ATC HANDLING AFTER BEING CLRED FOR APCH QUESTIONED BY RPTR.

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WE WERE TOLD BY SBN APCH THAT A NAVAJO WOULD BE IN TRAIL AT 3000 FT ON THE ILS FOR RWY 27 AT SBN. AS WE WERE ABOUT TO BLOW THROUGH THE LOC; I CALLED AND ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT. RESPONSE WAS 'OH YEAH; I WAS ABOUT TO CALL YOU ON THAT.' THE NEXT CALL WAS 'MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED; CLRED FOR ILS RWY 27 APCH.' AT THAT POINT; WE SELECTED APCH MODE ON THE FLT DIRECTOR; INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND GS; AND STARTED DOWN. JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKER; WE WERE CALLED TO STOP OUR DSCNT. THIS WAS AT 2700 FT AND TOLD TO GO BACK TO 4000 FT. WE QUESTIONED THE CALL; 'DO YOU WANT US BACK TO 4000 FT OR STAY AT 2700 FT?' THEY RESPONDED; 'NO; CONTINUE WITH THE APCH.' UPON LNDG; WE WERE TOLD BY GND TO CONTACT THE TWR CHIEF. HE CLAIMS WE WERE TOLD THE PLANE (NAVAJO) WAS IN FRONT AT 3000 FT. SEVERAL QUESTIONS: 1) IF WE WERE IN DANGER; WHY NOT BACK TO 4000 FT? 2) WHY DID THEY WAIT UNTIL 2700 FT; OVER 1000 FT BEFORE THE CALL? WE WERE IMC THE ENTIRE TIME OF THIS EVENT. I BELIEVE THE CTLR'S EXPERIENCE LEVEL IN THIS MATTER WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS EVENT -- STARTING WITH THE LOC 'NON-CALL.' FROM THE SOUNDS OF THINGS; HE WAS SHORT ON EXPERIENCE.