Intro, continued: Scott Horton, of AntiwarRadio.com, interviewed Sibel Edmonds and the blogger who’s long covered her important case (which the corporate media still refuses to touch), Luke Ryland, to shine some light on what might be happening here. Again, Congress refuses to hold hearings, and hold anyone to account. This interview reviews some of the information that’s come to light in Sibel’s 6-year case, as well as the utter lack of action by Congress with regard to the entire network of whistleblowers with whom she’s associated.
Sibel on Congress: “What happened to all those promises you made? All the promises they made, none of them were fulfilled! They may look like champions, but all we have gotten with people like Chairman Waxman and Chairman Conyers is all barking … as soon as the issue dies down in the media, they just go away. They don’t do anything. They haven’t brought about any type of accountability, any type of meaningful hearings … nothing that in any way would bring with it type of accountability or further action, and they do have the power. … (Before, the blamed the Republicans) now we see that with the Democrats across the House, like Pelosi. … If the mainstream media were to do their job that would create the necessary pressure on Congress so that Congress would do what it’s supposed to do; it’s not doing favors, it’s basically fulfilling their obligation to the American public. This is why we are in this sorry state of our nation of seeing these criminals going unpunished and not seeing any accountability, and we haven’t seen any change whatsoever.”
Fortunately for those of us who have trouble keeping up with the depth of what Sibel’s been talking about for six years (well, since she’s so gagged, what she’s not quite saying), 911truth.org Advisory Board member Erik Larson has written an incredibly thorough, excellent review of the entire history of her situation, complete with links to all the information. This wonderful piece is posted below; have a read while you’re listening to the interview.
NOTE: Erik’s article was originally posted at OpEdNews, as sourced here. It was subsequently picked up by “Pakistan Daily” (www.daily.pk), a relatively new website on a server apparently based in North Brunswick, New Jersey (pakwhois.com search), which has been reposting many 911-related stories (including old, thoroughly debunked ones such as re. Stanley Hilton) with no author, date or source credit, and are extensively email-marketing their new site. It is this editor’s concern, having done a bit of research, that this may be part of an attempt to link 9/11 truth advocates to “jihad” or “extremist” sites. Readers will recall testimony given just last fall to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security stating 9/11 truth advocates are “extremists” and “homegrown terrorists,” and naming several specific 9/11 truth sites (AE911truth.org, septembereleventh.org, etc.) as fomenting “homegrown terrorism.” Readers will also recall recent news articles about the Pentagon’s extensive propaganda programs (for instance, House Votes to Ban Pentagon Propaganda: Networks Still Silent; By Josh Silver, Huffington Post, May 26, 2008). Because daily.pk posts articles about 9/11 alongside articles such as “Why Jesus Isn’t God,” …, we encourage readers to ‘beware’. As always, we must use discernment and cautious judgment in everything we read, no matter where it’s posted.
Scott Horton Interviews Sibel Edmonds and Luke Ryland
June 15th, 2008
Sibel Edmonds and Luke Ryland discuss the London Times series on her case and the international nuclear black-market network surrounding A.Q. Kahn, the U.S. government’s total clamp-down by gag orders even against Congress, the American foreign policy hypocrisy of demonizing certain nuclear ambitions and supporting others, the military-industrial-congressional complex revolving door, the bipartisan lack of enthusiasm in pursuing whistleblower cases, the movie about Sibel’s case ‘Kill The Messenger,’ and how it only takes one congressman to call her to testify to blow the case wide open.
“The Congress has everything it needs to
(47:41)
Sibel Edmonds is the most gagged person in United States History and Luke Ryland is a blogger who has closely followed her case.
Source URL: http://antiwar.com/radio/page/4/
Sibel Edmonds vs. the Nuclear Terrorists
May 22, 2008
Erik Larson
Sibel Edmonds is a national security whistleblower and senior Senators Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy, and Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine called her a credible witness- much of her testimony was corroborated by others at the FBI. She was hired by the FBI September 21, 2001 as a contract translator, and fired March 26, 2002 after pressing allegations of corruption, espionage and coverup in the FBI’s Translation Unit. Attorney General John Ashcroft claimed ‘state secrets’ privilege in her case and even classified her date of birth. According to the American Civil Liberties Union she’s the most gagged person in US history. Recently, she broke her gag orders; January 2008 the Sunday Times of London published her claims that still-classified FBI investigations uncovered State Department, Congressional and Pentagon officials trafficking in nuclear secrets, obstructing investigations into 9/11 and more. The series was picked up by media around the world, but almost entirely ignored by the US media, and not commented on by the US government. This article summarizes some of her most troubling allegations, and the response of the US government and media.
