Fired FBI translator
sues over government records
Sibel Edmonds, who alleged there were security lapses in the FBI's translator program sued the Justice Department on Wednesday to compel its inspector general to disclose results of an investigation into her firing. The inspector general, Glenn Fine, has said he would work toward releasing parts of his office's investigation.



Greatest whistleblower's
message still rings true
Whistleblowers are a fact of life and have become a seeming necessity in our democracy. The most famous of them, Daniel Ellsberg, has been joined by more recent examples such as Coleen Rowley, Cynthia Cooper and Sibel Edmonds. Their courage is still as vital. Daniel Schorr of NPR says: "Ellsberg single-handedly changed the course of history."


An Open Letter to the 9/11 Panel
by Sibel Edmonds, 1 Aug, 2004

Dear Chairman Kean:
 It has been almost three years since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, during which time we have been placed under a constant threat of terror and asked to exercise vigilance in our daily lives.

 Your commission... has now issued its "9/11 Commission Report". Unfortunately, I find your report seriously flawed in its failure to address serious intelligence issues that I, as a witness to the commission, made you aware of... ...more



Terror Suspect Linked to
Moroccan Defense Attachee
12 August, Daniel Hopsicker
Three addresses on the FBI's Terrorist Watch List lead to a mysterious German, now identified as Pascal Schreier, who took over a flight school at Charlotte County Airport, FL in Feb 2001.

    Exclusive:    BreakForNews Audio Interview with Daniel Hopsicker


An FBI in denial
Boston Globe 9 August, Editorial
If the FBI is to be effective against terrorism, it should encourage whistle-blowers like Sibel Edmonds, not punish them. But if Mueller does not do a better job the FBI will continue to hide its failings to the nation's peril.


Did Pentagon Name Secret Group?
5 August, Chris Deliso
In an official letter Colonel James N. Worth, of the USAF Office of the Inspector General, states that OSI’s investigation focused on ‘Major Dickerson’s relationship with the American-Turkish Council.’
This statement is very troubling for a number of reasons.


Federal Bureau of Incompetence
Slate.msn 29 July, Fred Kaplan
The shameful treatment of Sibel Edmonds proves the FBI's urgent need for reform. The system of rewards and penalties is all too clear: Keep your head down; if you see others doing their job to the detriment of national security, don't get involved.


Safety in Numbness
Feeling any safer yet? Yeah, me too. Of course, we're all supposed to feel safer now that the 9/11 commission has spoken. Sort of, anyway. Those were the panel's words - we're safer, but not safe. But exactly how safe is safer, but not safe? Or do we cross that Ridge when we come to it?


The Pakistan Connection
For years the CIA used the Pakistani ISI to pump billions of dollars into militant Islamist groups. Terrorists could not have carried out 9/11 without the support of a secret service. Why is the US government covering up evidence of foreign intelligence backing for the 9/11 hijackers? --ex-UK cabinet member Michael Meacher.




Puzzled & Curious
 
    July 23rd, 2004
   by Sibel Edmonds
The countdown is finally over, and a five hundred sixty seven-page Commission report is out. According to the Commission Chairman, they have seen 'every single document' and have interviewed 'every single relevant witness and authority'.

According to all Commission members, this report should be considered a resounding success, since it encompasses all information relevant to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, and very little, almost none, has been redacted, classified, or glossed over. Yet we have heard no one screaming 'classification', 'sensitive diplomatic relations', 'highly sensitive foreign business relations', or 'national security implications.'

This is highly puzzling and curious.

AUDIO INTERVIEW 7th June 9amET Fintan Dunne live interview with Sibel Edmonds Listen: mp3 Streaming Audio Win Media Player Duration 30 mins

This puzzles me, considering that every investigation by the Congress and the IG into my issues, every report involving my already confirmed allegations involving serious lapses within the FBI, and every legal procedure and due process dealing with my case alone, has been blocked, gagged, entirely classified, and stopped.

It is extremely curious that while investigations and reports on one case alone has created so much havoc, a massive investigation and a report involving all intelligence agencies and other government bodies, including the State Department, has evoked zero objections based on 'sensitive foreign relations', 'highly classified intelligence matters', and/or 'ongoing intelligence investigations.'

I am highly puzzled and curious.

