Protesters march to renounce Syrian president's speech
Study finds executions since 1978 have cost California $4B

Report: Acting ATF director likely to resign

By Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY
Updated

Kenneth Melson, acting director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is likely to resign within the next day or two, CNN reports.

The news comes in the wake of revelations about a controversial effort known as "Operation Fast and Furious" in which straw buyers were allowed to purchase large numbers of weapons, some of which ended up in the hands of members of Mexican cartels, the news agency reports.

The operation had come under intense criticism since the December killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, according to CNN.

The idea behind the operation was to follow people who legally bought weapons that then were transferred to criminals. The intention was that once weapons that surfaced in Mexico were traced back to straw purchasers, the arms smuggling network could be brought down, CNN reports.

Attorney General Eric Holder will meet tomorrow with Andrew Traver, head of the ATF office in Chicago, about replacing Melson, CNN reports.

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