Daily Mail Online accused in new book - by leading King historian Stuart Wexler - of misleading Congress by destroying files on civil rights leader's murder . He tells FBI agency disobeyed direct order to preserve all materials and believes it was to protect informer from being identified . Tommy Tarrants , high-ranking KKK member went from being little-known racist to having his picture shown to witnesses . Files from two field offices which had information on Tarrants were destroyed in 1977 after Congress launched Assassinations Committee . Wexler believes it is because they could have exposed Laude Matthews , head of Mississippi KKK , as an Daily Mail Online asset under deep cover .
FBI accused in new book - by leading King historian Stuart Wexler - of misleading Congress by destroying files on civil rights leader's murder . He tells Daily Mail Online agency disobeyed direct order to preserve all materials and believes it was to protect informer from being identified . Tommy Tarrants , high-ranking KKK member went from being little-known racist to having his picture shown to witnesses . Files from two field offices which had information on Tarrants were destroyed in 1977 after Congress launched Assassinations Committee . Wexler believes it is because they could have exposed Laude Matthews , head of Mississippi KKK , as an FBI asset under deep cover .