FBI and Jewell

Re “Security Guard Cleared in Olympic Bomb Case,” Oct. 27:

This is not a case where the FBI or law enforcement went overboard in the search for a criminal. Law enforcement went overboard in a purely self-serving effort to dodge a claim that security was inadequate and to divert those who might claim that some blame should be attached to the police and security officials at the Olympic Games.

I don’t think it’s possible to assure security, so I wouldn’t blame the police or the administration for the event. But someone should be disciplined, and a message needs to be sent out that high officials demanding anonymity should not focus the spotlight of suspicion on someone when they have no hard evidence and do so largely to get the spotlight off of them.

Those who run the FBI and the Atlanta police, and all the other law enforcement people who didn’t call the media off by reminding them that there was no evidence that actually linked Richard Jewell to the crime, need to restate their policies and punish those who violated them (if they can be found).

LEE L. BLACKMAN

Manhattan Beach

* Yes, Jewell deserves an apology from the FBI (editorial, Oct. 29), but where is the apology from The Times? You printed every rumor and innuendo regarding Jewell, but you can only find fault in the FBI’s actions.

Why can’t you admit you were wrong by printing stories that were untrue or at least unfair?

GREG FOX

Buena Park

* Your editorial on the FBI’s smearing of Jewell has an interesting subtext in the penultimate paragraph: “A lot of Americans will admit that, deep down, they embraced the idea of Jewell as the bomber. With him in the FBI cross hairs, there was no need to fear some shadowy international terrorist conspiracy. With Jewell labeled the villain, there was no reason to fear that something far more sinister or coordinated had been involved.”

You have, perhaps consciously, laid bare the central organizing principle of the Warren Commission.

LEON ROTH