FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 11, 2005

September 11th was neither an intelligence failure nor was it a failure of imagination. It was nonfeasance on behalf of a whole host of government agencies, including the FAA.

Of the 105 warnings issued, 52 warnings regarding al Qaeda were given to the FAA by the intelligence community in a six month period from April 2001 to September 2001. According to the 9/11 Commission’s final report, there were eight information circulars put out by the FAA between July 2, and September 10, 2001. Five of these information circulars targeted overseas threats, while the remaining three targeted domestic threats.

The 52 threats regarding al Qaeda were not received by the FAA in a vacuum. From March 2001 to September 2001, according to the Joint Inquiry of Congress, our Intelligence Community received at least 41 specific threats of a possible domestic attack by al Qaeda. Additionally, the FAA was also made aware of the August 16, 2001 arrest of Zaccarias Moussouai. Finally, the FAA attended a high level meeting on July 5, 2001 where the domestic threat posed by al Qaeda was discussed by all relevant intelligence agencies.

According to the newly released FAA monograph, in the spring of 2001 the FAA knew that if “the intent of the hijacker is not to exchange hostages for prisoners, but to commit suicide in a spectacular explosion, a domestic hijacking would probably be preferable”.

The aforementioned statement is yet another indicator of how widely known it was in the national security community that al Qaeda was interested in using planes as missiles. Yet, as the historic record also widely indicates, former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice publicly stated that she didn’t think that anyone could imagine that planes could be used as missiles.

Furthermore, Ms. Rice also testified, under oath, before the 9/11 Commission, that the August 6, 2001 PDB, “Bin Laden Determined to Strike in the U.S.,” contained purely “historical” threat information. The revelation of the 52 warnings given to the FAA during this same time period would seem to indicate that Ms. Rice perjured herself during her testimony.

Moreover, Ms. Rice also testified that there was nothing more the U.S. government could have done during the summer of 2001 to thwart the attacks of 9/11. Yet, the newly released 9/11 Monograph states that the federal air marshal program was specifically deleted from all domestic flights during the summer of 2001 as a result of cost cutting by the airlines. Certainly, placing air marshals on domestic flights was well within the purview of Ms. Rice’s own responsibilities and tasking as National Security Advisor. Why has she not been held accountable? Additionally, why has no one in the airline community been held accountable?

An FAA spokesperson asserts that the FAA didn’t have specific information regarding means or methods that would have enabled them to tailor any counter measures. This statement clearly contradicts the reality detailed in this report. Stepping up security in the face of terror warnings is not a new concept for America’s government agencies. The FAA testified before the 9/11 Commission that during the millennium an unknown terror plot caused them to ratchet up their security procedures. With 52 warnings, why was this not done in 2001?

The American public must not be lulled into a false sense of security. While government reports might allege that the myriad of government agencies, individuals, and institutions that failed our nation on 9/11 have been fixed post-9/11, the disturbing fact remains that after all the failures of 9/11 have been revealed, far too many of the same individuals who were unable to react appropriately to clear and abundant warnings, are still in their positions today.

Notably missing from this monograph is any information pertaining to NORAD’s failure to timely scramble jets, which leads us to wonder what else is being withheld from the public.

September 11th Advocates

Kristen Breitweiser
Patty Casazza
Monica Gabrielle
Mindy Kleinberg
Lorie Van Auken

Thanks to www.cooperativeresearch.org

January 1996: Squad Uniting Prosecutors and FBI Agents Begins Focusing on Bin Laden
The Justice Department directs an existing unit called Squad I-49 to begin building a legal case against bin Laden. This unit is unusual because it combines prosecutors from the Southern District of New York, who have been working on bin Laden related cases, with the FBI’s New York office, which was the FBI branch office that dealt the most with bin Laden -related intelligence. Patrick Fitzgerald effectively directs I-49 as the lead prosecutor. FBI agent Dan Coleman becomes a key member while simultaneously representing the FBI at Alec Station, the CIA’s new bin Laden unit (February 1996) where he has access to the CIA’s vast informational database. [Lance, 2006, pp. 218-219] The other initial members of I-49 are: Louis Napoli, John Anticev, Mike Anticev, Richard Karniewicz, Jack Cloonan, Carl Summerlin, Kevin Cruise, Mary Deborah Doran, and supervisor Tom Lang. All are FBI agents except for Napoli and Summerlin, a New York police detective and a New York state trooper, respectively. The unit will end up working closely with FBI agent John O’Neill, who heads the New York FBI office. Unlike the CIA’s Alec Station, which is focused solely on bin Laden, I-49 has to work on other Middle East -related issues. For much of the next year or so, most members will work on the July 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, because it crashed near New York and is suspected to have been carried out by Middle Eastern militants (July 17, 1996-September 1996). However, in years to come, I-49 will grow considerably and focus more on bin Laden. [Wright, 2006, pp. 240-241] After 9/11, the “wall” between intelligence collection and criminal prosecution will often be cited for the failure to stop the 9/11 attacks. But as author Peter Lance will later note, “Little more than ten months after the issuance of Jamie Gorelick’s ‘wall memo,’ Fitzgerald and company were apparently disregarding her mandate that criminal investigation should be segregated from intelligence threat prevention. Squad I-49… was actively working both jobs.” Thanks to Coleman’s involvement in both I-49 and the CIA’s Alec Station, I-49 effectively avoids the so-called “wall” problem. [Lance, 2006, pp. 220]
Read the rest of this entry »

