White House Attempts to Silence 9-11 Witness

[G_j]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/042704A.shtml
http://news.independent.co.uk/low_res/story.jsp?story=515270&host=3&dir=70

Lawyers Try to Gag FBI Worker over 9/11

By Andrew Buncombe
Independent UK

Monday 26 April 2004

The Bush administration will today seek to prevent a former FBI translator from providing evidence about 11 September intelligence failures to a group of relatives and survivors who have accused international banks and officials of aiding al-Qa'ida.

Sibel Edmonds was subpoenaed by a law firm representing more than 500 family members and survivors of the attacks to testify that she had seen information proving there was considerable evidence before September 2001 that al-Qa'ida was planning to strike the US with aircraft. The lawyers made their demand after reading comments Mrs Edmonds had made to The Independent.

But the US Justice Department is seeking to stop her from testifying, citing the rarely used "state secrets privilege". Today in a federal court in Washington, senior government lawyers will try to gag Mrs Edmonds, claiming that disclosure of her evidence "would cause serious damage to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States".

Mrs Edmonds, 33, a Turkish-American who had top secret security clearance, claimed this month that while working in the FBI's Washington headquarters, she saw information proving senior officials knew of al-Qa'ida plans to attack the US with aircraft months before the strikes. She has provided sworn testimony to the independent panel appointed by President George Bush to investigate the circumstances surrounding 11 September.

..more..

[Lindacooks]

1. Well, I'll agree with this part, slightly edited:

"...claiming that disclosure of her evidence "would cause serious damage to the re-election* interests of the Resident of the United States".

[G_j]

2. aren't they lucky they have Ashcroft

to cover their asses.

"Her lawyer, Mark Zaid, said last night: "The FBI wants to shut her up completely." He said it was ridiculous to claim that everything Mrs Edmonds knew had national security implications. Rather, he said, the FBI wanted to silence his client to save its embarrassment."

[napi21]

3. I don't understand? She's already under a gag order.

How does this change the current situation?

[AZCat]

4. Does anyone know how this went today?

I searched, but I haven't found any updates on this. Anybody in the loop?

[G_j]

6. no report yet that I can find either n/t

[Occulus]

5. OH for fsck's sake

Why doesn't she just blog her full testimony in a fit of pique and let the chips fall where they may?

I have never believed in the validity of a gag order, since the choice of obeying or disobeying it is up to the subject of the gag. If important enough, as this issue certainly is, I would definitely violate the order, and as loudly and publicly as possible.

Gag orders have no meaning at all. Edmonds needs to realize this now.

[NewJeffCT]

7. I don't think you know the Bush Admin

Who knows what Bushco will do to hold on to power? Does Edmonds have any family that she values that they could threaten? While it may be important, she has to weigh that against the safety of her family.