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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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 Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 6:03 pm Post subject: Senate to Hold Hearings on Able Danger |
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,166800,00.html
| Quote: | Senate to Hold Hearings on Able Danger, Info Sharing
Thursday, August 25, 2005
VIDEO
WASHINGTON — Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (search), R-Pa., plans to hold a hearing on the "Able Danger" allegations and the larger issue of information-sharing between the Pentagon and the FBI, FOX News has confirmed.
Able Danger (search) is the code name for a military-intelligence unit that apparently learned a year before the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that lead hijacker Mohamed Atta (search) and other terrorists were already in the United States.
One of the central Able Danger claims — that military lawyers blocked the sharing of the Atta information from the FBI in the late summer and early fall of 2000 — will be a priority of the committee's probe, FOX News has confirmed.
Some analysts involved with Able Danger have recently gone public with their findings, saying they were discouraged from looking further into Atta, and their attempts to share their information with the FBI were thwarted, because Atta was a legal foreign visitor at the time.
"This story needs to be told. The American people need to be told what could have been done to prevent 3,000 people from losing their lives," said Rep. Curt Weldon (search), R-Pa.
Weldon drew attention to Able Danger by speaking about it on the House floor and publicly calling for the Sept. 11 commission to explain why the intelligence information wasn't detailed in its final report.
Some Able Danger analysts, including Army Reserve Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, claim that in October 2003, they told commission staffers of the presence of Al Qaeda operatives in the United States in 2000.
The Pentagon has been looking into what it knew and when it knew it, but spokesman Larry DiRita on Monday said defense officials have not been unable to verify the Able Danger claims so far.
"There appear to be more memories than there is information to substantiate those memories. We're reviewing the matter carefully, but thus far have not found what it is these handful of individuals seem to remember. At a certain point, we'll decide we have looked long enough and welcome anyone else coming forward with additional information," the Pentagon said in a statement.
But Weldon on Thursday urged the Pentagon not to issue any more statements on Able Danger until its findings are complete.
Weldon said in a statement that doing so "might give the unfortunate impression that its results are predetermined."
The congressman said he spoke to DiRita on Wednesday and that "he was backpedaling left and right," claiming he was misquoted about the status of the search.
"There's something very sinister going on here that really troubles me," Weldon told FOX News on Thursday, blasting the Sept. 11 commission (search) for not taking the claims more seriously. He said some panel members were trying to smear Shaffer and Able Danger.
"What's the Sept. 11 commission got to hide?" Weldon asked. "The commission is trying to spin this because they're embarrassed about what's coming out. In two weeks with two staffers, I've uncovered more in this regard than they did with 80 staffers and $15 million of taxpayer money."
Weldon added that at least five people on the federal payroll will testify under oath about the validity of the Able Danger intelligence.
According to Weldon, the FBI in September 2000 set up meetings with special operations officers on three separate occasions to transfer the Atta and Al Qaeda (search) information, but the transfers never took place.
Weldon said not only was Specter planning hearings on Able Danger, but that he also spoke with House Speaker Dennis Hastert about focusing more attention on the matter.
"When this is over, the Sept. 11 commission is going to have egg all over their face," he said.
FOX News' Catherine Herridge, Molly Hooper and Liza Porteus contributed to this report. |
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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FreeFall
LCDR
Joined: 13 Aug 2004
Posts: 421
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| Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 7:44 pm Post subject: |
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| This had not better not be another whitewash like the first 9/11 commission was. They need to put independent people in charge of it so none of these politicians can play CYA. Also, the 9/11 families should have a say in it's direction. |
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dusty
Admiral
Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 1264
Location: East Texas
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| Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| FreeFall wrote: | | This had not better not be another whitewash like the first 9/11 commission was. They need to put independent people in charge of it so none of these politicians can play CYA. Also, the 9/11 families should have a say in it's direction. |
I think the whitewash is fixing to get stripped off the fence. Finally.
Maybe this time we can do it without having some of the fixers of the policy being investigated on the commission doing the investigating of themselves.
Ya hear that Jamie? They are coming for you. And Bill and Sandy and Janet and several other likely candidates.
Dusty
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Left and Wrong are the opposite of Right! |
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shawa
CNO
Joined: 03 Sep 2004
Posts: 2004
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| Posted: Thu Aug 25, 2005 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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Looks like Specter is going for it.
Kathryn Jean Lopez posted this letter from Specter at The Corner
This letter looks like he means business, but with Specter you never know.
Personally, I would prefer to see an investigation by the House of Representatives, they get to the nitty-gritty without all the posturing of the Senate. But, hey, just as long as SOMEONE GETS THE FACTS THAT THE COMMISSION SAW FIT TO IGNORE!
| Quote: | ARLEN SPECTER & ABLE DANGER [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
Honorable Robert Mueller
Director
Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D. C. 20535-0001
Dear Director Mueller,
It has been reported in the news media and directly to my staff that Army Lt. Colonel Anthony Shaffer was the operations officer for a secret military program referred to as Able Danger. The mission of Able Danger was to use a sophisticated data mining program in conjunction with more traditional military intelligence methods to identify and track al Qaida terrorists oversees.
In connection with this mission, Shaffer reports that he and his associates discovered the names and U.S. locations of three of the four 9-11 pilots a year prior to 9-11. Because the suspected al Qaida terrorists were located in the U.S., Shaffer reports that he made repeated requests of Defense Intelligence Agency (“DIA”) officials to schedule a meeting with FBI officials in order to present this intelligence to the FBI for further investigation. Shaffer further contacted FBI agent Xanthig Mangum and asked her to schedule such a meeting within FBI. Shaffer states that he made this request both verbally and by email to Agent Mangum. Shaffer claims that the DIA decided not to share this information with the FBI on the advice of legal counsel and that certain meetings that had been scheduled on this issue were cancelled as a result.
This is an official request that your office provide to the Judiciary Committee all information and documents it has in connection with Able Danger, Lt. Colonel Anthony Shaffer, Captain Scott Phillipot or any other persons having any connections with Project Able Danger, including, but not limited to, email communication, notes, phone message slips, memos or any other supporting documentation.
I would appreciate it if you would provide Agent Mangum for an interview with my staff at your earliest convenience. Also, please provide information concerning any and all requests made to the FBI by any other entity, agency, branch or commission in connection with Agent Mangum, Lt Colonel Shaffer, Project Able Danger or any related matters, including, but not limited to, requests for interviews or documents.
Thank you for your attention to this important question about cross agency information sharing.
Sincerely,
Arlen Specter |
_________________
“I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” (Thomas Paine, 1776) |
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I B Squidly
Vice Admiral
Joined: 26 Aug 2004
Posts: 879
Location: Cactus Patch
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:53 am Post subject: |
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Don't have much faith in Senate investigations after watching Fred Thompson get sand bagged on the '96 Clinton Campaign investigation. Arlen (the inventor of the Warren Commission's 'Magic Bullet') Spectre is squirrelly enough without his history.
_________________
"KILL ALL THE LAWYERS!"
-Wlm Shakespeare |
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BuffaloJack
Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
Joined: 10 Aug 2004
Posts: 1637
Location: Buffalo, New York
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| Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 1:03 am Post subject: |
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Yeeee Haaaa !!!!
Go git'um Arlen !!
_________________
Swift Boats - Qui Nhon (12/69-4/70), Cat Lo (4/70-5/70), Vung Tau (5/70-12/71) |
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