Since 2002, Sibel Edmonds has been very public with her allegations involving ‘unclassified’ evidence of wrongdoing- these include:
Supervisor Mike Feghali was telling translators to slow down work so they could show Congress a backlog and justify a budget increase. This was right after 9/11 when agents in the field were urgently requesting translations. In addition to new leads about 9/11, one special agent requested retranslation of a document that had been translated before 9/11, thinking that important information may have been missed in the first translation. Retranslation revealed that information had been omitted that referred to building blueprints and pictures being sent overseas, as well as information regarding criminal actions in connection with obtaining VISAs through certain mideast embassies. Feghali decided not to send the new translation to the agent; instead he sent a note saying the original translation had been correct.
Sibel Edmonds discovered that her co-worker, Melek Can Dickerson, was connected with Turkish agents that were targets of FBI investigations, that had spies operating in the State Department and Pentagon who were passing on military and intelligence secrets. Dickerson mistranslated and stamped ‘not pertinent’ hundreds, possibly thousands, of documents and wiretapped conversations related to these investigations, and with the help of Supervisor Mike Feghali, forged signatures on documents and stole hundreds of others from the FBI office.
A 10-year Iranian intelligence asset informed 2 FBI agents and a translator in April 2001 that Osama Bin Laden was planning attacks on 4-5 US cities, with planes, that some of the people were already in the country and the attacks would happen in a few months. The translator, Behrooz Sarshar, translated and documented the info, and the two agents reported it to Special Agent in Charge of Counterterrorism Thomas Frields by filing ‘302’ forms. Frields did nothing with the information before 9/11, and after 9/11 told them to keep quiet about it. Sarshar reported this incident to the Deparment of Justice Inspector General.
These are some of the incidents of espionage, corruption and coverup Sibel Edmonds witnessed that are not classified. In addition, she has repeatedly said there are crimes documented by FBI investigations that were shut down in 2002 but are still classified, and that she’s gagged from speaking about, though she has talked about them in general terms. October 29, 2007 Sibel Edmonds, through BradBlog.com, made an open offer to all the US networks: ‘FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds Will Now Tell All – and Face Charges if Necessary – to Any Major Television Network That Will Let Her’. None took her up on her offer. However, in January 2008 the London Sunday Times published a 3 part series based on interviews with her and their own investigation.
According to the 1st article in the series, January 6, ‘For sale: West’s deadly nuclear secrets’, Edmonds says senior members of Congress and high-level Pentagon and State Department officials took bribes and arranged security clearances for Turkish and Israeli spies to be planted in academic and military institutions doing nuclear weapons research- and that secrets they stole were sold to Pakistan and resold thru AQ Khan’s nuclear black market network. The US officials were part of a network that was also involved in arms and drug trafficking, and money laundering. The Sunday Times said they knew, but weren’t publishing, the name of one particular ex-State Dept. official who featured prominently in Edmonds allegations, including arranging for the deportation of 9/11 suspects so they couldn’t be questioned. His response to their seeking comment for the article was that the allegations were outrageous. The name of this official is said to be former State Dept. official and current lobbyist Marc Grossman, by two`bloggers who’ve been following the Edmonds case and investigating the circumstances–Luke Ryland and Larisa Alexandrovna.
Also on January 6, Sibel Edmonds posted this gallery of pictures on her website: Sibel Edmonds’ State Secrets Privilege Gallery For names, see: Sibel ‘names names’ (in pictures!) by Luke Ryland
The Sunday Times series was picked up by media around the world, but almost entirely ignored by the US corporate media and government.
Now that I’ve given you a brief overview of some of Sibel Edmonds allegations, let’s go back to 2002 and look at the response of our government and media then. Edmonds reported these things first to her supervisor, Mike Feghali and his boss, Thomas Frields; they warned her to keep quiet. She instead filed a report with the Inspector General of the Justice Department in February and an investigation was opened. She also faxed information to senior Senators Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy of the Judiciary Committee and June 17 they had Edmonds and the FBI testify in unclassified hearings. Following the hearings, Leahy and Grassley sent letters to Inspector General Glenn Fine, Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller, noting the FBI had confirmed many of Edmonds most serious allegations, and requesting investigation and accountability. Instead, Dickerson quit the FBI and was allowed to leave the country without being questioned; Feghali was promoted; and no investigation was done, other than the limited one by the Inspector General, which found that Edmonds’ allegations were largely the reason she was fired, had basis in fact and were confirmed by other witnesses. The IG’s investigation only examined the FBI’s handling of Sibel Edmonds’ allegations; it concluded they were not handled appropriately and recommended further investigation. October 27, Sixty Minutes broadcast interviews with Edmonds, Senator Grassley, the FBI and others. The FBI said Dickerson was a training issue but dismissed concerns she might be a spy. However, Grassley said of Edmonds, “Absolutely, she’s credible…and the reason I feel she’s very credible is because people within the FBI have corroborated a lot of her story” and of the FBI he said, ‘It needs to be turned upside down’. CBS didn’t air her allegations of obstructed 9/11 investigations, even though they had been confirmed by Congress. Since 2002 Sibel Edmonds has been mentioned in news reporting dozens of times for different reasons, but most reporting either doesn’t mention her most serious allegations, or puts them in a context that makes them seem less serious.