This puzzles me, knowing the detailed information, I, myself, provided to the commission during a three and a half hour tape-recorded briefing; yet, finding only one footnote (footnote 25) briefly stating insufficient translation capability within the Bureau. It is highly curious that the report mentions nothing regarding the 'intentionally blocked translations by certain Middle Eastern Translators, who also breached FBI security, as confirmed by the Senate Judiciary'; nothing regarding 'adamant resistance to investigations of certain terrorist and criminal activities; refusing to transfer them to Counterterrorism from existing counterintelligence investigations, solely based on the vague notion of protecting certain foreign relations'; nothing regarding 'continued efforts to cover up certain highly specific information received prior to September 11, even now, years after 9/11,'; or nothing regarding 'knowingly allowing certain individuals, directly or indirectly related to terrorist activities, to leave the United States months after 9/11, without any interrogation, and per the State Department's request.'

I am highly puzzled and curious.

This puzzles me, having first hand knowledge of on going intelligence received and processed by the FBI since 1997, which contained specific information implicating certain high level government and elected officials in criminal activities directly and indirectly related to terrorist money laundering, narcotics, and illegal arms sales. It is highly curious that the report omitted all this information, knowing that others in the Congress have been briefed on these issues, having been given the names of targets involved, Special Agents, translators, field offices, and files.

I am highly puzzled and curious.

After the many public hearings 'shows', where the Commissioners very skillfully played their 'good cop' 'bad cop' routine, and displayed their life-long mastery of the political art of saying, but not saying, and asking, but not asking, all parties and all agencies have readily accepted this report. The President apparently considered the report 'rosy' and appropriately symbolized its presentation in his 'rose garden.' The previous administration sighed with relief, having scored a negative 4, compared to the current administration's negative 6, in the blame game. The notorious Attorney General, John Ashcroft, left his over-secrecy and classification guns in their holsters.

It is highly puzzling and curious to see that this report ended up being blessed by all those responsible for our nation's security and interests, which were severely violated on September 11.

I, for one, am highly puzzled and curious, how about you?


Our Broken System
 
    July 8th, 2004
   by Sibel Edmonds
On Tuesday, July 6, 2004, Judge Reggie Walton made a decision and ruled on my case. Under his ruling, I, an American Citizen, am not entitled to pursue my rights; First Amendment & Fifth Amendment; guaranteed under the Constitution of the United States.

The vague reasoning being cited, without giving any explanation, is to protect ‘certain diplomatic relations for national security.’

Judge Walton reached this decision after sitting on this case with no activity for almost two years. He arrived at this decision without allowing my attorney and I any due process: NO status hearing, NO briefings, NO oral argument, and NO discovery. He made his decision after allowing the government attorneys to present their case to him, privately, in camera, ex parte; not allowing us to participate in these cozy sessions.

Is this the American System of Justice we believe in? Is this the due process we read about in our civics 101 courses? Is this the judicial branch of our government that is supposed to be separated from the other two branches in order to protect the people’s rights and freedom?

This court decision by itself would have been appalling and alarming enough, but in light of all other actions taken against my case for the past two years it demonstrates a broken system, a system abused and corrupted by the current executive branch, a system badly in need of repair.

 • Under this current broken system the Attorney General of the United States is being allowed to illegally gag the United States Congress regarding my case. And even worse, the United States Congress is readily complying with this illegal gag.

 • Under this current broken system the Attorney General of the United States is being allowed to hinder on going investigations such as the ones by the 9/11 Commission and the DOJ-IG

 • Under this current broken system the Attorney General of the United States is getting away with interfering and tampering with pending cases under the judicial process, such as my court cases, and the lawsuit by the 9/11 victim families.

To this date John Ashcroft’s relentless fight against me, my information, and my case, on various fronts, from the Congress to the courts, and from the 9/11 Commission to the Inspector General’s Office, has been taking place under his attempt at a vague justification titled ‘Protecting Certain Foreign & Diplomatic Relations for National Security.’

On September 11, 2001, 3000 lives were lost. Yet this administration has hindered all past and on going investigations into the causes of that horrific day for the sake of this vague notion of protecting ‘certain diplomatic & foreign relations.’

