[JURIST] The Inspector General [official website], the internal watchdog of the US Department of Justice [official website], concluded [DOJ report, PDF] on Friday that the FBI did not misuse the Patriot Act [JURIST news archive] but instead blamed the FBI for "sloppy work" when it wrongly linked an Oregon lawyer to the 2004 Madrid train bombings [BBC backgrounder]. Brandon Mayfield [JURIST news archive] was arrested [JURIST report] in May 2004 after the FBI established that his fingerprints matched [JURIST report] those found on a bag containing detonators used in the bombings. After the FBI admitted its mistake and released [JURIST report] Mayfield, he blamed the FBI of singling him out because of his Muslim faith. The Inspector General did conclude in its investigation [JURIST report] that FBI fingerprint experts were more resistant to re-examining their results of a fingerprint match due to Mayfield's religion but that did not mean his arrest was based on abuses of the Patriot Act. House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner [official profile] said Friday that the report should end accusations of Patriot Act misuse [press release] in the case and offered his firm support for the permanent renewal [JURIST report] of the Act. Mayfield is suing [JURIST report] the government over his wrongful arrest. AP has more.

Previously in JURIST's Paper Chase...

• US lawyer wrongly accused in Madrid bombings alleges privacy violations
• Mistaken Madrid bombings arrest of Portland lawyer goes to trial
• Patriot Act used against attorney in Madrid bombing case
• Oregon lawyer arrested in Madrid bombings sues government