Source: www.iht.com

The Associated Press
Published: May 1, 2008

NEW YORK: Aviation companies sued by the families of Sept. 11 victims for failing to safeguard air travel are in turn blaming federal investigators — arguing the Federal Aviation Administration was not alerted that al-Qaida was poised to launch terrorist attacks.

In court documents filed this week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, aviation companies are seeking to force five FBI employees to provide testimony that may help defend against claims the companies share blame in the attacks.

“The aviation parties anticipate that the FBI witnesses’ testimony will demonstrate that the FBI had information before Sept. 11 indicating that al-Qaida may have been about to launch terrorist attacks on civil aviation, which it did not timely pass along to the Federal Aviation Administration,” lawyers wrote.

The airlines and aviation companies are defending themselves against lawsuits seeking billions of dollars in damages for injuries, fatalities, property damage and business losses related to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

The companies in turn filed separate lawsuits against the CIA and the FBI last August to force terrorism investigators to tell whether the aviation industry was to blame for the Sept. 11 attacks.

The latest documents filed by the airlines, airport authorities, security companies and an aircraft manufacturer argue that if the FAA had known about an FBI investigation of Zacarias Moussaoui weeks before the Sept. 11 attacks, it could have amended security measures to guard against the type of terrorist attack Moussaoui was planning.

The aviation defendants said the FBI has refused to permit even a single deposition, although the agency does not deny that five potential witnesses in the case have already testified and made other public statements before the 9/11 Commission, the Moussaoui trial jury and the media.

In the lawsuit against the CIA, companies including American Airlines Inc., United Airlines Inc., US Airways Group Inc., Delta Air Lines Inc., Continental Airlines Inc. and The Boeing Co. are seeking to interview the deputy chief of the CIA’s bin Laden unit in 2001, and an FBI special agent assigned to the unit at that time. The names of both are secret.

The lawyers said testimony from both agencies was critical to their defense.

“After weighing this evidence together with the criminal acts of the terrorists, the jury would be entitled to conclude that any act or omission by the aviation parties was so dwarfed by the other causal factors of the attacks that the aviation parties’ conduct was not a substantial cause of the plaintiffs’ injuries,” the lawyers wrote.

U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said last year that the request for depositions with FBI agents was rejected because the aviation companies didn’t explain how FBI information before the attacks would relate to their defense efforts.

Garcia said much of the information was protected from disclosure, “because it involves classified national security information or matters protected by the law enforcement investigative privilege.”

He also said it would be “extremely difficult and burdensome” to separate the classified information from the non-classified information and risk that some classified materials may be inadvertently disclosed.

Yusill Scribner, a spokeswoman for government lawyers in the case, said there was no comment Wednesday.

We had a good attendance tonight. I don’t have the ticket sales in front of me, but I’m guessing it was between 30 and 35. Thanks to everyone for coming out.

Congratulations to the Zadroga family, and to the others as well. - Jon

NY Post: City Will Honor 8 Officers Who Succumbed To Illnesses Related To Ground Zero Dust

Source: cbsnews.com

NEW YORK, April 28, 2008

(CBS) New York City’s 9/11 “Wall Of Heroes” will now include names of police officers who died well after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The city will honor eight officers who succumbed to illnesses related to working amid the toxic debris at ground zero, the New York Post reports.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Mayor Michael Bloomberg will preside over a May 9 ceremony paying tribute to eight fallen officers who died from a litany of diseases linked to their work at the site of the World Trade Center, the Post reports.

One of those officers will be Det. James Zadroga, who died of a respiratory disease in 2006 after spending more than 400 hours sifting through the smoldering ruins at ground zero.

“It’s a bittersweet victory,” Joseph Zadroga, James’s father, told CBS News.com.

“It’s joyful but I’d rather have him here,” he said. “I know it’s something that Jimmy would want.”

James Zadroga was the first NYPD officer to have his death directly linked to his work at ground zero. Subsequently, he emerged as a symbol for the plight of thousands whose health rapidly deteriorated after their long days toiling in the rubble at ground zero.

