[Vision2020] Fw: [Spam 9.65] Weekly Update: Main Suspect in 2001 Anthrax Attacks Commits Suicide
lfalen
lfalen at turbonet.com
Wed Aug 13 12:56:28 PDT 2008
-----Original message-----
From: Tom Fitton info at judicialwatch.org
Date: Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:05:33 -0700
To: LFALEN at TURBONET.COM
Subject: [Spam 9.65] Weekly Update: Main Suspect in 2001 Anthrax Attacks Commits Suicide
August 8, 2008
>From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:
2001 Anthrax Attacks Case "Solved"
U.S. officials announced this week that the FBI's case
involving the 2001 anthrax attacks has finally been "solved." According to
[http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icCsDXbi3Yojuvo5W4j01VxWio0wD92CNVTO0]
The Associated Press: "The case of the
anthrax-laced letters that killed five people in 2001 and alarmed a nation
already traumatized by the Sept. 11 terror attacks has been solved - but
will remain open for now to wrap up legal and investigative loose ends,
U.S. officials said.
"The government [was] to begin briefing victims and
their survivors at FBI headquarters Wednesday - eight days after the top
suspect, Army biowarfare scientist Bruce Ivins, killed himself as
prosecutors prepared to charge him with murder."
Ivins committed suicide and died on the very day he was to meet
with prosecutors to discuss a plea deal. On Wednesday of this week, Judge
Royce C. Lamberth authorized the release of hundreds of pages of documents
related to the FBI's 7-year investigation, including search warrants
involving Ivins. You can read them [http://www.usdoj.gov/amerithrax/]
here.
The documents may settle the case for many, but the
problem is the government's theory of Ivins' being the sole culprit will
never be tested in court. I can't help but question why the FBI and
Department of Justice did not act more quickly to detain Ivins and perhaps
prevent his untimely death.
Not only is his suicide a tragedy for his family and
friends, but it is a tragedy for the victims of the anthrax attacks who
deserved better justice from their government. Was Ivins not in custody
because, despite all the rhetoric about "proof beyond a reasonable doubt,"
the government was lacking smoking-gun evidence? Now, some are
[http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aQ3lDl.WX9vM&refer=home]
suggesting the scientific evidence the FBI has been pushing in recent days
may not have stood up in court.
While the U.S. government considers the case closed,
Judicial Watch does not. You may recall that Judicial Watch represented
hundreds of U.S. postal workers, and a postal worker support group
"Brentwood Exposed," in a [http://www.judicialwatch.org/brentwood.shtml]
lawsuit against the U.S. government for its reprehensible treatment of the
postal workers who processed the anthrax-contaminated letters at the
Brentwood postal facility in Washington, DC.
Two Brentwood postal workers, Joseph Curseen, Jr. and
Thomas Morris, Jr. died. Many others, to this day, suffer health
complications related to anthrax exposure.
During the course of its investigation and lawsuit,
Judicial Watch uncovered stunning information in a diary/log written by
Brentwood Facility Plant Manager Timothy Haney revealing that USPS and U.S.
government officials knew on Thursday, October 18, 2001 that "mail was
leaking" anthrax spores into the environment of the Brentwood facility and
that multiple anthrax spore swab tests "tested hot."
Despite this knowledge, USPS and U.S. government
officials kept the Brentwood facility open until Sunday, October 21, 2001 -
more than three days later - until news broke of the deaths of Mr. Curseen
and Mr. Morris. Unaware that the Brentwood postal facility was
contaminated, postal workers were denied the opportunity to protect
themselves and were threatened when they tried to take protective measures.
Unfortunately, despite this evidence, an appellate court
dismissed our lawsuit and the U.S. Supreme Court denied our petition to
hear the case. Nonetheless, through its public education campaign,
Judicial Watch made the American people aware of the government's corrupt
and shameless behavior in this case. You can read documents related to
Judicial Watch's anthrax investigation and lawsuit
[http://www.judicialwatch.org/brentwood.shtml] here.
Military Tribunal Convicts Bin Laden's Driver,
Accomplice
Osama bin Laden accomplice Salim Hamdan was convicted
this week in a high profile military tribunal in Guantanamo Bay (the first
since World War II).
According to
[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/06/AR2008080601092_pf.html]
The Washington Post: "Osama bin Laden's
former driver was convicted on one charge and acquitted on another
Wednesday, handing the Bush administration a partial victory in the first
U.S. war crimes trial in a half-century but failing to settle the debate
over whether the proceeding was just.
"A six-member military jury found Salim Ahmed Hamdan
guilty of supporting al-Qaeda by driving and guarding the terrorist leader.
