WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration quietly tried to cut $6 million that was earmarked for developing new explosives detection technology -- even as the British terror plot was unfolding.

Officials wanted to use the money instead on federal building protection. Congressional leaders rejected the idea.

The maneuver was one in a series of Homeland Security Department steps that left lawmakers and some of the department's own experts questioning the administration's commitment to create better anti-terror technologies.

An investigation by The Associated Press showed the department failed to spend $200 million in research and development money from past years, forcing lawmakers to rescind the money during the summer session of Congress.

The Bush administration has also been slow to start testing a new liquid explosives detector that the Japanese government provided to the United States earlier in 2006.

The terrorist plot to blow up trans-Atlantic passenger jets would have involved liquid explosives.
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/9670553/detail.html


If the Japanese liquid explosives detector had involved wire-tapping U.S. citizens, I bet Bush would have tried it...