Justice Dept. Opens Criminal Probe Of CIA

(CBS/AP)  The Justice Department opened a criminal investigation into the destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes and Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey appointed an outside prosecutor to oversee the case.

The CIA acknowledged last month that it destroyed videos of officers using tough interrogation methods while questioning two al Qaeda suspects. The acknowledgment sparked a congressional inquiry and a preliminary investigation by Justice.

The decision to elevate the investigation was based on the results so far of that preliminary investigation.

"The Department's National Security Division has recommended, and I have concluded, that there is a basis for initiating a criminal investigation of this matter, and I have taken steps to begin that investigation," Mukasey said in a statement released Wednesday.

Because of conflicts among the officials who have been conducting the early probe, Mukasey also announced the recusal of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, the District in which the CIA headquarters are located, which would ordinarily conduct the investigation.

Mukasey's statement said that "in order to avoid any possible appearance of a conflict with other matters handled by that office," he would name John Durham, a federal prosecutor in Connecticut, to oversee the case.

Durham has a reputation as one of the nation's most relentless prosecutors. He served as an outside prosecutor overseeing an investigation into the FBI's use of mob informants in Boston and helped send several Connecticut public officials to prison.

White House press secretary Dana Perino told reporters, "We continue to support the Attorney General's investigation into this matter."

"The CIA will of course cooperate fully with this investigation as it has with the others into this matter," agency spokesman Mark Mansfield said.

The CIA has already agreed to open its files to congressional investigators, who have begun reviewing documents at the agency's Virginia headquarters. The House Intelligence Committee has ordered Jose Rodriguez, the former CIA official who directed the tapes be destroyed, to appear at a hearing Jan. 16.

Rodriguez's attorney, Robert S. Bennett, had no comment.

[neoconrcrazy]

Lee H. Hamilton writes;

MORE than five years ago, Congress and President Bush created the 9/11 commission. The goal was to provide the American people with the fullest possible account of the %u201Cfacts and circumstances relating to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001%u201D %u2014 and to offer recommendations to prevent future attacks. Soon after its creation, the president%u2019s chief of staff directed all executive branch agencies to cooperate with the commission.

The commission%u2019s mandate was sweeping and it explicitly included the intelligence agencies. But the recent revelations that the C.I.A. destroyed videotaped interrogations of Qaeda operatives leads us to conclude that the agency failed to respond to our lawful requests for information about the 9/11 plot. Those who knew about those videotapes %u2014 and did not tell us about them %u2014 obstructed our investigation.

[neoconrcrazy]

if I remember right;

bush is the boss
of mukasey, who is the boss
of durham

durham doesn''t get "speical investigator" status (like Fitzpatrick), meaning he MUST report through Mukasey -

so where is the independent investigation here ?

[mrconservatv]

it strikes me as rather strange that they do not invite Ms. Edmonds up to the Hill to tell her story. Hmmmmm. Especially that group of mongrels. Can''''t image why they just don''''t have her sit there with her conspiracy theories and tell all.

Posted by mudrose at 04:51 PM : Jan 03, 2008


YouTube - Sibel Edmonds supporters speak out: Credible, HeroJames Bamford, Daniel Ellsberg, Paul Newman, Phil Giraldi, Senator Grassley, others speak out in support of former FBI translator Sibel EdmondsNuclear black ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOWEUWMNj7M&feature=related - 88k - Cached - Similar pages

[mrconservatv]

You can twist a story until your blue, but nobody in their right mind will buy your conspiracy theories. Just keep printing the trash. It''''s delightfully funny.


Posted by mudrose at 04:19 PM : Jan 03, 2008

Sibel
Edmonds

http://www.justacitizen.com/




"''''''''Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.'''''''' In loving memory of our beloved son, Nicholas C. Lassman. {Tower 1}"
Ira & Laura Lassman


"I''''''''m a 9/11 mom who lost her only daughter, Michelle at WTC#2 & want the truth to come out."
Julie Scarpitta


"I was injured at the Pentagon. I need to know the truth."
William K. Wright



"Nothing can ease the pain of losing our son, Stewart Harris, in this horrific tragedy. We, as parents, are entitled to know all the actual facts. This report MUST be released."
Mildred & R. Jay Harris


"''''Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.'''' In loving memory of our beloved son, Nicholas C. Lassman. {Tower 1}"
Ira & Laura Lassman

[mrconservatv]

January 2, 2008
Op-Ed Contributors
Stonewalled by the C.I.A.
By THOMAS H. KEAN and LEE H. HAMILTON

Those who knew about those videotapes %u2014 and did not tell us about them %u2014 obstructed our investigation.