July 2002, Sibel Edmonds sued the FBI and Department of Justice for wrongful termination and violation of free speech rights. In October, Attorney General Ashcroft asserted the previously rarely-used ‘state secrets’ privilege and requested dismissal of the case. In May, 2004 Ashcroft retroactively classified Edmonds’ and the FBI’s testimony at the Senate hearings- and the letters that had been sent by Grassley and Leahy, which had already been in the public domain for 2 years (this classification was dropped February 22, 2005 after POGO, who had posted the letters, sued the DOJ). In July 2004, after 2 years of delay, Judge Reggie Walton dismissed the free speech case in the DC US District Court without ever hearing evidence from Edmonds’ attorney. The ACLU took her case and Edmonds appealed. The judges in the DC Circuit US Court of Appeals excluded Edmonds, her attorneys and the media from the courtroom, dismissed her case and did not cite a reason as it would have been classified as a state secret. Edmonds appealed to the Supreme Court, and 21 public interest advocacy groups and media institutions, such as the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), Government Accountability Project (GAP), Public Citizen, American Library Association (ALA), Federation of American Scientists (FAS), AP, Reuters, New York Times, CNN and the Washington Post signed onto briefs urging the Supreme Court to hear her case due to the free speech and abuse of secrecy issues. November 28, 2005 the Court denied cert without citing a reason. Her other case is still pending. Edmonds and government watchdog organizations maintain that the State Secrets privilege used to gag her is being used to protect government officials- not to protect national security, and not to serve the public interest. Indeed, the DOJ has claimed it’s necessary to protect ‘sensitive diplomatic relations’ and ‘certain foreign business relations’.
Originally the 9/11 Commission declined to hear testimony from Edmonds, but in February 2004 relented under pressure from the Family Steering Committee. Edmonds testified for 3.5 hours; the Commission report’s only mention of this is an end note about the FBI needing to improve quality control in the Translation Unit. This, even though both Congress and the Inspector General had confirmed her allegations, they bore directly on 9/11 and national security, and many prominent people and institutions believed the ‘state secrets’ privilege was being abused in her case.
March 2, 2005 the House of Representatives Committee on Government Reform held hearings on government secrecy and over-classification; Sibel Edmonds testified about these things as they related to her case, but didn’t address her other allegations specifically. Members of both sides pledged support for her; Representative Henry Waxman promised to hold public hearings into her case if the Democrats gained a majority; now that they have one and he’s the Chairman he has not done so, despite substantial public pressure.
To summarize; Sibel Edmonds is a witness to criminal actions by government officials that amount to treason, our government is not addressing this, and the media have neglected the story while supporting her right to speak in court. I’ll conclude with a quote from Ms. Edmonds’ House testimony; ‘The problems I have reported have serious consequences to our national security; and have already been confirmed by the Inspector General’s report and the inquiry of Senators Grassley and Leahy. Translation units are the frontline in gathering, translating, and disseminating intelligence. A warning in advance of the next terrorist attack may, and probably will, come in the form of a message or document in a foreign language that will have to be translated. If an attack then occurs, which could have been prevented by acting on information in such a message, who will tell family members of the new terrorist attack victims that nothing more could have been done? There will be no excuse that we did not know, because we do know.’
June 17, 2002 Unclassified Closed-Door Hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee: includes testimony from Sibel Edmonds and the FBI; the FBI’s testimony during this hearing was retroactively classified by Attorney General John Ashcroft May 13, 2004. Hearing is referred to in the August 13, 2002 letter from Leahy/Grassley to AG John Ashcroft and the DOJ IG’s Report on Sibel Edmonds.
June 19, 2002 Joint Letter from Senators Patrick Leahy and Charles Grassley to Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine, asking him to investigate 8 questions in conjunction with his investigation of Sibel Edmonds’ allegations.
http://www.citizen.org/documents/2-18-05letter.PDF
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Leahy_Grassley_Letter_to_Fine_6-19-02.pdf
http://www.thememoryhole.org/spy/edmonds_letters.htm
July 9, 2002 Senate Judiciary Committee holds another hearing into Sibel Edmonds allegations.