Last May, a woman who died of lung disease five months after Sept. 11, 2001 was added to the medical examiner’s list of attack victims. It marked the first time the city officially linked a death to the toxic dust caused by the World Trade Center’s collapse. However, the city has long resisted adding names of sick 9/11 responders who died to the official victim’s list - despite mounting medical evidence that suggests a strong link.

Of the 70,000 people taking part in Mount Sinai Medical Center’s World Trade Center health study, 85 percent are suffering some kind of respiratory problem. Medical experts now say the toxic cloud sparked at ground zero has not only caused severe breathing problems in the short term but also will likely spawn diseases like cancer in the years to come. The mounting medical evidence has put pressure on lawmakers to fund monitoring and treatment for sick responders.

In addition to Zadroga, the Post reports that those receiving plaques on the wall include police officers James Godbe, Thomas Brophy, Ronald Weintraub and Angelo Peluso and Detectives John Young, Kevin Hawkins, and Robert Williamson.

When: Wednesday April 30, 7:30 pm
Where: St. Mark’s Church, 2nd Avenue @ 10th Street

The New York City 9/11 Ballot Initiative Campaign, a non-profit, citizens based organization, whose goal is the creation of an independent commission to lead a new investigation into the tragedy of 9/11, will be holding a rally on Wednesday, April 30th at 7:30 PM at St. Mark’s Church in the Bowery. The campaign hopes to put the issue of a new investigation of 9/11 on the November 2008 NYC ballot as a public referendum. Come and learn about this historic effort! Press packets will be available. Visit www.nyc911initiative.org for full campaign details.

Featured guest speakers include:

• Dr. William Pepper, international human rights attorney
  
• John Feal, Director of the Feal Good Foundation, dedicated to meeting the health needs of thousands of sick first responders
  
• Bob McIlvaine, 9/11 victim family member
  
• Ralph Schoenman & Mya Shone, hosts of Taking Aim on WBAI-FM
  
• Lynne Stewart, the people’s lawyer and other guests to be announced.
  

The rally will be an opportunity for the press and public to learn about the 9/11 Ballot Initiative campaign and to fill out petitions. Residents in the NYC metro area will be encouraged to participate in this historic campaign which combines principles of Direct Democracy with the effort to establish truth and accountability for 9/11, which is something the government will not do but a responsible citizenry can and must do. Upon reaching 30,000 valid signatures which are lawfully required to put the Initiative on the ballot, NYC voters will be enabled to create a fact-driven investigation of 9/11, which will be distinct from the former Kean-Hamilton Commission because this will go beyond political agendas by exploring all possible scenarios, following the evidence wherever it may lead.

It would seem reasonable that in the NYC metro area we can get 500 volunteers get just 200 signatures each by the end of June, which is the deadline. This can be done in 20-25 hours in the right places while having a good time at it! We would end up with 100,000 signatures which will make the necessary impact statement to NY City Council and the press. See photos of petitioners at www.nyc911initiative.org/petitioning.htm.

Please spread the word so that all people who struggle for justice and progress can be encouraged that there’s an effort underway to obtain truth and accountability for the foundational event which has been used to justify U.S. imperial policy abroad and repressive measures at home!

Join the campaign for a new, honest and authentic investigation of 9/11! We owe it to the victims, the first responders, ourselves, and future generations.

Steering Committee for
the NYC 9/11 Ballot Initiative
www.nyc911initiative.org

Thanks to www.cooperativeresearch.org

Kevin Fenton
4/26/2008

Ahmed al-Hada and his phone are one of the biggest mysteries surrounding 9/11. Although several US and other agencies knew he was involved with al-Qaeda, the 1998 African embassy bombings, and the 2000 USS Cole attack, al-Hada was allowed to continue to operate and was a key link in 9/11.

The surveillance of al-Hada’s phone by the US provided enough information to prevent 9/11 – there were numerous calls between the al-Hada family, under NSA and CIA surveillance in Sana’a, Yemen, and 9/11 hijackers Khalid Almihdhar, al-Hada’s son-in-law, and Nawaf Alhazmi in the US. These calls were intercepted and analyzed by the NSA and could have been used to discover the hijackers’ location in the US – at least one of the US phones used was registered to Alhazmi, who the NSA knew was an al-Qaeda operative. But this did not happen and the reason has never been sufficiently explained. Why did the US not exploit the information from al-Hada’s phone to locate the hijackers in the US roll up the plot? How many calls to/from the hijackers in the US did the NSA intercept?
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Source: www.send2press.com

Published: Fri, 25 Apr 2008, 20:14:42 GMT
Edited by Carly Zander

HACKENSACK, N.J., April 25 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Over 2,000 motorcycles are expected to roll past New York’s “Ground Zero” on Saturday, May 10, as they participate in the “Freedom Run” motorcycle rally and festival. Riding side-by-side, the motorcycles are anticipated to stretch for five miles and will pay tribute to the 9/11 first responders of the FealGood Foundation who are now gravely ill as a result of their service at the site of the World Trade Center collapse.

