彈時，

he was arrested, convicted and sentenced to 40 years in prison.

他被當場逮捕，裁定有罪，並判處40年監禁。

Sami Osmakac isn't alone.

薩米．奧斯馬卡克不是個例。

He's one of more than 175 so-called terrorists,

他只是超過175名所謂的「恐怖分子」之一，

for whom the FBI has created Hollywood endings.

FBI為這些恐怖分子設計了好萊塢式結局。

U.S. government officials call this the War on Terror.

美國的政府官員們給這部 好萊塢大片取名《反恐戰爭》。

It's really just theater,

我們宛若置身一個劇場，

a national security theater,

一個國家安全劇場，

with mentally ill men like Sami Osmakac

觀看像薩米．奧斯馬卡克這樣的精神病人

unwitting actors in a carefully choreographed production

身不由己地參演一部自欺欺人的鬧劇，

brought to you by the FBI.

由FBI精心製作並呈現於世人眼前。

Thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Tom Rielly: So, those are some pretty strong accusations,

湯姆．瑞利（主持人）： 看來你對FBI所作所為十分不滿，

pretty strong charges.

他們面臨著嚴重指控。

How can you back this up?

那你有何證據來支持你的觀點？

Trevor Aaronson: My research began in 2010

特拉沃．阿倫森（嘉賓）：早在2010年，

when I received a grant from the Investigative Reporting Program

我從伯克利大學的 調查性報道專案獲得了研究基金，

at U.C. Berkeley,

開始了我的調查研究工作。

and a research assistant and I

我和研究助理建立了數據庫，

put together a database of all terrorism prosecutions

包含了911襲擊以來10年時間內

at the time during the first decade after 9/11.

全國所有的恐怖主義起訴案件。

And we used the court file to find out whether

我們查閱了大量法庭案宗，

the defendants had any connections to international terrorist groups,

確認被告人與國際恐怖組織是否存在任何聯繫，

whether an informant was used,

警方是否曾雇傭線人，

and whether the informant played the role of an agent provocateur

以及線人是否以金錢或其他方式引誘被告人，

by providing the means and opportunity.

從而扮演「內應」的角色。

And we submitted that to the FBI

我們將整理的資料呈送給FBI當局，

and we asked them to respond to our database.

要求其對資料資訊進行回應。

If they believed there were any errors,

如果他們認為資料存在謬誤，

we asked them to tell us what they were and we'd go back and check

我會要求指出具體的失實之處，並進一步核查。

and they never challenged any of our findings.

但FBI從未對我們的調查結果提出質疑。

Later, I used that data in a magazine article

此後，我在雜誌文章

and later in my book,

和著作中也引用了相關資料。

and on appearances on places like CBS and NPR,

這些文章發表於CBS和NPR等媒體上，

they were offered that opportunity again

他們此時仍然有機會反駁，大聲申辯

to say, "Trevor Aaronson's findings are wrong."

「特拉沃．阿倫森的調查毫無根據！」

And they've never come forward and said,

然而，他們從未站出來，

"These are the problems with those findings."

從未公開指出調查存在任何問題。

So the data has since been used by groups like Human Rights Watch

接著，人權觀察組織也援引了這些資料，

on its recent report on these types of sting operations.

用於他們最近的「誘捕行動」專題報道中。

And so far, the FBI has never really responded

迄今為止，我們對FBI提出的指控——

to these charges that it's really not catching terrorists

他們抓捕的並非恐怖分子，

so much as it's catching mentally ill people

而是被喬裝打扮的精神病患者——

that it can dress up as terrorists in these types of sting operations.

並未得到任何實質性的回應。

TR: So The Intercept is that new investigative journalism website,

主持人：我知道，「截獲」（The Intercept）

that's cofounded by Glenn Greenwald.

是格倫．格林沃爾德與他人 共同創立的新聞調查網站。

Tell us about your article and why there.

請談談你的文章以及選擇該網站發表的緣由。

TA: The Intercept seemed to be the most logical place for this

嘉賓：這個網站是情理之中的選擇。

because my article is really leveraging the fact that

我這篇文章主要基於以下事實：

a source had leaked to me transcripts of these

一位消息人士向我披露了

private FBI conversations that a federal judge had sealed

FBI工作人員私下談話的文字稿。

based on the government's claim that their release

政府聲稱，若公佈這些文字稿，

would irreparably damage the U.S. government's

將對美國政府的執法策略造成難以彌補的損害。

law enforcement strategy.