July 2002 Sibel Edmonds files suit against the FBI and DOJ for wrongful termination
FBI translator suit dismissed over security issues
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/07/06/fbi.translator/
August 7, 2002 Sibel Edmonds writes to DOD IG Joseph Schmitz regarding Major Dickerson
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/DOD_Letters.htm
August 13, 2002 Joint Letter from Senior Senators Patrick Leahy-D and Charles Grassley-R to Attorney General John Ashcroft, regarding the allegations of Sibel Edmonds
http://web.archive.org/web/20021120112002/http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200208/081302.html
http://www.pogo.org/m/gp/gp-02182005-JusticeDeptLetter.pdf
September 3, 2002 Sibel Edmonds writes to Attorney General Albert Gonzalez
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/DOD_Letters.htm
Sibel Edmonds’ website is http://www.justacitizen.com
September 19, 2002 Sibel Edmonds writes again to the DOD IG
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/DOD_Letters.htm
October 18, 2002 US Attorney General John Ashcroft asserts ‘State Secrets’ privilege in Sibel Edmonds vs. Department of Justice, requests dismissal
STATEMENT OF BARBARA COMSTOCK, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, REGARDING TODAY’S FILING IN SIBEL EDMONDS V. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:
http://www.usdoj.gov/opa/pr/2002/October/02_ag_605.htm
October 28, 2002 Letter From Sen. Charles Grassley to FBI Director Robert Mueller on the need to overhaul the FBI’s translation unit
http://web.archive.org/web/20030902134231/http://grassley.senate.gov/releases/2002/p02r10-28.htm
December 20, 2002 – Sibel Edmonds Response Re: State Secrets claim in her lawsuit for wrongful termination
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/State_Secret–Sibel_Response.pdf
January 27, 2003 – Defendant’s Reply in Further Support of Motion to Dismiss
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Defending_State_Secret.pdf
May 2003 Sibel Edmonds contacts the 9/11 Commission about testifying- the response is that they have limited time and won’t be interviewing all witnesses.
February 11, 2004 After demands by the 9/11 Family Steering Committee, testimony is taken from Sibel Edmonds by the 9/11 Commission
‘February 11, 2004: FBI Whistleblower Tells 9/11 Commission that Wiretapped Conversations Pertaining to the Attacks Were Not Translated’
Who Is Sibel Edmonds? With Introduction By 9/11 Family Member Lorie Van Auken
http://www.911blogger.com/node/11521
May 13, 2004 John Ascroft retroactively classifies FBI testimony at the June 17, 2002 Senate Judiciary Hearings, along with the letters sent to him by Grassley and Leahy.
May 14, 2004 Declaration of John Ashcroft: Attorney General asserts state secrets privilege in Thomas Burnett et al. vs. Al Baraka Investment & Development Corp- 600 9/11 families were represented
http://www.fas.org/sgp/jud/edmonds051404.pdf
June 2004 POGO Sues DOJ/Ashcroft over retroactive classification of material that was in the public domain, regarding Sibel Edmonds- Statement of Facts
http://www.pogo.org/m/gp/a/POGO facts.pdf
June 23, 2004 Sibel Edmonds PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR DECLARATORY RELIEF
OR, ALTERNATIVELY, TO CONDUCT LIMITED DISCOVERY
http://www.fas.org/sgp/jud/edmonds062304.pdf
June 23, 2004 Statement of Sen. Charles Grassley about the FBI’s retroactive classification of information regarding Sibel Edmonds
“It’s ludicrous to classify information that’s been in the public domain for two years. I’ve got questions about whether this has anything to do with genuine national security. If it does, then the action might actually aid our enemies by alerting them to publicly available information that the U.S. government now considers sensitive. It doesn’t enhance national security for the Justice Department and the FBI to go out of its way to identify and classify information that’s on-line, in newspapers and on the airwaves.”
