Dear 9/11 truth activists and concerned citizens,
We just received the following essay from Sibel Edmonds discussing the
recent dismissal of her appeal. It is definitely worth reading and
forwarding around to your lists. Despite all the setbacks, she
courageously asserts that her fight is not yet over. Here is an quote from
her essay (the full version is below).
"Those of you who still think this case, my case, is about covering up
some administrative blunder or bureaucratic mismanagement, please think
again. . . . What were [my] core allegations, and who did they involve?
Not only some low-level terrorist . . . they would not go to this length
to protect some nobody criminal or terrorist." - Sibel Edmonds
Thank you Sibel! May you inspire potential whistle-blowers everywhere.
Towards peace and truth,
Emanuel sferios
Webmaster, SeptemberEleventh.org
-----
Gagged, But Not Dead
By Sibel Edmonds
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/May14-05-Gagged%20but%20not%20Dead.htm
The Appeal Court’s decision on Sibel Edmonds’ Case is out: ‘Case
Dismissed;’ no opinion cited; no reason provided. The Court’s decision,
issued on Friday, May 6, has generated a string of obituaries; “another
major blow, maybe the last one, to Sibel Edmonds, a woman who has faced an
unprecedented level of government secrecy, gag orders, and
classification.” Well, dear friends and supporters, Sibel Edmonds may be
gagged, but she’s not dead.
On October 18, 2002; three months after I filed my suit against the
Department of Justice for unlawful termination of my employment caused by
my reporting criminal activities committed by government officials and
employees, John Ashcroft, the then Attorney General, invoked a rarely
invoked privilege, the State Secrets Privilege. According to Ashcroft,
everything involving my case and my allegations were considered state
secrets, and whether or not I was right in my allegations, the United
States District Court had to dismiss my entire case without any questions,
hearings or oral argument; period. According to Ashcroft, the court had to
grant his order and dismiss the entire case with no hearings solely based
on the fact that he, Ashcroft, said so. After all, our government knew
best. As of that day, my case came to be gagged; but I continued on.
In April 2004, after attorneys for a large group of 9/11 family members
subpoenaed my deposition, the then Attorney General, John Ashcroft, made
his next move: He invoked the state secrets privilege for the second time,
and this time, he designated my place of birth, date of birth, my mother
tongue, my father tongue, my university background, and my previous
employments all State Secrets, Top Secret Classified, and matters of the
highest level national security. Let’s see, based on this new ruling and
designation by our ironically named Justice Department, my passport would
be considered a ‘top secret’ document since it contains my place of birth,
information considered state secrets. According to our government
officials my Virginia driving license would be considered a ‘Top Secret’
document, since it contains my date of birth, information considered state
secrets and classified. Well, heck, even my resume would be considered
‘Top Secret’ since it contains my linguistic credentials and my degrees.
As of that day, I officially became a notoriously gagged whistleblower;
but I continued on.
In May 2004, two years after two ranking senators (bipartisan) had
publicly, and in public records and documents, announced me credible and
my case and allegations confirmed and supported, the emboldened then
Attorney General, struck again. This time, he, John Ashcroft, decided to
gag the entire Congress on anything that had to with Sibel Edmonds and her
case. He ordered two ranking senators to take everything referring to me
off their websites; he ordered them to consider all documents and letters
related to my case ‘Top Secret,’ and he commanded that they, the Congress,
shut their mouth on any issue that in any way referred or related to me.
Our senators obliged, disregarding the principles of the separation of
powers, not honoring the United States Constitution, and not respecting
their own prestige and status. As of that day, the United States Congress
became officially gagged on Sibel Edmonds; but I continued on.
In June 2004, the United States District Court bowed to his highness,
representative of our Executive Branch, John Ashcroft, and announced its
decision to no longer honor the Constitution as it relates to citizens’
right to due process: it dismissed the case and excused itself from
providing any real explanation, due to any possible explanation, or lack
of explanation, being classified as ‘Top Secret,’ and ‘State Secrets.’ Our
court system too was not willing to stand up for its authority and its
separation from the executive branch. In other words, the District Court
willingly allowed itself to be gagged; but I continued on.
