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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.

They are not protecting the 'national security' of the United States. On the contrary, they are endangering our national security by covering up facts and information related to criminal activities against this country and it's citizens. To this date the American people have not heard the real facts of these criminal activities, nor of the involved semi-legit organizations, nor of the connected officials. The Department of Justice and this administration are fully aware that making this information public will bring about the question of accountability. And they do not want to be held accountable. It is for these reasons that I have been striving to get the Congress to hold its own public hearings regarding these issues. I no longer intend to go behind their secured-closed doors to testify. I intend to testify openly, publicly, and under oath.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------