The Mother of All Whistleblowers

You need to know about Sibel Edmonds. She was hired by the FBI after 9/11 as a translator, and noticed soon after lapses in security, translators with little training and poor language skills mistranslating what they were monitoring, and general mismanagement of information. When she reported her concerns to FBI management she was ignored and eventually fired.

In June 2002 the FBI acknowledged to a Congressional Oversight committee that some of Ms. Edmonds allegations were indeed true. When Sens. Grassley and Leahy contacted the Justice Dept. Inspector General about her allegations and the statements made by the FBI, the letter and the information testified to were all classified retroactively.

Edmonds also testified before the 9/11 commission and within one month, her testimony was retroactively classified once again and committee members were ordered to scrub any information gleaned from her from their notes and websites.

The Brad Blog has the full story, including some of her allegations which include:

Information regarding a documented and confirmed case of a long term FBI Informant and Asset who provided the FBI with specific information and warnings in April and June of 2001 regarding 9/11.

The omission of documented information received in July 2001 regarding blueprints of skyscrapers and building composite information being sent by a group of Middle Eastern men in Nevada to other Middle Eastern countries.

Information omitted and covered up about arrangements made between the State Dept. and certain countries to deport certain Middle Eastern and Central Asian detainees from jails in New Jersey and New York, off the record and without interrogation in November 2001.

Documented cases under FBI counterintelligence surveillance of U.S. government officials from the State Dept. and Dept. of Defense, as well as elected officials, who received regular payments made by state and non-state foreign entities, some of which are known to be involved in criminal operations against U.S. interests and National Security from 1997-2002.

In July 2004 her entire case was dismissed by Judge Reggie Walton, who has issues of his own.

Please sign this petition to implore Congress to hold a joint, bi-partisan Senate and House Judiciary Committee investigation into her allegations that seem to indicate that sloppy management at the FBI and failures to address early warnings contributed significantly to the success of 9/11.

Thanks to the Brad Blog and this ACLU timeline.