Atty. Gen. Eric Holder defends reading Miranda rights to terror suspects

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday defended reading terrorism suspects their Miranda rights, arguing that needed intelligence could still be gathered, as was shown in the recent failed attack near Times Square.

Testifying before a Senate panel considering a 6% increase in his department’s budget, Holder said reading the Miranda rights against self-incrimination had not created problems, as some critics of the administration policy have argued.

“The giving of Miranda warnings has not been a deterrent,” Holder told the subcommittee. Such warnings also ensured that statements were admissible in court, he said.

The use of the Miranda warnings are part of a knot of issues about how terrorism suspects should be treated. Conservatives argue that the suspects should be vigorously interrogated for any information that could help stop another attack and that the suspects should be treated as military prisoners, who are given fewer civil rights than civilians.

The Obama administration has countered that good intelligence is still being gathered even with the warnings and, in some cases, the expectation of a civil, rather than a military, trial.

“We want to make sure we can use all of the tools available to us,” Holder said, defending treating some suspects as civilians and eventually trying them in civilian courts.

Holder cited the recent case of Faisal Shahzad, being held on terrorism charges in connection with the weekend attack near Times Square. The bomb in the car misfired.

Shahzad began giving intelligence to officers, was read his rights, then continued talking, officials have said. Shahzad is still being interrogated, Holder said.

“During ongoing questioning by federal agents, Shahzad has provided useful information, and we will continue to pursue a number of leads as we gather intelligence relating to this attempted attack,” Holder said. “Although this car bomb failed to properly detonate, this plot was yet another reminder that terrorists are still plotting to kill Americans.’

Holder also mentioned an earlier thwarted plot to bomb New York City’s subway system, in which a key participant, Najibullah Zazi, pleaded guilty to terrorism violations.

“These attempted attacks are stark reminders of the threats that we, as a nation, confront. For the Department of Justice and our partners in the national security community, there is simply no higher priority than disrupting potential attacks and bringing those who plot them to justice,” Holder said.

-- Michael Muskal

Twitter.com/LATimesmuskal