As a result of the attack on 9/11, many thousands lost their loved ones and had their lives changed forever. Yet, this administration knowingly and intentionally let many directly or indirectly involved in that terrorist act go free - untouched and uninvestigated - by simply citing ‘protection of certain foreign & diplomatic relations for national security.’

Today, we are told that we are still under the threat of terrorists, and remain under various colors of the color-coded threat system invented and promoted by this administration. Yet, this same administration is relentlessly preventing any real investigations into finding out the facts, the real facts, regarding acts, semi-legit organizations, and people, involved in plots against this country and its people - under their sorry excuse of ‘protecting certain foreign & diplomatic relations.’

Isn’t it time to ask what 'diplomatic or foreign relations' they keep referring to?

Isn’t it fair to demand that they should let the people know what kind of 'foreign relations' is worth 3000 lives lost?

Isn’t it this administration’s obligation to justify these costs in lives and in our national security for the sake of maintaining 'certain foreign relations' that benefit only the few?

Just take notice of the means this administration has used in my case alone to accomplish covering up and protecting those ‘foreign relations’ in question, and to dodge any accountability themselves: illegal reclassifications, secrecy, gagging congressional inquiries, blocking court proceedings, stopping investigations, invoking the rarely invoked State Secret Privilege, asserting National Security.

It is apparent that this administration confidently expects us, the people, to sign blank checks unquestioningly. It is obvious that they believe they are entitled to unchecked power, unlimited authority, and unquestioning citizens’ support. To them, our Bill of Rights under the Constitution is nothing more than an inconvenient roadblock to overcome; our American system of checks and balances can be bypassed by overusing national security; and people’s dissent is a problem that can be diverted away by a culture of fear and complete submission to government authority.

As I have stated many times previously, I will continue this fight, since in taking my citizenship oath I pledged that I would support and defend the Constitution and laws of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Therefore, as an American Citizen, I have the right and the obligation to defend the Constitution and laws of the United States against John Ashcroft’s assaults.

---

Legal Eagles Eye Ashcroft
Over 9/11 Whistleblower

by Fintan Dunne, Editor
BreakForNews.com,
24th June, 2004

Judge Reggie Walton won't have 9/11 whistleblower, Sibel Edmonds to kick around any longer. At one time, Edmonds stood alone. Now some big legal guns have wheeled into her case --which is fast becoming the most prescient threat to the whitewash engineered by the 9/11 commission.

Edmonds is currently under a gag order on foot of legal applications by U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, over her claims of alleged corruption and 9/11-related cover-ups in the FBI translation unit which she joined just after the September 11th attacks.

Yesterday, the nonprofit watchdog Project On Government Oversight (POGO) sued Attorney General John Ashcroft and the US Department of Justice (DOJ), citing the latter's legal maneuvers in the Edmond's case as an interference with POGO's ability to perform oversight on the DOJ's actions.

The case is likely to land before Bush-appointed Reggie Walton of the US District Court for the District of Columbia, who is already adjudging Edmond's unlawful dismissal suit against her former employer, the FBI.

POGO argue that the DOJ's retrospective reclassification of information relating to Edmonds' claims contained in unclassified Senate Judiciary Committee briefings in 2002, is both unlawful and unconstitutional.

Georgetown University Law Center professor and Director of Public Citizen Litigation Group, David Vladeck represents POGO.

In another development yesterday, the Motley Rice legal team representing families of 9/11 victims --in a suit mainly against various Saudi interests, submitted to the judge a comprehensive list of detailed questions [pdf] they would like to put to Ms. Edmonds in support of their suit.

The renowned Ron Motley, who took on the the tobacco industry and handled Medicaid legal actions is leading his firm's legal effort.

Last week, Vietnam-era whistleblower, Daniel Ellsberg stood side by side with Edmonds on the steps of the court, to back her protest at yet another delay in her case and warn Ashcroft that he might share the fate of A.G. John Mitchel --who served prison time over the Pentagon Papers case


Time was, when Edmond's stood alone, that Judge Walton could get away with treating her with legal disdain.

Walton's court has bedeviled Edmonds with last-minute adjournments and hearings scheduled at short notice. And he consigned her to legal limbo by declining to make a final ruling on Ashcroft's October, 2002 move to declare her information a state secret.

That let Ashcroft win by default, because Walton gagged Edmonds with a provisional order while she awaited his final ruling.