There could have been absolutely no doubt in the mind of anyone at the C.I.A. %u2014 or the White House %u2014 of the commission%u2019s interest in any and all information related to Qaeda detainees involved in the 9/11 plot. Yet no one in the administration ever told the commission of the existence of videotapes of detainee interrogations

[mrconservatv]

Newsweek Magazine reports, "*** Cheney played a behind-the-scenes role last week in derailing an agreement to create an independent commission to investigate the 9-11 attacks. Last month the White House endorsed the formation of the panel. But on Thursday, hours after congressional negotiators hailed a final deal over the scope and powers of a 9-11 panel, Cheney called House Intelligence Committee chairman Rep. Porter Goss [to block] an independent commission to investigate 9-11." It worked. Goss told a closed-door conference committee he couldn''''''''t accept the deal, citing instructions from ''''''''above my pay grade,'''''''' sources say." Cheney: Investigators, Keep Out, Newsweek Magazine: 10/21/02.

[mrconservatv]

Posted by mudrose at 04:19 PM : Jan 03, 2008

http://www.justacitizen.com/

Sibel
Edmonds

ABOUT THIS WEB SITE
"...we fear that the designation of information as classified in some cases [brought forth by Sibel Edmonds] serves to protect the executive branch against embarrassing revelations and full accountability... Releasing declassified versions of these reports, or at least portions or summaries, would serve the public%u2019s interest, increase transparency, promote effectiveness and efficiency at the FBI, and facilitate Congressional oversight." U.S. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Charles Grassley (R-IA) in a Letter to Attorney General John Ashcroft


"''''Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.'''' In loving memory of our beloved son, Nicholas C. Lassman. {Tower 1}"
Ira & Laura Lassman


"I''''m a 9/11 mom who lost her only daughter, Michelle at WTC#2 & want the truth to come out."
Julie Scarpitta


"I was injured at the Pentagon. I need to know the truth."
William K. Wright



"Nothing can ease the pain of losing our son, Stewart Harris, in this horrific tragedy. We, as parents, are entitled to know all the actual facts. This report MUST be released."
Mildred & R. Jay Harris


"''Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.'' In loving memory of our beloved son, Nicholas C. Lassman. {Tower 1}"
Ira & Laura Lassman

[mudrose-2009]

Just an afterthought. With Leaky Leahy, Waxman, Coyers and the other creeps on the Senate Judiciary Committee all concerned about waterboarding, FISA and the like, it strikes me as rather strange that they do not invite Ms. Edmonds up to the Hill to tell her story. Hmmmmm. Especially that group of mongrels. Can''t image why they just don''t have her sit there with her conspiracy theories and tell all. After all, it would help Kucinich in this impeachment process. Just something for your all to chew your cud on.

[mudrose-2009]

%u2022 May 12, 2007: IN GAG WE TRUST? An Interview with FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds (Video)
Posted by mrconservatv

It sorts reminds me of Leaky Leahy and the Achille Lauro incident. Just like todate with the waterboarding incident. We let the cat out of the bag and let the infiltrators know our intentions before we find them. Yup, love Leaky Leahy. Love the fact that we outed waterboarding so that future terrorists know not to consider it torture. You can twist a story until your blue, but nobody in their right mind will buy your conspiracy theories. Just keep printing the trash. It''s delightfully funny.

[mrconservatv]

FBI language specialist Sibel Edmonds was fired from her job with the FBI%u2019s Washington Field Office in March 2002. Her crime was reporting security breaches, cover-ups, blocking of intelligence, and the bribery of U.S. individuals including high-ranking officials. The State Secret Privilege has often been invoked to block court proceedings on her case, and the U.S. Congress has even been gagged to prevent further discussion.

http://www.justacitizen.com/



%u2022 May 12, 2007: IN GAG WE TRUST? An Interview with FBI Whistleblower Sibel Edmonds (Video)