State and federal investigators said today that John Muhammad had been talking to them for more than an hour on the day of his arrest in the sniper shootings explaining the roots of his anger when the United States attorney for Maryland told them to deliver him to Baltimore to face federal weapons charges and forcing them to end their interrogation The investigators said an FBI agent and a Maryland detective had begun to develop a rapport with Mr Muhammad The other suspect Lee Malvo  being questioned by a Montgomery County detective was not answering any questions the investigators said It did not look like the juvenile was going to talk a local law enforcement official said But it looked like Muhammad was ready to share everything and these guys were going to get a confession  The investigators said they spoke with a reporter to explain why they have been so upset with the federal prosecutor Thomas M DiBiagio who brought federal charges today against Mr Muhammad The account was given by two law enforcement officials from Maryland and three federal officials involved in the case  Two Maryland state officials and two federal officials said that in a conference call with police officials and prosecutors Mr DiBiagio had said he was on orders from the Justice Department and the White House to take the suspects into custody They said one federal investigator had checked with the criminal division of the Justice Department which said there was no such order Today the federal government charged Mr Muhammad with using murder as a way to commit extortion across state lines Aides to Attorney General John Ashcroft said he wanted to determine the best jurisdiction for the death penalty Federal officials had filed the weapons charge against Mr Muhammad as a means of holding him The charges require that he be taken before a federal magistrate soon after being arrested A senior law enforcement official defended Mr DiBiagios decision saying it was based on the law and an effort to protect the case All this was about was being a good lawyer the official said The investigators said though that within hours of the arrests of Mr Muhammad and Mr Malvo at a rest stop at  am on Oct  in Myersville they had enough evidence to file state murder charges meaning they could continue questioning him for as long as a day before taking him before a judge The investigators said they ignored Mr DiBiagios first call at  am By  oclock they said Mr DiBiagio told FBI agents to seize Mr Muhammad if he was not sent to Baltimore  A federal law enforcement official dismissed the idea that Mr Muhammad might have confessed to the killings if the interrogations had continued The official said Mr Muhammad was talking but he wasnt giving anything relevant to the crimes in the interrogation I dont believe theres anything to that at all the official said referring to a suggestion that Mr DiBiagios action had hurt the case The investigation has been a fully cooperative enterprise and everyones first priority is to bring these guys to justice So they obviously wouldnt do anything to damage that  State and federal investigators who were at the Montgomery County police building where Mr Muhammad and Mr Malvo were taken on the morning of the arrests recalled the conference call with police officials prosecutors and Mr DiBiagio The investigators now say they do not believe that Mr DiBiagio was on orders from the Justice Department and the WHite House to take the suspects into custody A senior federal law enforcement official said that it was routine for the Justice Department to become involved in such decisions but that officials there had not given Mr DiBiagio any orders and that the White House had nothing absolutely nothing to do with that The official said that Mr Muhammad was just babbling and that taking the men to court in Baltimore was a mutual decision by prosecutors and members of the sniper task force This official added that it wasnt the US attorney coming in and saying Were going to do this