In July 2004, after two years of unexplained foot dragging, the Department
of Justice Office of the Inspector General, announced its long over due
investigation of Sibel Edmonds’ case complete and issued its report. The
further empowered and emboldened then Attorney General stepped in on that
same day and gagged his own Inspector General’s findings and report by
classifying the entire report as secret. The so called independent
investigatory entity, the Inspector General, wrapped and duct taped its
report, bowed, and left the scene now that it was formally and officially
gagged on my case; but I continued on.
On April 21, 2005, for the first time in these three gagged years, my
attorneys and I finally had, or thought we had, our day in court for our
hearing before Appellate Court Judges. Just hours before our hearing,
these judges issued an unexpected ruling, barring all reporters and the
public from the courtroom for the Edmonds’ Case hearing. Numerous media
related entities tried to flex their lately weakened muscles and filed
their motion to oppose this ruling. The judges denied their motion, and
cited no reason; when asked for a reason they responded that they didn’t
have to provide any reason. Everyone was kicked out of the courtroom;
except for me, my attorneys, and the large troop of attorneys from the
Department of Justice. All the doors to the courtroom were locked and
guards were placed in front of each door to watch out for eavesdroppers.
Then came the next shock: after bypassing our brief, asking a couple of
puzzling and irrelevant questions, and allowing my attorneys 10 minutes or
so of response, the Appellate judges asked my attorneys and me (the
plaintiff) to leave the courtroom, so that the government attorneys could
secretly answer questions and make their argument. The guards escorted us,
the plaintiff, out, locked the doors, and stood there in front of the
courtroom and watched us for about fifteen minutes. So much for finally
having my day in court; here I was, with my attorneys, standing outside
the courtroom and being guarded, while in there, three judges were having
a cozy mingling session with a large troop of government attorneys. Then,
it was over; that was it; we were told to leave. In other words, my
attorneys and I were barred from being present in our own court hearing,
and my case remained covered up and gagged; but I continued on.
On May 6, two weeks after the Kafkaesque court procedure, my attorneys and
I were given the verdict: The lower court’s decision was upheld, meaning
my entire case, whether or not we had an Inspector General’s Report that
confirmed my allegations, whether or not we had several congressional
letters confirming my case and my allegations, was prevented from
proceeding in court due to some unspecified ‘State Secrets,’ and
unexplained secrecy that applied to everything that had to do with me and
my case; which were so secret that even the judges could not hear or see.
In fact, the Appellate judges in my case did not cite any opinion or
reason, because even the opinion itself would have been considered secret.
Doesn’t this mean that the Appellate court and these three judges were in
effect gagged? It appears so, but I will continue on.
In the past three years, I have been threatened; I have been gagged
several times; I have continuously been prevented from pursuing my due
process; all reports and investigations looking into my case have been
classified; and every governmental or investigative authority dealing with
my case has been shut up. According to legal experts familiar with my
case, the level of secrecy and classification in my court case and the
attitudes and handling of the court system in dealing with my case is
unprecedented in the entire U.S. court history. According to other experts
I am one of the most, if not the most, gagged woman anybody knows of or
has heard of. Why?
Those of you who still think this case, my case, is about covering up some
administrative blunder or bureaucratic mismanagement, please think again.
Those of you who may think that my Kafkaesque case, the unprecedented
secrecy, is due to some justified and official higher reasons, please
think again.
Those of you who may think that our government, our entrusted leaders, may
have an ongoing investigation of criminals involved, please think again.
The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice, in its
‘unclassified report,’ has confirmed my core allegations. What were those
core allegations, and who did they involve? Not only some low-level
terrorist or terrorist organization; not only some ‘maybe’ critical
foreign entities. No; trust me; they would not go to this length to
protect some nobody criminal or terrorist.
