Justice Department IG: FBI gave misleading statements on surveillance of anti-war rally

IG: FBI gave inaccurate statements on surveillance

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department’s inspector general says the FBI gave inaccurate and misleading statements to Congress and the public about why an agent engaged in surveillance of an anti-war rally in 2002 in Pittsburgh.

Inspector General Glenn Fine says the FBI had no basis to expect that anyone of interest in a terrorism investigation would be present at the event sponsored by the Thomas Merton Center.

The FBI said otherwise in statements to Congress and in a press release.