corrente

Yes, there was a 5:00 horror (see back here).

Here it is, via AP

A special federal attorney has been appointed to spearhead an investigation into the nation's first major post-Sept. 11 terrorism trial, the Justice Department said Friday.

Craig S. Morford's appointment comes amid concerns over the behavior of the lead federal prosecutor in the Detroit trial of four Arab men who authorities claimed were linked to terrorist groups.

Attorney General John Ashcroft said in a statement that Morford, an assistant U.S. attorney from Cleveland, may use a grand jury or any other type of legal proceeding, civil or criminal, in the probe.

The terror trial last summer was touted as an early success in the Bush administration's war on terror. Two men were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support for terrorism and to engage in fraud and misuse of visas and other documents. A third man was convicted of fraud only. One man was acquitted.

The case came under fire as allegations surfaced that Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Convertino withheld evidence from the defense, threatened a defense lawyer with an unfounded criminal investigation, and arranged to reduce the sentence of an illegal immigrant on trial for drug charges in exchange for acting as an informant in the terrorism case.

Convertino has vehemently denied the allegations, but a federal judge is considering whether to grant the defendants a new trial.

Convertino has filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department in federal court in Washington, D.C. It alleges the department is retaliating against him because he complained frequently and publicly about "the lack of support and cooperation, lack of effective assistance, lack of resources and intradepartmental infighting" in terrorism cases.

He also contends the Justice Department compromised a confidential informant, and he alleges "gross mismanagement" in the department's terrorism and violent crimes section.

"Compromised a confidential informant? Sounds like Plame, alright!

What the heck is a special federal attorney, anyhow? Is that like, you know, a very special federal attorney?