Difference between revisions of "2009-01-16 Feds Drop Case Against Accused Iraqi Agent"
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<let name=data index=Author>Michael Collins</let> | <let name=data index=Author>Michael Collins</let> | ||
<let name=data index=Source>Scoop Independent News</let> | <let name=data index=Source>Scoop Independent News</let> | ||
| − | <let name=data index=Topics>\Lockerbie-PanAm bombing\Susan Lindauer\intelligence suppression\Michael Mukasey\ | + | <let name=data index=Topics>\Lockerbie-PanAm bombing\Susan Lindauer\intelligence suppression\Michael Mukasey\9-11/warnings\US Department of Justice</let> |
<let name=data index=URL>http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0901/S00210.htm</let> | <let name=data index=URL>http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0901/S00210.htm</let> | ||
<let name=data index=Title>Feds Drop Case Against Accused Iraqi Agent</let> | <let name=data index=Title>Feds Drop Case Against Accused Iraqi Agent</let> | ||
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<p>By filing this order, the government surrendered forever its ability to prosecute Lindauer as an "Iraqi foreign agent" and for lesser charges contained in the indictment, including a one week trip to Baghdad in March, 2002. </p> | <p>By filing this order, the government surrendered forever its ability to prosecute Lindauer as an "Iraqi foreign agent" and for lesser charges contained in the indictment, including a one week trip to Baghdad in March, 2002. </p> | ||
| − | <p>Lindauer made the following statement today, Jan 16, 2009: "I am disgusted by this case. They think that they have defeated me by denying my day in court. It could not be more wrong. If we can't have a criminal trial, we're going to have a civil trial for damages."</p> | + | <p>Lindauer made the following statement today, {{date|2009-01-16|Jan 16, 2009}}: "I am disgusted by this case. They think that they have defeated me by denying my day in court. It could not be more wrong. If we can't have a criminal trial, we're going to have a civil trial for damages."</p> |
<p>Lindauer was arrested in March, 2004 shortly after offering to testify before a [[George W. Bush|Bush]]-appointed [http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/15/iraq.tm/ blue ribbon commission] evaluating U.S. pre-war intelligence on [[Iraq]]. In late February, she informed the offices of two commission members, Sen. [[John McCain|McCain]] (R-AZ) and [[Trent Lott]] (R-MS), that she could testify that U.S. pre-war intelligence was proactive and effective, not a popular view at that time.</p> | <p>Lindauer was arrested in March, 2004 shortly after offering to testify before a [[George W. Bush|Bush]]-appointed [http://edition.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/15/iraq.tm/ blue ribbon commission] evaluating U.S. pre-war intelligence on [[Iraq]]. In late February, she informed the offices of two commission members, Sen. [[John McCain|McCain]] (R-AZ) and [[Trent Lott]] (R-MS), that she could testify that U.S. pre-war intelligence was proactive and effective, not a popular view at that time.</p> | ||
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<p>She also advised Card that an invasion would create a new wave of terrorists threatening the security of the United States. This letter was hand delivered to Card with a copy, also hand delivered, provided to then Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]].</p> | <p>She also advised Card that an invasion would create a new wave of terrorists threatening the security of the United States. This letter was hand delivered to Card with a copy, also hand delivered, provided to then Secretary of State [[Colin Powell]].</p> | ||
| − | < | + | <blockquote>Above all, you must realize that if you go ahead with this invasion, [[Osama bin Laden]] will triumph, rising from his grave or seclusion. His network will be swollen with fresh recruits, and other charismatic individuals will seek to build upon his model, multiplying those networks. And the United States will have delivered the death blow to itself. Using your own act of war, Osama and his cohort will irrevocably divide the hearts and minds of the Arab Street from moderate governments in Islamic countries that have been holding back the tide. Power to the people, what we call "[[democracy]]," will secure the rise of [[Islamic fundamentalism|fundamentalists]].</blockquote> |
| + | — ''[http://img.scoop.co.nz/media/pdfs/0710/LindauerToCardLetterJan2003.pdf Susan Lindauer to Andrew Card, January 6, 2003]'' | ||
<p>Lindauer has consistently maintained that she had been acting as a United States intelligence asset from the mid 1990's until the invasion, supervised by handlers for the CIA and [[Defense Intelligence Agency]].</p> | <p>Lindauer has consistently maintained that she had been acting as a United States intelligence asset from the mid 1990's until the invasion, supervised by handlers for the CIA and [[Defense Intelligence Agency]].</p> | ||
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<p>In the only open hearing on the case, award winning investigative reporter and former Congressional chief of staff [[Kelly O'Meara]] ([http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0806/S00263.htm see also]) testified that she observed Lindauer meeting with [[Paul Hoven]] ([http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhovenP.htm see also]) on a weekly basis over a period of 16 months. Lindauer maintains that Hoven was her second handler for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Investigative reporter [[Leslie Cockburn]] wrote that Hoven had "an enormous range of contacts in the murky world of special - i.e., clandestine - operations."</p> | <p>In the only open hearing on the case, award winning investigative reporter and former Congressional chief of staff [[Kelly O'Meara]] ([http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0806/S00263.htm see also]) testified that she observed Lindauer meeting with [[Paul Hoven]] ([http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKhovenP.htm see also]) on a weekly basis over a period of 16 months. Lindauer maintains that Hoven was her second handler for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Investigative reporter [[Leslie Cockburn]] wrote that Hoven had "an enormous range of contacts in the murky world of special - i.e., clandestine - operations."</p> | ||