But the combined legal and public weight of: the relentless Edmonds and her lawyer Mark Zaid; POGO, Public Citizen and their supporters; Motley Rice, the families of 9/11 victims, Daniel Ellsberg and Professor Vladeck will not be as easily treated with the same legal derision which has characterized his handling of Edmonds' case to date.


The POGO lawsuit is not filed on behalf of Edmonds, but to defend POGO's own right to conduct oversight reviews of the DOJ. The suit asks the court to require the agency to declassify the Edmonds material.

The information in question, from briefings to the Senate Judiciary Committee was referenced in letters from US Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) to DOJ officials. The letters were posted on the senators' Web sites, but were removed after the reclassification. POGO has the letters and wants to initiate public debate by posting them on the Internet.

"We believe the Department of Justice reclassified the information to stifle congressional oversight of the department and shield it from legitimate public inquiry," said Danielle Brian, POGO's executive director. "It is absurd to reclassify information that has been in the public domain for so long"

POGO's suit contends that the information is not reasonably recoverable because it was posted publicly on the Web and is still available on numerous Web sites.


Edmonds has placed detailed, specific information before three Congressional inquiries --including the 9/11 Commission. Public discussion of those specifics would likely seriously undermine the commission's imminent final report.

The true focus of the commission is now clear, following recent comments by commissioner John Lehman, the former secretary of the Navy on NBC's "Meet the Press." He predicted the panel will support centralization of the nation's intelligence agencies as the only way to prevent future terrorist attacks.

"You're going to see unanimous recommendations on the intelligence community...," said Lehman. "Centralization will enable information to get to people "in a position to make a difference," he said.

Under cover of their shallow investigation of 9/11, with the stick of their criticism as a lever, the commission is empowering a singular, Orwellian security apparatus, which is but another step in the increasing integration of the G8 countries' intelligence services.

At their recent summit, the G8 announced a global aviation-security plan, under which the United States will hand personal data on US air travelers to G8 (and other countries') security services, including Russia.

The 9/11 Commissions' centralization focus is another incremental step in this bureaucratic globalization of intelligence.

It's a process in which accountability clearly plays no role.


All the while, Edmonds has been stuck in the legal mud of her interminable appearances before Judge Reggie Walton. She, and her explosive information should instead have been the centerpiece of public hearings at the 9/11 commission.

Indeed, were they taking their job seriously the commission itself should long ago have rushed to defend it's investigations against Ashcroft's actions.

Is it relevant to their 9/11 inquiries that the FBI may have been penetrated prior to the attacks by an extra-national intelligence network linked to drug trafficking and money laundering?

Is it relevant to their inquiries that the State Department quashed post-9/11 investigations which were intersecting with that network.

Is it relevant to their inquiries that the 9/11 terror plot itself, intersects with the same semi-legitimate criminal network.

Ashcroft's legal actions give us the answer: dangerously relevant.

Edmonds' is not just battling a recalcitrant judge. She is resisting the determination of the 9/11 commission to see no evil, as it builds a new super-agency from the flawed bureaucracy which allowed 9/11. The commission has abandoned it's own star witness to the machinations of John Ashcroft.

However, Edmonds no longer stands alone. Now she has company. Next week is expected to see a flurry of further filings by the legal eagles.

With practiced ease, the Washington spin machine is just about to close the book on 9/11. But, it ain't over.

Not until this brave lady sings.

Welcome to the real 9/11 inquiry.

24th June, 2004
Fintan Dunne Contact Me

  The Sibel Edmonds Story
Legal Eagles Eye Ashcroft Over 9/11 Whistleblower
Al-Qaeda Tried to Penetrate FBI's Translation Service
Ellsbrg: Ashcroft May Face Prison over 9/11 Cover-Up
State Dept. Quashed 9/11 Links to Global Drug Trade
Gagging Congress   Edmonds in Media   Documents

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Al-Qaida Tried to Pentrate
FBI's Translation Service

by Fintan Dunne, Editor
BreakForNews.com,
18th June, 2004

A transcript of the 9/11 Commission hearing on June 16, 2004 reveals that the FBI's intelligence translation service was a target for penetration by a senior Al-Qaida operative.