It is way past time for a little bit of critical thinking. The Attorney
General cites two reasons to justify the unconstitutional and panic driven
assault on me and my case. Reason one: To protect certain diplomatic
relations - not named since obviously our officials are ashamed of
admitting to these relations. Reason two: To protect certain U.S. foreign
business relations. Let’s take each one and dissect it (I have given up on
our mass media to do that for us!). For reason one, since when is the
Department of Justice, the FBI, in the business of protecting ‘US
sensitive diplomatic relations?’ They appear to be acting as a mouthpiece
for the Department of State. Now, that’s one entity that has strong
reasons to cover up, for its own self, what will end up being a blunder of
mammoth scale. Not internationally; not really; it is the American people
and their outrage they must be worried about; they wouldn’t want to have a
few of their widely recognized officials being held criminally liable;
would they?
As for reason two, I can assure you that the U.S. foreign business
relations they may be referring to are not among those that benefit the
majority of the American people; a handful of MIC entities and their
lobbying arms can by no means be considered that, can they? In fact, the
American people, their national safety and security, and their best
interests are being sacrificed for a handful of those with their foreign
business interest. Also, since when are nuclear black market related
underground activities considered official U.S. foreign business; one may
wonder? If you want to have the answers to these questions, please
approach your Congress and ask your representatives for hearings - not
behind closed doors quasi hearings - but open, public hearings where these
questions can be asked and answered.
And lastly, for those of you who may think that since I have been gagged
and stopped by almost all available official channels, I must be ready to
vaporize into thin air, please think again. I am gagged, but not dead; not
yet.
_________________________________
David Ray Griffin lectured on CSPAN regarding 9/11.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x39690
--
The truth will set us free
------------------------------
Eye for the Truth
Because you can handle the Truth
A Proud member of the Reality-Based Community
http://www.netctr.com/
We just received the following essay from Sibel Edmonds discussing the
recent dismissal of her appeal. It is definitely worth reading and
forwarding around to your lists. Despite all the setbacks, she
courageously asserts that her fight is not yet over. Here is an quote from
her essay (the full version is below).
"Those of you who still think this case, my case, is about covering up
some administrative blunder or bureaucratic mismanagement, please think
again. . . . What were [my] core allegations, and who did they involve?
Not only some low-level terrorist . . . they would not go to this length
to protect some nobody criminal or terrorist." - Sibel Edmonds
Thank you Sibel! May you inspire potential whistle-blowers everywhere.
Towards peace and truth,
Emanuel sferios
Webmaster, SeptemberEleventh.org
-----
Gagged, But Not Dead
By Sibel Edmonds
http://www.justacitizen.com/articles_documents/May14-05-Gagged%20but%20not%20Dead.htm
The Appeal Court’s decision on Sibel Edmonds’ Case is out: ‘Case
Dismissed;’ no opinion cited; no reason provided. The Court’s decision,
issued on Friday, May 6, has generated a string of obituaries; “another
major blow, maybe the last one, to Sibel Edmonds, a woman who has faced an
unprecedented level of government secrecy, gag orders, and
classification.” Well, dear friends and supporters, Sibel Edmonds may be
gagged, but she’s not dead.
On October 18, 2002; three months after I filed my suit against the
Department of Justice for unlawful termination of my employment caused by
my reporting criminal activities committed by government officials and
employees, John Ashcroft, the then Attorney General, invoked a rarely
invoked privilege, the State Secrets Privilege. According to Ashcroft,
everything involving my case and my allegations were considered state
secrets, and whether or not I was right in my allegations, the United
States District Court had to dismiss my entire case without any questions,
hearings or oral argument; period. According to Ashcroft, the court had to
grant his order and dismiss the entire case with no hearings solely based
on the fact that he, Ashcroft, said so. After all, our government knew
best. As of that day, my case came to be gagged; but I continued on.