Caption: FealGood Foundation”I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from the motorcycle community. We are grateful for the support of Bergen Harley-Davidson, and pledge that every dollar raised will help give dignity to a 9/11 responder who has been forgotten by their government,” says John Feal, president and founder of the FealGood Foundation. The nonprofit organization advocates and raises money for the 40,000 who came from all over America and the world to do search, recovery and clean up at Ground Zero, 70 percent of whom are now sick or have died.

Leading the motorcycles will be NYFD Engine #343, named in honor of the 343 NYC firefighters who perished in the attacks, which will be ridden my numerous rescue workers and first responders. The run will depart from the Hackensack Court House, 10 Main Street, at 11:00 a.m., and travel across the George Washington Bridge before passing the Ground Zero.

At the site, motorcyclists will pay homage to a police and fire department color guard before proceeding through the Holland Tunnel and out to Liberty Island. The pack arrive at Liberty State Park at roughly 1:30 and take part in a festival of food, live music by The Rolling Bones, motorcycle high wire thrill show, fly-over by the War Birds historic military aircraft, and more.

“This is an unprecedented event here in the New York and New Jersey area,” says Liz DiGennaro of Bergen Harley-Davidson-Buell, sponsor of the event. “We hope it will bring attention to the real American heroes who spent days and months sifting through the rubble of the burning buildings looking for survivors and bringing dignity to those who perished.”

The police-escorted run and festival are free and all models of bikes are welcome. For more information or to register call 201-843-6930 or visit www.FealGoodFoundation.com.

Jon Gold
4/24/2008

As we all know, Norman Mineta’s testimony was never investigated or mentioned in the 9/11 Report. You would think that the “young man” that was involved in such an important moment during the 9/11 attacks would be named, and brought before the 9/11 Commission. He was not.

This clip is from C-SPAN’s 5/26/2005 taping of the “Washington Journal”. The caller clearly states that at the time the Pentagon was hit, Cheney was aware of the incoming plane according to Norman Mineta’s testimony. At the end of this segment, Lee Hamilton says that Cheney was “in the key position at the time”. Prior to that, he said that “the Vice President was in the operation room”, and “when the impact did occur.” To me, this sounds like Lee Hamilton just confirmed Norman Mineta’s testimony.

On August 21st, 2006, Lee Hamilton was interviewed by Evan Solomon of CBC News. During that interview, he was asked again about Norman Mineta’s testimony.

Solomon: Questions about foreknowledge, especially as to when Vice President Dick Cheney knew when he went down to the protective bunker: there was some suggestion that the Secretary of Transport Mineta testified in front of the Commission that he in fact talked to Dick Cheney at 9:20 am. Cheney claims he hadn’t been there.. gotten down there until close to 10 am. That was eventually omitted from the final report,. Can you tell us a bit about about what Secretary of Transport Mineta told the Commission about where Dick Cheney was prior to 10 am?

Hamilton:I do not recall.

Solomon: And we don’t know exactly where that..

Hamilton: Well, we think that Vice President Cheney entered the bunker shortly before 10 o’clock. And there is a gap of several minutes there, where we do not really know what the Vice President really did. There is the famous phone call between the President and the Vice President. We could find no documentary evidence of that phone call. Both the President and the Vice President said that the phone call was made, and in that phone call, the order was supposedly was given, allegedly given, to shoot down an airliner - if necessary

Now, there are a lot of things not answered about that period of time. The order never got to the pilots and when it did get to the pilots, it didn’t get to them in time, and when it did get to them, they claimed it was not an order to shoot it down, but to identify and track an airliner, not to shoot it down.

What you had on this day, of course, was a lot of confusion, and a lot of confusion in communications, at the very highest levels. When the President went from the school in Sarasota to Air Force One, he was trying to get communications with the White House, he used a cell phone, in part. When he got to Air Force One, the communications didn’t work all that well. Well, this is all very disturbing, and I’m told has now been corrected.

Apparently, Lee waited a while before he actually read the report. However, he ADMITS that “we do not really know what the Vice President really did.” Newsweek reported that Cheney was picked up by the Secret Service at 9:35, but does write that, “a source close to the commission, who declined to be identified revealing sensitive information, says that none of the staffers who worked on this aspect of the investigation believed Cheney’s version of events.”

Why is this acceptable? Guess what? It’s not.

To watch the whole interview, click here (RealPlayer required).

This took place on 5/26/2005. On 7/22/2005, then Representative Cynthia McKinney held the 9/11 Congressional Briefing. Lee couldn’t make it apparently.