The details barely appear in the Washington Post transcript of proceedings, despite confirming claims by FBI whistleblower, Sibel Edmonds that covert external agents had infiltrated the FBI, and had ensured vital intelligence remained hidden.

The revealing details were in the text of a handout given to all attendees, minutes before the hearing started on 16 June. It was a statement to the commissin by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, US Attorney, Northern District of Illinois, who has prosecuted Al-Qaida cases.....

           ...Continue reading this article 

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Ashcroft may face prison
over 9/11 cover-up,
says Daniel Ellsberg

by Fintan Dunne, Editor
BreakForNews.com,
15th June, 2004

Two whistleblowers stood side by side before a courthouse in Washington, D.C. on Monday. Veteran of the Pentagon Papers scandal, Daniel Ellsberg was backing a protest by former FBI translator Sibel Edmonds, against a court gag order which has silenced her revelations about the September 11th, 2001 attacks.

The whistleblower pair were protesting yet another delay by Judge Reggie Walton of the District Court of Columbia in determining whether Edmonds' closed session testimony to Congressional inquiries can be declared state secrets by U.S. Attorney General, John Ashcroft.

In a statement, Edmonds called Ashcroft's legal moves anti-freedom of speech and anti-due process.

Ellsberg's common cause with Edmonds is founded on his own battle to make public a top secret study of US decision-making in Vietnam, known as the Pentagon Papers.

ELLSBERG ON 9/11 14th June 8pmET Daniel Ellsberg with Fintan Dunne Listen: mp3 Streaming Audio Win Media 12 mins

In an exclusive interview with BreakForNews.com he said that Ashcroft's legal actions against Edmonds were: "clearly intended to keep her from bringing out in public information that could lead.... to criminal indictments and possible convictions of major political figures."

Ellsberg says that if Edmonds' allegations are confirmed, the current Attorney General could be judged obstructive and share the fate of A.G. John Mitchell --who in Ellsberg v. Mitchell famously tried to squelch Ellsberg's 1971 revelations, and served prison time over the affair.

"John Ashcroft may well sleep eventually in the same cell as John Mitchell," Ellsberg said.....

           ...Continue reading this article 

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State Dept. Quashed 9/11
Links To Global Drug Trade
-FBI Whistleblower

BreakForNews.com, 7th June, 2004
by Fintan Dunne, Editor

AUDIO INTERVIEW 7th June 9amET Fintan Dunne live interview with Sibel Edmonds Listen: mp3 Streaming Audio Win Media Player Duration 30 mins

Even as a judge prepares to permanently silence her, a former FBI translator of intelligence has implicated the US State Department in quashing investigations which had linked the 9/11 terrorist network to a global drug trafficking ring.

Sibel Edmonds, whose closed-door revelations to Congressional inquiries have been declared state secrets, says that as a result, FBI investigations were ordered terminated.

"There are certain points..., where you have your drug related activities combined with money laundering and information laundering, converging with your terrorist activities," Ms. Edmonds told BreakForNews.com.
(Interview - 7:00 min.)

"Certain investigations were being quashed, let's say per State Department's request, because it would have affected certain foreign relations [or] affected certain business relations with foreign organizations," she said in an exclusive interview. (Interview - 4:00 min.)

"And, as it has been asserted within the state secret privilege... That was something the State Department did not want to have." (Interview - 15:30 min.)

Edmonds also indicated that the FBI's translation service had been penetrated by an intelligence group not linked to any government.

"Intelligence is also gathered by certain semi-legitimate organizations --to be used for their activities," said Edmonds. "It really does not boil down to countries anymore...[ ] When you have activities involving a lot of money, you have people from different nations involved.... It can be categorized under organized crime, but in a very large scale.".....

           ...Continue reading this article 

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Gagging Congress

by Sibel Edmonds

Attorney General John Ashcroft, the Department of Justice, and the FBI have been engaged in covering up my reports and investigations into my allegations for over two years now:

They have blocked the release of all documents related to my case that were requested under FOIA for over two years. They have asserted the rarely invoked State Secret Privilege in my court proceedings.

They have blocked the release of the DOJ-IG report of its investigations into my reports and allegations. They have quashed a subpoena for my deposition on information regarding 911. And now they are gagging the United States Congress......

           ...Continue reading this article 


  Sibel Edmonds in the Press.
  ...selected media articles on the case