In April 2004, after attorneys for a large group of 9/11 family members
subpoenaed my deposition, the then Attorney General, John Ashcroft, made
his next move: He invoked the state secrets privilege for the second time,
and this time, he designated my place of birth, date of birth, my mother
tongue, my father tongue, my university background, and my previous
employments all State Secrets, Top Secret Classified, and matters of the
highest level national security. Let’s see, based on this new ruling and
designation by our ironically named Justice Department, my passport would
be considered a ‘top secret’ document since it contains my place of birth,
information considered state secrets. According to our government
officials my Virginia driving license would be considered a ‘Top Secret’
document, since it contains my date of birth, information considered state
secrets and classified. Well, heck, even my resume would be considered
‘Top Secret’ since it contains my linguistic credentials and my degrees.
As of that day, I officially became a notoriously gagged whistleblower;
but I continued on.
In May 2004, two years after two ranking senators (bipartisan) had
publicly, and in public records and documents, announced me credible and
my case and allegations confirmed and supported, the emboldened then
Attorney General, struck again. This time, he, John Ashcroft, decided to
gag the entire Congress on anything that had to with Sibel Edmonds and her
case. He ordered two ranking senators to take everything referring to me
off their websites; he ordered them to consider all documents and letters
related to my case ‘Top Secret,’ and he commanded that they, the Congress,
shut their mouth on any issue that in any way referred or related to me.
Our senators obliged, disregarding the principles of the separation of
powers, not honoring the United States Constitution, and not respecting
their own prestige and status. As of that day, the United States Congress
became officially gagged on Sibel Edmonds; but I continued on.
In June 2004, the United States District Court bowed to his highness,
representative of our Executive Branch, John Ashcroft, and announced its
decision to no longer honor the Constitution as it relates to citizens’
right to due process: it dismissed the case and excused itself from
providing any real explanation, due to any possible explanation, or lack
of explanation, being classified as ‘Top Secret,’ and ‘State Secrets.’ Our
court system too was not willing to stand up for its authority and its
separation from the executive branch. In other words, the District Court
willingly allowed itself to be gagged; but I continued on.
In July 2004, after two years of unexplained foot dragging, the Department
of Justice Office of the Inspector General, announced its long over due
investigation of Sibel Edmonds’ case complete and issued its report. The
further empowered and emboldened then Attorney General stepped in on that
same day and gagged his own Inspector General’s findings and report by
classifying the entire report as secret. The so called independent
investigatory entity, the Inspector General, wrapped and duct taped its
report, bowed, and left the scene now that it was formally and officially
gagged on my case; but I continued on.
On April 21, 2005, for the first time in these three gagged years, my
attorneys and I finally had, or thought we had, our day in court for our
hearing before Appellate Court Judges. Just hours before our hearing,
these judges issued an unexpected ruling, barring all reporters and the
public from the courtroom for the Edmonds’ Case hearing. Numerous media
related entities tried to flex their lately weakened muscles and filed
their motion to oppose this ruling. The judges denied their motion, and
cited no reason; when asked for a reason they responded that they didn’t
have to provide any reason. Everyone was kicked out of the courtroom;
except for me, my attorneys, and the large troop of attorneys from the
Department of Justice. All the doors to the courtroom were locked and
guards were placed in front of each door to watch out for eavesdroppers.
Then came the next shock: after bypassing our brief, asking a couple of
puzzling and irrelevant questions, and allowing my attorneys 10 minutes or
so of response, the Appellate judges asked my attorneys and me (the
plaintiff) to leave the courtroom, so that the government attorneys could
secretly answer questions and make their argument. The guards escorted us,
the plaintiff, out, locked the doors, and stood there in front of the
courtroom and watched us for about fifteen minutes. So much for finally
having my day in court; here I was, with my attorneys, standing outside
the courtroom and being guarded, while in there, three judges were having
a cozy mingling session with a large troop of government attorneys. Then,
it was over; that was it; we were told to leave. In other words, my
attorneys and I were barred from being present in our own court hearing,
and my case remained covered up and gagged; but I continued on.