| − | <p>At the same hearing, [[Parke Godfrey]], PhD ([http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0806/S00263.htm see also]), an associate professor of computer science at York University, Toronto, testified that Lindauer had [[ | + | <p>At the same hearing, [[Parke Godfrey]], PhD ([http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0806/S00263.htm see also]), an associate professor of computer science at York University, Toronto, testified that Lindauer had [[9-11/warnings|warned him on several occasions that a major attack would take place in Southern Manhattan in the fall of 2001]]. Dr. Godfrey claimed her warnings specified that the attack would most likely involve airplane hijackings and a reprise of the [[1993 WTC bombing|1993 World Trade Center attack]]. She came to this conclusion based on work she describes with [[Richard Fuisz]].</p> |
<p>The [[US Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] argued that Lindauer was "delusional" for claiming a role as a U.S. asset. Lindauer described this as "guilt by pleading innocent." In October, 2005, former Judge Mukasey ordered Lindauer to a federal prison facility at [[Carswell Air Force Base]] in Ft. Worth Texas for psychiatric evaluation to see if she would be competent to stand trial. Lindauer was confined for seven months, and then formally declared incompetent without a hearing, over her strongest objections. The allowable period for such evaluations is four months according to [[U.S. Federal Code]].</p> | <p>The [[US Department of Justice|Department of Justice]] argued that Lindauer was "delusional" for claiming a role as a U.S. asset. Lindauer described this as "guilt by pleading innocent." In October, 2005, former Judge Mukasey ordered Lindauer to a federal prison facility at [[Carswell Air Force Base]] in Ft. Worth Texas for psychiatric evaluation to see if she would be competent to stand trial. Lindauer was confined for seven months, and then formally declared incompetent without a hearing, over her strongest objections. The allowable period for such evaluations is four months according to [[U.S. Federal Code]].</p> | ||
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<p>Carswell staff acknowledged that there were no external symptoms of mental illness. However, they proposed that Lindauer should be detained indefinitely and drugged with [[wikipedia:Haldol|Haldol]] until whatever time she could be "cured" of claiming that she had worked as a U.S. asset in counter-terrorism. Lindauer refused, and a lengthy court battle ensued. She was transferred to Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.</p> | <p>Carswell staff acknowledged that there were no external symptoms of mental illness. However, they proposed that Lindauer should be detained indefinitely and drugged with [[wikipedia:Haldol|Haldol]] until whatever time she could be "cured" of claiming that she had worked as a U.S. asset in counter-terrorism. Lindauer refused, and a lengthy court battle ensued. She was transferred to Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan.</p> | ||
| − | <p>After four months confinement in Manhattan, former Assistant U.S. Attorney [[Edward O'Callaghan]] ([http://www.newsweek.com/id/159260 see also]) sought an order from Mukasey to incarcerate her for another four months and the use physical force to administer doses of Haldol or similar medications. This was despite an internal staff [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0809/S00157.htm report] by Carswell that there was no reason to justify forcible drugging since Lindauer was not a threat to herself or anyone else. Mukasey denied the prosecution request and ordered Lindauer to be released on bond on June 6, 2006.</p> | + | <p>After four months confinement in Manhattan, former Assistant U.S. Attorney [[Edward O'Callaghan]] ([http://www.newsweek.com/id/159260 see also]) sought an order from Mukasey to incarcerate her for another four months and the use physical force to administer doses of Haldol or similar medications. This was despite an internal staff [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0809/S00157.htm report] by Carswell that there was no reason to justify forcible drugging since Lindauer was not a threat to herself or anyone else. Mukasey denied the prosecution request and ordered Lindauer to be released on bond on {{date|2006-06-06|June 6, 2006}}.</p> |
<p>Lindauer hired former prosecutor and Washington DC criminal attorney [http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/20001-dc-brian-shaughnessy-664262.html Brian W. Shaughnessy] as counsel in mid 2008. Shaughnessy filed a motion to overturn the governments finding that she was incompetent to stand trial. Shaughnessy argued that Lindauer's record of doing well on her own before and after her arrest and her direct involvement in her defense made the government's continual claim of an inability to stand trial moot.</p> | <p>Lindauer hired former prosecutor and Washington DC criminal attorney [http://www.avvo.com/attorneys/20001-dc-brian-shaughnessy-664262.html Brian W. Shaughnessy] as counsel in mid 2008. Shaughnessy filed a motion to overturn the governments finding that she was incompetent to stand trial. Shaughnessy argued that Lindauer's record of doing well on her own before and after her arrest and her direct involvement in her defense made the government's continual claim of an inability to stand trial moot.</p> | ||