Probe of Intercepted (9/11) Messages Focuses on Sen. Shelby (Ala.)

[kskiska]

Justice Department Investigating Leak of Classified NSA Material Regarding Sept. 11 Attacks

The Justice Department's 18-month investigation into the leak of classified intercepted messages is focusing on Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.), who was chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence at the time of the disclosure, according to a law enforcement official and congressional sources.

A grand jury has been hearing information and has taken the testimony of at least two witnesses, including Shelby's former press secretary, sources said. The investigation centers on the disclosure in 2002 that the National Security Agency had intercepted two messages on the eve of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks signaling that something was to happen the next day. The cryptic messages were not translated until Sept. 12.

Shelby has since left the committee and is chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. He said in a statement yesterday: "My position on this issue is clear and well-known: At no time during my career as a United States Senator and, more particularly, at no time during my service as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence have I ever knowingly compromised classified information.

"To my knowledge, the same can be said about my staff. We have provided the investigation with our full cooperation in the past, and we will continue to do so." The statement said Shelby has had no contact with investigators for more than a year.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36876-2004Jan21.html

[Bozita]

1. What about Ambassador Joe Wilson's wife?

keep asking

-snip-

On June 19, 2002, CNN, citing "two congressional sources," quoted phrases contained in two classified NSA intercepts from Sept. 10, 2001, that hinted of an impending terrorist operation. The intercepts included the phrases "The match begins tomorrow" and "tomorrow is zero day." This information was revealed by NSA's director, Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael V. Hayden, during a closed session of a joint House-Senate panel investigating the Sept. 11 attacks.

CNN reporter Dana Bash, who was credited by her network with getting the scoop, was interviewed by FBI agents, sources said. Her office said yesterday she was traveling with President Bush. She did not return a phone message to comment.

At the time, Vice President Cheney chastised committee members publicly about the disclosure of sensitive information. Critics said the administration was trying to stop public disclosure of embarrassing information about the lapses in intelligence and security surrounding the attacks.

Cheney's criticism prompted the House and Senate intelligence committees to encourage an FBI investigation of themselves. Within two months, FBI agents had the phone records, appointment calendars and schedules of 17 senators and had questioned more than 100 people, including all 37 members of the committee and about 60 staff members.

-snip-

...more...

[w4rma]

2. Maybe this is how the stockholders knew to sell stocks just before 9.11.

Very interesting. This might be their source of information.

[R Hickey]

6. The stock transactions? The SEC investigation said it was nothing.

You're talking about the freak 'spike' in short-selling American Airlines "stock putts" the days before 9/11, by a bank with CIA and Bush connections?

The SEC has finished that investigation. They said there was nothing there, to move on, and to get over it. The media did, what's wrong with you?

The SEC has chosen to concentrate its resources on Martha Stewart. They hope to grind her into powder, and snort her when they're done.

Don't you realize that Martha Stewart may have gained over FORTY-THOUSAND DOLLARS on an illegal stock sale? Also, she may have lied about it. There is an appearance of impropriety. The Attorney General also suspects that she could be a witch.

Forty-thousand dollars is one pile of money, my tinsel-headed friend. You could buy a used Hum-ve for that. Get your priorities straight, don't you know there's a war on?

[frank frankly]

3. it is getting so hard for these stories to die

they fucking knew

PNAC BFEE bastards.

[jamesinca]

4. They did know

It was reported by the BBC during the trial of one of the 9/11 masterminds today in Germany. My question is this: Why are they investigating the leak with so much energy, how come they are not pursuing the content of the information as vigorously? Bush knew, Chenney knew, Rumsfeld knew.

[DarkSim]

5. Agreed.

Damn investigation has gone haywire freaking hell. Why isn't this being made a big thing for all to see??? Goddamn corrupt ass media.

[hang a left]

12. They aren't the only ones that knew, I suspect there were 100's

that not only knew but were involved in the act and/or the cover-up.

[icymist]

7. Iraq, somehow, keeps tying into this.

In the book 'The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told Us About Iraq' (by Scheer, Scheer, & Chaudhry)p. 20-24, we see how (Deputy Sec. of Defense) Paul D. Wolfowitz and I. Lewis Libby (Chief of Staff to V.P. Cheney) have been planning, eight years prior to the Sept. 11th attacks, a New American Centurary.... a kind "of a Pax Americana"... all centering on the occupation and reshaping of Iraq (see 'The Price of Loyalty p. 96-97). Paul O'Neill, (not exactly what I'd call flaming liberal material), describes a Bush administration that's trying to find ways to knock off Saddam and occupy Iraq as early as ten days into the new presidency.(IBID, p. 81-86)I believe that Cheyney and company knew something was up prior to the attacks, but hadn't realized the immense scale. In Bob Woodward's 'Bush At War' we can see that very shortly after the Sept. 11th attacks, Bush and Cheney want to go after Iraq, even if Saddam wasn't responsible.

Ten days into the Bush presidency Cheney is dividing up Iraq's oilfields and trying to figure out what companies might be interested in them! (The Price Of Loyalty, p.96)

They're aggressively investigating this intelligence leak because this administration has a lot to hide from the American people and the world.

[Stephanie]

8. Welcome to DU, icymist!

You're exactly right.

[icymist]

9. Thank you for the warm welcome.

Now let's trim the shrubbery!

[remfan]

10. What they failed to tell anyone...

for those keeping score at home...the information first appeared in USA Today at least 2 WEEKS before CNN picked it up, and it generated NO outcry from anyone.

[catmandu57]

11. Is shelby that smug looking butt munch

I see reading the paper in the Senate and smirking like a possum eating shit when the dems have the floor?
If it is that mofo I hope they nail his smug ass.

[kskiska]

13. This guy

[Rockholm]

14. EEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!

[catmandu57]

15. No, it's another puke

I'm thinking of, I know he's from the south I don't know the name.

[tom_paine]

16. Imperial Senators who are not Imperial Puppets MUST

be intimidated.

They must be brought into line. In the original German it was called "gleitschlaung".

"The struggle is a light one now as we are able to employ all the means of the state. Radio and press are at our disposal."
--Josef Goebbels

[johnnie]

17. The morning of Sept. 11th....

I read a news blurb on the net that said Americans were being evacuated from Japan due to threats of terrorism against Americans. My boss just got back from there and I told him that it is lucky for him that he returned that day because of the threats.
After the second plane hit, I went to find the article and it had dissappeared. Imagine that? I couldn't find it anywhere and at that time I thought to myself, those fuckers new. Actually, I didn't only think it to myself, but I was shot down by everyone here at the office. "There is no way that our leaders would ever let something like that happen". I just shook my head.

[abelenkpe]

18. what

site were you reading that from?

[johnnie]

20. It was...

On one of the Yahoo headlines, don't know if it was Reuters or NY Times. It was just one of the headlines on my front page of my Yahoo page.

[Lorien]

21. Not surprising

I was listening to the radio that morning as I was packing my bags to leave for Norway (never got there). After the second plane hit, one of the anchormen commented that there had been known "threats" that an attack would happen on Sept. 11th, because it was the anniversary of the arraignment of Ramsey Yousef for the earlier WTC bombing. I've never heard any mention of this since.

[Oilwellian]

19. Isn't Shelby the one who said.....

the information the Senate Intelligence Committee gathered was a blueprint to an attack on our country? Also remember, Shelby defected from the Dem party a few years ago. Maybe he's one of those senators this administration isn't too sure about and wants to get rid of.

It's interesting how quickly they moved to investigate a leak that shed a bad light on this criminal administration, yet months later we still have a traitor working in the WH and is still privvy to information that deals with national security.