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Report backs FBI in Puerto Rican's deathFrom Terry Frieden YOUR E-MAIL ALERTSWASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI appropriately handled the September 2005 shooting death of a Puerto Rican independence movement leader, a Justice Department investigation concluded Wednesday. The inspector general's probe determined the FBI's use of deadly force was proper in the killing of Filiberto Ojeda Rios, leader of the Macheteros movement, at his house in rural Puerto Rico. Ojeda bled to death after FBI sniper fire wounded him, prompting allegations on the Caribbean island that agents intentionally allowed him to die. Wednesday's internal report rejected those accusations, concluding the decision to delay entry into Ojeda's house by 18 hours was prompted by legitimate safety concerns. Since the 1970s, Ojeda's Macheteros organization has claimed responsibility for acts of violence in its campaign to win independence for Puerto Rico, a U.S. commonwealth. In 1985, Ojeda was arrested in a 1983 Wells Fargo robbery and shooting of an FBI agent in West Hartford, Connecticut. He was convicted in absentia in 1992 after fleeing while on bond before trial. Inspector General Glenn Fine found fault with some procedural issues in the Ojeda shooting, including delayed communications between FBI headquarters and agents at the scene. "Although our report did not find that the FBI violated the deadly force policy or intentionally allowed Ojeda to die, we did find deficiencies in the FBI's conduct of the arrest operation," the report said. "FBI decisions suffered from inadequate consideration of alternative options and inadequate preparation for foreseeable scenarios." In response to the report, the bureau said that "shooting incidents are sometimes an unfortunate result given the nature of the FBI's mission." "The FBI recognizes the importance of strengthening communication and coordination between FBI headquarters, the hostage rescue team and our field offices during significant operational matters of this nature," the agency's statement said, adding that the investigation will "contribute significantly to a better understanding of this case and planning for future operations." 
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