July 6, 2004 [Judge Reggie Walton issues] Court Order Dismissing Case: State Secrets Privilege Upheld re: Sibel Edmonds
http://www.fas.org/sgp/jud/edmonds070604b.pdf
July 6, 2004 Memorandum Opinion Dismissing Sibel Edmonds v. Dept of Justice
http://fas.org/sgp/jud/edmonds070604.pdf
July 6, 2004 Sibel Edmonds Al Baraka Deposition: Permissible Questions in Red
http://homepage.mac.com/kaaawa/iblog/C177199123/E1350718859/
July 9, 2004. Leahy and Grassley to Ashcroft, Mueller and Department of Justice Inspector General Glenn Fine on the need to release an unclassified version of the IG’s report on (1) the FBI translator program, (2) allegations made by a former FBI contractor regarding problems in the translator unit and (3) information obtained by the FBI prior to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001
http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2004_cr/leahy070904.html
July 23, 2004 Sibel Edmonds Public Statement on the release of the 9/11 Commission Report
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Puzzled_Curious_Letter.pdf
August 1, 2004 Sibel Edmonds Open Letter to Thomas Kean
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Letter_to_Kean.pdf
August, 2004 Sibel Edmonds founds the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition
September 13, 2004 25 National Security Experts, including Sibel Edmonds: Open Letter to Congress criticizing the 9/11 Commission Report
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Letter_to_US_Congress_re_911_Comm_Report.pdf
January 12, 2005 Government is Abusing “States Secrets Privilege” to Cover Up National Security Blunders, ACLU Says: Brief Filed Today in Appeal by Former FBI Translator Sibel Edmonds
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/18815prs20050112.html
http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/edmondsbrief.pdf
January 14, 2005 A Review of the FBI’s Actions in Connection With Allegations Raised By Contract Linguist Sibel Edmonds — DOJ IG Report is publicly released
http://www.usdoj.gov/oig/special/0501/final.pdf
CONCLUSION
‘The majority of the allegations raised by Edmonds related to the actions of a co-worker. The allegations raised serious concerns that, if true, could potentially have extremely damaging consequences for the FBI. These allegations warranted a thorough and careful review by the FBI. Our investigation concluded that the FBI did not, and still has not, adequately investigated these allegations. Our review also found that many – although not all – of Edmonds’ allegations about the co-worker had some basis in fact. This evidence does not prove, and we are not suggesting, that there is sufficient evidence to conclude that espionage or any improper disclosures of FBI information occurred. However, we believe the FBI should have taken Edmonds’ allegations more seriously and investigated them more thoroughly. As discussed in this report, the FBI’s investigation of the information regarding the co-worker was significantly flawed. Had the FBI investigated the claims thoroughly, it would have found that many of Edmonds’ allegations regarding the co-worker were supported by documentary evidence or other witnesses. Instead, the FBI seems to have discounted Edmonds’ allegations, believing she was a disruptive influence and not credible, and eventually terminated her services. Even now, the FBI has not carefully investigated the allegations about the co-worker to determine if the co-worker compromised any FBI information. In light of the need for FBI vigilance about security issues, as demonstrated by the Hanssen case, we believe the FBI should have investigated these serious allegations more thoroughly.’
January 14, 2005 Joint Press Release from Sens. Charles Grassley and Patrick Leahy
OIG Report: FBI Botched Probe Of Whistleblower’s ?Claims Of Problems In Translation Unit
http://leahy.senate.gov/press/200501/011405b.html
‘This report confirms that the FBI failed to treat this case as seriously as the situation demanded. It is unacceptable, and it deeply concerns us, that in the wake of the Robert Hanssen spy case, and in the months following September 11th, the FBI failed to vigorously investigate these grave allegations. This report does not determine whether the underlying claims would have ultimately been proven accurate, but the FBI’s flawed response gives me little confidence that the bureau or its leaders have learned from decades of repeated mistakes,’ said Leahy.
“Time and again we hear from the FBI that whistleblowers who raise legitimate complaints will not be retaliated against. It’s time for more than just lip service. The Inspector General’s report did not address the truthfulness of the allegations. But, the IG did determine that if the FBI had actually looked into the allegations, they might have found that where there’s smoke there’s fire. Once again the FBI has shown that it has a long way to go in its treatment of whistleblowers,’ said Grassley.
January 14, 2005 STATEMENT BY THE FBI REGARDING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT, “A REVIEW OF THE FBI’S ACTIONS IN CONNECTION WITH ALLEGATIONS RAISED BY CONTRACT LINGUIST SIBEL EDMONDS”
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel05/011405.htm
January 14, 2005 New Vindication for FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds: Statement by POGO on the release of IG Fine’s report
http://www.pogo.org/p/government/ga-050103-edmonds.html
January 14, 2005 Inspector General’s Report Concludes FBI Translator Fired for Reporting Misconduct
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/18811prs20050114.html
January 19, 2005 ORAL ARGUMENT SET FOR APRIL 21, 2005 No. 04-5286 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT SIBEL EDMONDS,
Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, et al., Defendants-Appellees.
On Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE IN SUPPORT OF APPELLANT BY PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT; NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE FUND, INC.; PUBLIC CITIZEN, INC.; GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT; FREEDOM OF INFORMATION CENTER; REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS; AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION; ASSOCIATION OF RESEARCH LIBRARIES; 9/11 FAMILIES UNITED TO BANKRUPT TERRORISM; COALITION OF 9/11 FAMILIES; NATIONAL AIR DISASTER ALLIANCE; 9/11 FAMILIES FOR A SECURE AMERICA; SEPTEMBER 11TH ADVOCATES; AND WORLD TRADE CENTER UNITED FAMILY GROUP
http://www.govexec.com/pdfs/EdmondsAmicusBrief.pdf
January 25, 2005 Sibel Edmonds writes again to DOD IG Joseph Schmitz, and also to Senator John Warner
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/DOD_Letters.htm
January 26, 2005 Sibel Edmonds: A Patriot Silenced, Unjustly Fired but Fighting Back to Help Keep America Safe — ACLU takes Sibel Edmonds’ case, issues statement in support of Sibel Edmonds http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/18828res20050126.html
February 22, 2005 POGO- Justice Department Caves In: Allows Publication of Retroactively Classified Information- Lawsuit Challenged Classification of Public Information
http://www.pogo.org/p/government/ga-050202-classification.html
February 22, 2005 ACLU- Administration Blinks; Admits Retroactively Classified Information Not Harmful to National Security
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/17584prs20050222.html
March 2, 2005 EMERGING THREATS: OVERCLASSFICATION AND PSEUDO-CLASSIFICATION HEARING before the SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL SECURITY, EMERGING THREATS, AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS of the COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT REFORM, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 109th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
http://www.fas.org/sgp/congress/2005/030205overclass.pdf
March 2, 2005 Statement of Sibel Edmonds Before the House Committee on Government Reform, Subcommittee on National Security, Emerging Threats and Internal Relations:
Emerging Threats: Overclassification and Pseudo-classification
http://www.fas.org/sgp/congress/2005/030205edmonds.html
March 3, 2005 Members of Congress Pledge Support for FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds: Members From Both Sides of the Aisle Promise to Investigate Problems at FBI After Hearing Wednesday
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/17604prs20050303.html
March 9, 2005 – Sibel Edmonds Reply Brief UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT SIBEL EDMONDS, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, et al.REPLY BRIEF OF THE PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Edmonds.ReplyBrief.pdf
March 16, 2005 Federal Tort Claim
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Final-SFX503-Mar16-05.pdf
May 6, 2005 ACLU- Appeals Court, Without Opinion, Affirms Dismissal of Sibel Edmonds’ Case: Court Allows Government to Use Secrecy to Avoid AccountabilityU.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia today upheld the dismissal of FBI whistleblower Sibel Edmonds’ case, despite a Justice Department Inspector General’s report which concluded that Edmonds’ whistleblower allegations were in fact ‘the most significant factor’ in the FBI’s decision to terminate her.
http://www.aclu.org/safefree/general/17534prs20050506.html
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Press Release ACLU 5-6-2005.htm
April 20, 2005 Reporters Committee objects to closure of D.C. Circuit whistleblower appeal
http://www.rcfp.org/news/releases/20050420-reportersc.html
May 14, 2005 Gagged But Not Dead — Open Letter by Sibel Edmonds
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/May14-05-Gagged but not Dead.htm
April 26, 2005 National Security Whistleblowers Coalition is launched with attendance at Congressional Hearings by whistleblowers
http://911citizenswatch.org/?p=521
June 28, 2005: Representative Waxman Pledges Support for National Security Whistleblowers
http://www.justacitizen.org/articles_documents/waxman_letter.2005.06.28.pdf
August 4, 2005 Sibel Edmonds files Petition for Certiorari in the Supreme Court http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/edmonds cert. petition.pdf
August 4, 2005 ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Review Case of FBI Whistleblower: Vanity Fair Profile Reveals New Facts About FBI’s Termination of Former Translator Sibel Edmonds
http://www.aclu.org/scotus/2005/20230prs20050804.html
August, 2005 DOJ Brief in opposition
http://www.usdoj.gov/osg/briefs/2005/0responses/2005-0190.resp.pdf
October 10, 2005. Re: Sibel Edmonds vs. US DOJ. On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit BRIEF AMICI CURIAE OF NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE, THE PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT SECRECY OF THE FEDERATION OF AMERICAN SCIENTISTS, THE NATIONAL WHISTLEBLOWER CENTER, THE PROJECT ON GOVERNMENT OVERSIGHT, PUBLIC CITIZEN, INC., THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT, THE NATIONAL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COALITION, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, THE NATIONAL AIR DISASTER ALLIANCE, AND SEPTEMBER 11TH ADVOCATES IN SUPPORT OF PETITION FOR A WRIT OF CERTIORARI