The jurors found him not guilty of conspiring with bin Laden in terrorist
attacks." The press (the Post included)
has attempted to dismiss Hamdan as a "low level al Quaeda foot soldier,"
but this is not the case. Hamdan was a close bin Laden ally who served as
his bodyguard, his driver, and even helped transport weapons. After the
conviction, he was sentenced to a little over 5 years by the military jury
and could be out in 5 months (he gets credit for time served). Prosecutors
had asked for 30 years.
This light verdict is a disastrous and unjust outcome.
An admitted aide for a mass murderer receives this light of a sentence?
The military judge, who was exceedingly fair to Hamdan, even sought
"Allah's" blessings in Arabic for Hamdan at the end of the trial.
This, from
[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/08/washington/08gitmo.html?pagewanted=2&hp]
The New York Times account: "Mr.
Hamdan," Judge (Capt. Keith J.) Allred said, "I hope the day comes that you
are able to return to your wife and daughters and your country."
"Inshallah," Mr. Hamdan said in Arabic, before an
interpreter gave the English translation of "God willing."
"Inshallah," Judge Allred responded.
Frankly, I hope Hamdan is detained for the duration, which
the military may very well try to do. But this effort will be hindered by
this slap-on-the-wrist sentence.
Despite an outcome that I'm confident bin Laden is
cheering, the liberal media has been sharply critical of the Bush
administration's military tribunal system, repeating ad nauseum comments by
groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that the system
is, as The Washington Post suggested, "politicized and drawn up to ensure
convictions."
You may recall Judicial Watch was selected by the
Pentagon to monitor the proceedings of five 9/11 co-conspirators, providing
a counterpoint to the ACLU and other radical groups supporting the
terrorists. We sent our Director of Litigation, Paul Orfanedes, down to
GITMO to record his observations. Here's what Paul had to say on the
subject of the integrity of the tribunal process:
"Some in the media have criticized the military
commission process, leaving the impression that it is disorganized and
lacks impartiality. What was striking to me during my trip was that I
found the complete opposite to be true. I witnessed a deep commitment on
the part of the military lawyers participating in the proceedings,
especially the defense attorneys. They defended their clients vigorously
and articulately. If anything, they seemed to have an even greater sense
of commitment to their clients because they were military officers..." (You
can read his full transcript of Paul's comments
[http://www.judicialwatch.org/weeklyupdate/2008/26-weekly-update-supreme-court-rulings-good-and-bad]
here.)
A military commission process that is so "fair" that it
may result in the release of a terrorist in 5 months will not mollify the
Left -- too many of whom will never recognize the right of the United
States to bring these terrorists to justice.
Now that the Hamdan trial is completed, prosecutors can
move on to the approximately 80 other terrorist detainees awaiting their
turn, including top 9/11 conspirators. Let's hope we can get some better
justice. My concern is, that in the end, that this whole process may
result in terrorists being released to kill Americans and innocents -
again.
Judicial Watch Appeals Special Order 40 Lawsuit Against
LAPD, ACLU
Judicial Watch has officially appealed the Los Angeles
Superior Court ruling that our lawsuit against the Los Angeles Police
Department's [http://www.judicialwatch.org/lapd-special-order-40] Special
Order 40, an illegal alien sanctuary policy, cannot proceed to trial
(Judicial Watch, Inc. v The Los Angeles Police Department et. al., Case No.
BC349040). In addition to the LAPD, we're also fighting the ACLU and other
radical pro-illegal immigration activists. To see the official Notice of
Appeal, click
[http://www.judicialwatch.org/documents/2008/so40-notificationofappeal.pdf]
here.
Special Order 40 is a policy established in Los Angeles
in 1979 that prohibits police officers from "initiat(ing) police action
with the objective of discovering the alien status of a person." This
prevents officers from inquiring about the immigration status of an
individual and from contacting federal immigration officials about an
individual's immigration status. (If you want to read through related
documents and court filings, please click
[http://www.judicialwatch.org/lapd-special-order-40] here.)
Suffice to say it is our contention that Special Order
40 is a dangerous policy that prevents police officers from communicating
freely with federal immigration authorities. It is in clear violation of
federal immigration law. And we look forward to presenting our case before
the appellate court.
As I mentioned last week, Judicial Watch is leading a
nationwide campaign to end sanctuaries for illegal aliens. As part of this
campaign, we've launched a brand new Internet site,
[http://www.sanctuarybusters.org] www.sanctuarybusters.org. This is a big
fight and we need your help.
Until next week...
Tom Fitton
President
Judicial Watch is a non-partisan, educational
foundation organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code.
Judicial Watch is dedicated to fighting government and judicial corruption
and promoting a return to ethics and morality in our nation's public life.
To make a tax-deductible contribution in support of our efforts,
[http://www.judicialwatch.org/authnet/donation.php] click here.
[https://www.judicialwatch.org/donate]
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Subject: [Spam 9.65] Weekly Update: Main Suspect in 2001 Anthrax Attacks
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