Posted on 08/07/2004 10:14:21 AM PDT by John Jorsett
Investigators are trying to determine whether a San Diego sailor passed Navy secrets about security weaknesses and warship movements to a British man accused of having terrorist links, according to court documents unsealed yesterday.
E-mail messages from the unnamed sailor, sent in late 2000 and 2001 before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, were found in December in computer files belonging to Babar Ahmad, who was detained Wednesday in London, according to the 31-page arrest affidavit.
The computer files contained details about security arrangements and movements of the San Diego-based Constellation carrier battle group, which included the destroyer Benfold, on which the sailor was serving at the time.
Investigators say the messages were sent from a Benfold e-mail account, including one in which the sailor wrote that he was on active duty in the Middle East.
The sailor, who left the Navy several years ago after a four-year enlistment, has been identified, but military and law enforcement officials would not comment on whether he has been located, detained, questioned or charged.
"The investigation is ongoing" into the sailor's possible involvement, said a Navy spokesman, Lt. Cmdr. Cappy Surette, who declined further comment.
The e-mail messages extolled the bombing of the destroyer Cole in October 2000 and the actions of Muslim fighters in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Chechnya, according to the affidavit documents.
A return message from Ahmad's computer account "praised the enlistee's comments and encouraged the enlistee to 'keep up with the dawah (an Arabic term for missionary work) and the psychological warefare (sic),' " the documents stated.
The sailor, in another e-mail, discussed an on-board briefing about protecting the ship from terrorist attacks like the Cole bombing, according to the documents. In that attack, an explosives-laden boat was brought alongside the destroyer while it was anchored in Aden, Yemen, and blown up. The explosion killed 17 sailors, including one from San Diego.
The same floppy disk contained a separate file describing the composition of the Constellation battle group, the ships' planned movements and a drawing of the group's formation for the transit of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage between the Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf, court documents said.
Under a heading of "weakness," the computer file stated, "They have nothing to stop a small craft with (rocket-propelled grenade) etc., except their SEALs' Stinger missiles."
It also noted the expected date for the battle group's transit through the strait.
In March 2001, the battle group of nine ships left for a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf and returned to San Diego four days after the Sept. 11 attacks.
The Benfold was in port at San Diego Naval Station at 32nd Street yesterday.
Commanders have always been concerned about being attacked in the strait, which is the main shipping lane for much of the world's oil. Transit dates and times are closely held information.
"Navy officials have confirmed the battle group composition; the dates and location of the movements of this battle group in the documents are accurate and classified at the time," court documents stated.
Ahmad, a 30-year-old computer specialist, was arrested under a federal warrant that was unsealed yesterday. He is accused of trying to raise funds to support terrorists, and U.S. officials are seeking his extradition.
The arrest affidavit, written by a Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and filed in U.S. District Court in New Haven, Conn., alleged that Ahmad operated several Web sites that solicited money and aid for Taliban and Chechen Islamists.
One military source who is familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there is no clear link between the former sailor's e-mail messages and the information about the Constellation group other than that both are on the same computer disk found in Ahmad's possession.
Several defense analysts said the possibility of a spy or terrorist sympathizer within the military is plausible.
"I think it's disturbing, but not surprising," said analyst Jack Spencer with the Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based think tank. "Clearly, our military capabilities are a target of al-Qaeda."
Another defense analyst wondered whether the military is able to prevent people from supplying information to terrorists.
"During the Cold War, they were set up to sniff out Communists, but I don't know if they've come up with a program to address (terrorists)," said John Pike, director of the think tank GlobelSecurity.org. "There have been enough of these instances where service members have tried to help the (Islamic) jihad that you wonder how many that we haven't caught."
Note that the story avoids asking why a US sailor would be assisting terrorists, with the obvious reason being that the sailor is Muslim ("keep up the dahwa").
Ah, there's a story there I bet.
What story? Islam is a religion of peace. Move along.
Treason in time of war. Hang him from a yardarm.
...and then lower him into a spinning propeller.
Muslims don't belong in the militray or federal law enforcement. Reason, cannot be trusted for they are muslims first. Bush/Cheney 2004
Even John Pike's broken clock shows the correct time at this moment.
I called my daughter and emailed this to her. She and her husband were both on the Benfold during that WESPAC. This sent chils down my spine, and freaked her out some that one of her shipmates was doing this.
I am happy that your daughter and her husband survived without any mishaps. I am so against placing muslims in any position where they can harm Americans. I know someone will respond with they are muslim-Americans. Yes and muslims first and foremost to their 72 virgins of gratification BS. I am part Creek Indian, German and Caucasian. I am an American, first, last and always. God Bless America and those who stand to protect it. Bush/cheney 2004
thanks, amigo...
She works now at the MEPS intake station, and has had to call INS several times to arrest some of the bozos that are trying to get into the navy on bogus paperwork.
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