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/AmicusBrief2-2005.pdf
October 17, 2005. Re: Sibel Edmonds vs. US DOJ. On Petition for Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit BRIEF AMICI CURIAE OF THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, BLOOMBERG NEWS, CABLE NEWS NETWORK LP, LLLP , DAILY NEWS L.P., LOS ANGELES TIMES COMMUNICATIONS LLC, THE NEW YORK TIMES CO., REUTERS AMERICA LLC, SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS, AND THE WASHINGTON POST CO. IN SUPPORT OF PETITIONER http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/Amicus%201%20Edmonds_v_United_States.pdf
November 28, 2005 Supreme Court denies Certiorari in Sibel Edmonds vs. DOJ (along with many others, no explanation; happens to most cases)
March 22, 2006 Federal Judge in Libby Trial Deliberately Hides Financial Background: Possible Violation of Federal Law Charged by FBI Whistleblower
http://www.justacitizen.com/Press_Releases/PressRelease-March22-06.htm
March 22, 2006 Sibel Edmonds’ Motion for Judge Reggie Walton’s Recusal
http://justacitizen.com/FTC/PlaintiffMotiontoDisqualify3-22-2006.pdf
March 7, 2007 Transpartisan Coalition Calls for Whistleblower Hearings: Petition with strong left-right support headed to Capitol Hill- Sponsored by Liberty Coalition and NSWBC
http://www.nswbc.org/Press Releases/sibelalert_2-7-07.htm
********** MEDIA COVERAGE TIMELINE **********
June 19, 2002 2 FBI Whistle-Blowers Allege Lax Security, Possible Espionage By James V. Grimaldi, Washington Post Staff Writer
October 25, 2002 Lost In Translation
Ed Bradley interviews Sibel Edmonds, Sen. Charles Grassley, the FBI and others. Edmonds more sensational allegations about 9/11 foreknowledge, obstruction of investigations before and after the attacks, and US officials involvement in espionage and corruption are not covered.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/25/60minutes/main526954.shtml
August 11, 2003 Riyadh Paid Man Linked to Sept. 11 Hijackers Wall Street Journal
http://advancement.sdsu.edu/marcomm/news/clips/Archive/Aug2003/081103/081103wsj.html
January 25, 2004 Whistleblower Coming In Cold From the F.B.I. by Gail Sheehy
http://observer.com/2004/01/whistleblower-coming-in-cold-from-the-fbi/
March 31, 2004 FBI: Lost in translation? By Shaun Waterman, UPI, Homeland and National Security Editor
http://911citizenswatch.org/?p=168
April 2, 2004 ‘I saw papers that show US knew al-Qa’ida would attack cities with aeroplanes’ The Independent
http://911citizenswatch.org/?p=452
April 8, 2004 Sept. 11 Allegations Lost in Translation
By Jefferson Morley washingtonpost.com Staff Writer?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A60651-2004Apr8.html
April 30, 2004 Quashed Testimony By Chris Strohm for Government Executive
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0404/043004lb.htm
May 20, 2004 Material Given to Congress In 2002 Is Now Classified
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C04EFDD103FF933A15756C0A9629C8B63
June 14, 2004 Whistleblowers ask federal workers to come forward with 9/11 evidence By Chris Strohm
‘Two government whistleblowers on Monday called on federal workers to come forward if they have information that could help investigations of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The request was made by Sibel Edmonds, a former FBI translator who alleges that the government knew more details about the 9/11 plot than it has admitted, and Daniel Ellsberg, a former Marine who leaked the Pentagon Papers about the Vietnam War to the media in 1971.’
http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0604/061404c1.htm
July 5, 2004 Translator in eye of storm on retroactive classification By Anne E. Kornblut, Globe Staff
July 7, 2004 FBI translator suit dismissed over security issues
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/07/06/fbi.translator/
August 5, 2004 Whistleblower explodes 9-11 Commission Report
http://atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FH05Aa03.html
January 24, 2005 9/11 Families Support Whistleblower’s Case?by Shaun Waterman? UPI
February 23, 2005 Access to Memos Is Affirmed: Classified Status Can’t Be Changed By R. Jeffrey Smith [pay]
Washington Post Staff Writer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45322-2005Feb22.html
February 26, 2005 Justice Dept. Opposes Bid to Revive Case Against F.B.I. By JOHN FILES, WASHINGTON
April 17, 2005 Lawsuits target financiers of 9/11 attacks by Richard Gazarik for Tribune-Review
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_324993.html
August 15, 2005 An Inconvenient Patriot by David Rose in Vanity Fair
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9774.htm
November 28, 2005 Supreme Court Denies FBI Translator’s Case
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/11/28/ap/national/mainD8E5IMD00.shtml
March 3, 2006 EXCLUSIVE: FBI WHISTLEBLOWER SIBEL EDMONDS IS READY TO TALK!