聯邦法官以此為由，封存了這些文字稿。

So a place like The Intercept was set up to protect journalists

「截獲」這類網站的創立初衷，

and publish their work

正是為了保護新聞記者，

when they're dealing with very sensitive matters like this.

並為涉及敏感題材的新聞報道提供發表平臺。

So my story in The Intercept, which was just published today,

該網站今天發表的那篇報道，

tells the story of how Sami Osmakac was set up in this FBI sting

還原了Sami Osmakac 被FBI設套陷害的來龍去脈，

and goes into much greater detail.

披露了鮮為人知的真實內幕。

In this talk, I could only highlight the things that they said,

在這個演講裡，我只能複述FBI

such as calling him a "retarded fool."

親口所說的一些事情， 比如稱呼他為「智障低能兒」。

But it was much more elaborate,

但故事遠非如此簡單。

they went to great lengths to put money in Sami Osmakac's hands,

一開始他們費盡心機， 將錢款交到Sami Osmakac手中，

which he then used to purchase weapons from the undercover agent.

後者利用這些錢款從警方臥底手中購置槍支。

When he went to trial,

待Sami Osmakac在法院接受審訊時，

the central piece of evidence was that he paid for these weapons,

主要證據只是顯示他曾自費購買槍支，

when in truth, these transcripts show how the FBI orchestrated

但文字稿揭示了正是FBI策劃了這場鬧劇：

someone who was essentially mentally ill and broke

Sami Osmakac罹患精神病，窮困潦倒，

to get money to then pay for weapons

被人設套引誘，購槍作案。

that they could then charge him in a conspiracy for.

最終，FBI 對其以同謀罪加以指控。

TR: One final question.

主持人：好，我還有最後一個問題。

Less than 10 days ago,

大約10天前，

the FBI arrested some potential ISIS suspects in Brooklyn,

FBI在布魯克林拘捕了若干ISIS潛在嫌疑犯，

saying that they might be headed to Syria,

聲稱他們有意前往敘利亞。

and were those real, or examples of more of the same?

這些指控是否屬實，還是他們在故伎重演？

TA: Well so far, we only know what's come out in the court file,

嘉賓：就目前從法庭案宗獲悉的情況來看，

but they seem to suggest it's another example of the same.

很可能他們又在施展同樣的伎倆，

These types of sting operations have moved from flavor to flavor.

不過具體的操作手法大同小異罷了。

So initially it was al Qaeda plots,

以前他們借著打擊基地組織的幌子，

and now the Islamic State is the current flavor.

現在，則以消滅伊斯蘭國（ISIS）為掩護。

What's worth noting about that case is that the three men that were charged

值得一提的是，該案被指控的三名人員

only began the plot to go to Syria

在與FBI 線人接上頭後，

after the introduction of the FBI informant,

只是著手籌備前往敘利亞，並未啟程。

and in fact, the FBI informant had helped them with the travel documents

實際上，正是FBI線人幫助他們

that they needed.

申請了各種旅行簽證。

In kind of a comical turn in that particular case,

而且，案情曾出現頗具喜劇意味的轉折：

one of the defendant's mother had found out

其中一名被告人的母親，

that he was interested in going to Syria and had hid his passport.

發現他有意前往敘利亞， 就偷偷藏起了他的護照。

So it's unclear that even if he had showed up at the airport,

所以，即使他最後到達機場，

that he ever could have gone anywhere.

最終恐怕也一籌莫展，無法成行。

So yes, there are people who might be interested in joining the Islamic State

誠然，美國國內有些人

in the United States,

企圖加入ISIS組織，

and those are people that the United States government should be looking at

政府需要密切關注這些人的動向，

to see if they're interested in violence here.

儘早斬斷他們與恐怖活動的牽連，

In this particular case, given the evidence that's so far come out,

但是，就這一特定案件而言，

it suggests the FBI made it possible for these guys

目前證據表明，正是FBI 親自策劃、導演了

to move along in a plan to go to Syria

這出夭折的敘利亞之行，

when they were never close to that in the first place.

不然，“參團”成員根本無法順利完成簽證手續。

TR: Thanks a lot, that's amazing. TA: Thank you.

主持人：謝謝，十分精彩！ 嘉賓：謝謝各位。

(Applause)

（掌聲）