On May 6, two weeks after the Kafkaesque court procedure, my attorneys and
I were given the verdict: The lower court’s decision was upheld, meaning
my entire case, whether or not we had an Inspector General’s Report that
confirmed my allegations, whether or not we had several congressional
letters confirming my case and my allegations, was prevented from
proceeding in court due to some unspecified ‘State Secrets,’ and
unexplained secrecy that applied to everything that had to do with me and
my case; which were so secret that even the judges could not hear or see.
In fact, the Appellate judges in my case did not cite any opinion or
reason, because even the opinion itself would have been considered secret.
Doesn’t this mean that the Appellate court and these three judges were in
effect gagged? It appears so, but I will continue on.
In the past three years, I have been threatened; I have been gagged
several times; I have continuously been prevented from pursuing my due
process; all reports and investigations looking into my case have been
classified; and every governmental or investigative authority dealing with
my case has been shut up. According to legal experts familiar with my
case, the level of secrecy and classification in my court case and the
attitudes and handling of the court system in dealing with my case is
unprecedented in the entire U.S. court history. According to other experts
I am one of the most, if not the most, gagged woman anybody knows of or
has heard of. Why?
Those of you who still think this case, my case, is about covering up some
administrative blunder or bureaucratic mismanagement, please think again.
Those of you who may think that my Kafkaesque case, the unprecedented
secrecy, is due to some justified and official higher reasons, please
think again.
Those of you who may think that our government, our entrusted leaders, may
have an ongoing investigation of criminals involved, please think again.
The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Justice, in its
‘unclassified report,’ has confirmed my core allegations. What were those
core allegations, and who did they involve? Not only some low-level
terrorist or terrorist organization; not only some ‘maybe’ critical
foreign entities. No; trust me; they would not go to this length to
protect some nobody criminal or terrorist.
It is way past time for a little bit of critical thinking. The Attorney
General cites two reasons to justify the unconstitutional and panic driven
assault on me and my case. Reason one: To protect certain diplomatic
relations - not named since obviously our officials are ashamed of
admitting to these relations. Reason two: To protect certain U.S. foreign
business relations. Let’s take each one and dissect it (I have given up on
our mass media to do that for us!). For reason one, since when is the
Department of Justice, the FBI, in the business of protecting ‘US
sensitive diplomatic relations?’ They appear to be acting as a mouthpiece
for the Department of State. Now, that’s one entity that has strong
reasons to cover up, for its own self, what will end up being a blunder of
mammoth scale. Not internationally; not really; it is the American people
and their outrage they must be worried about; they wouldn’t want to have a
few of their widely recognized officials being held criminally liable;
would they?
As for reason two, I can assure you that the U.S. foreign business
relations they may be referring to are not among those that benefit the
majority of the American people; a handful of MIC entities and their
lobbying arms can by no means be considered that, can they? In fact, the
American people, their national safety and security, and their best
interests are being sacrificed for a handful of those with their foreign
business interest. Also, since when are nuclear black market related
underground activities considered official U.S. foreign business; one may
wonder? If you want to have the answers to these questions, please
approach your Congress and ask your representatives for hearings - not
behind closed doors quasi hearings - but open, public hearings where these
questions can be asked and answered.
And lastly, for those of you who may think that since I have been gagged
and stopped by almost all available official channels, I must be ready to
vaporize into thin air, please think again. I am gagged, but not dead; not
yet.
_________________________________
David Ray Griffin lectured on CSPAN regarding 9/11.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=125x39690
--
The truth will set us free
------------------------------
Eye for the Truth
Because you can handle the Truth
A Proud member of the Reality-Based Community
http://www.netctr.com/
Message Board by American Patriot Friends Network [APFN]