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=2498
April 24, 2006 Deep Background; former CIA Officer in The American Conservative, republished by Luke Ryland
http://wotisitgood4.blogspot.com/2006/05/sibel-giraldi-american-conservative.html
October 29, 2007 EXCLUSIVE: FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds Will Now Tell All – and Face Charges if Necessary – to Any Major Television Network That Will Let Her (note- no network responded to her offer)
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5197
January 2008 The London Sunday Times publishes a 3-part series following the US media’s silence on her offer to publicly break her gag order in exchange for television coverage. This series is almost entirely ignored by the US corporate media:
January 6, 2008 For sale: West’s deadly nuclear secrets
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article3137695.ece
January 20, 2008 FBI denies file exposing nuclear secrets theft
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3216737.ece
January 27, 2008 Tip-off thwarted nuclear spy ring probe
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3257725.ece
January 28, 2008 Found in Translation by Phillip Giraldi, former CIA agent, published in The American Conservative
http://www.amconmag.com/2008/2008_01_28/article1.html
January 21, 2008 Why Does Rupert Define This as News Only in Britain?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/harry-shearer/why-does-rupert-define-th_b_82552.html
January 25, 2008 Phil Giraldi chats about Sibel Edmonds
http://letsibeledmondsspeak.blogspot.com/2008/01/phil-giraldi-chats-about-sibel-edmonds.html
February 17, 2008 Found in Translation by Phillip Giraldi – abbreviated version published in The Dallas Morning News
Take action — click here to contact your local newspaper or congress people:
Demand Public Hearings for Sibel Edmonds
Click here to see the most recent messages sent to congressional reps and local newspapers
Erik Larson, Human Being and concerned Citizen. Member of 911Truth.org Advisory Board. Opinions expressed here are my own. I only advocate and practice non-violent methods of social and political activism & change. Recommended links: 9/11 Family Steering Committee Review of the 9/11 Commission Report JusticeFor911.org Complaint and Petition Complete 9/11 Timeline — CooperativeResearch.org The Top 40 Reasons to Doubt the 9/11 Story — 911Truth.org http://www.911Blogger.com
Source URL: http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/opedne_better_w_080522_sibel_edmonds_vs__th.htm
Swiss say they destroyed evidence in nuclear smuggling case for security reasons
The Associated Press
Friday, May 23, 2008
BERN, Switzerland: The Swiss government destroyed sensitive evidence in a high-profile nuclear smuggling case linked to Libya’s now-abandoned effort to build an atomic bomb because of security reasons, Switzerland’s president said Friday.
The documents formed part of a criminal case against three members of a Swiss family of engineers accused of involvement in the nuclear smuggling ring of Abdul Qadeer Khan, the “father” of Pakistan’s atomic weapons program. Khan has admitted selling nuclear weapons technology to Iran, Libya and North Korea.
President Pascal Couchepin, speaking publicly on the matter for the first time, said federal prosecutors discovered that the information contained in the files was “explosive” for Switzerland’s security and foreign policies. The government in November ordered the files to be destroyed, but did not make the decision public at the time.
“There were detailed construction plans for nuclear weapons, for gas ultracentrifuges to enrich weapons-grade uranium as well as for guided missile delivery systems,” Couchepin told reporters in the Swiss capital.
The documents were destroyed under the observation of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, he said.
Couchepin, who holds Switzerland’s yearly rotating presidency, read out a prepared statement and declined to answer questions about the case.
Couchepin’s appearance followed a week of media reports that the files were secretly ordered destroyed by the government last year after pressure from the United States, which was concerned that its efforts to clamp down on nuclear smuggling might be compromised.
The Basler Zeitung newspaper reported May 17 that the destruction of the evidence ? some 100 looseleaf binders full ? took place in December.
Couchepin’s statement said the decision was taken to prevent the documents getting “into the hands of a terrorist organization or an unauthorized state.”
Zurich daily Tages-Anzeiger reported Friday that Urs Tinner, one of the three accused, was recruited by U.S. intelligence while he was part of Khan’s smuggling network.
The U.S. Embassy in Switzerland declined to discuss the matter.
“The embassy does not comment on intelligence issues,” spokeswoman Lisbeth Keefe said.
Couchepin’s statement did not comment on the potential impact the destruction of evidence could have if the defendants are ever brought to trial, but implied only that the security and international policy risks were too great to permit its continued existence.
Zurich weekly SonntagsZeitung said in March that information provided by Tinner led to the 2003 seizure of the German-registered freighter “BBC China,” which was carrying components for a uranium enrichment plant from Dubai to Libya. The ship’s interception prompted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to admit his country’s nuclear weapons plans and agree to abandon them.
Tinner, 43, has been in custody since 2004 while Swiss prosecutors prepare their case against him. His brother Marco also has been held in connection with the case, while their father, Friedrich Tinner, has since been released from detention.
All three are being investigated on suspicion of violating export laws on controlled goods and war materials. A trial date has not been set.
___
Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Geneva contributed to this report.
Source URL: http://www.iht.com/bin/printfriendly.php?id=13162344