Some Charge High-Tech Military Gear Was Used To Find Times Square Bombing Suspect

The White House and the Department of Defense both insist that spy planes were not used in the hunt for Failas Shahzad, the man who allegedly tried to detonate a crude bomb in New York's Times Square.

U.S. Army Photo

Long-standing U.S. policy known as The Posse Comitatus Act forbids the military from domestic operations, and yet RC-12Q aircraft were used to intercept cell phone conversations from the Beltway Sniper in 2002, and were flown over the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.

But Wired Magazine reports that, in this instance, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications Benjamin Rhodes said "the actions described simply did not take place," referring to reports that U.S. military assets were used after Shahbaz's trail was lost.

The act does have exceptions. The military can step in to assist in the apprehension of drug runners, or in the case of potential nuclear, chemical, or biological threats. Restrictions also do not apply to the Coast Guard or National Guard.

FMI: www.dod.mil, www.whitehouse.gov