Clinton Administration Freed Bin Laden's Banker

News Max ^ | 1-4-04

[hope]

Reprinted from NewsMax.com

Sunday Jan. 4, 2004; 11:43 p.m. EST

Clinton Administration Freed Bin Laden's Banker

A Saudi national known to investigators as Osama bin Laden's "banker" was apprehended inside the U.S. in 1994 - only to be set free by the Clinton administration in a decision that was considered a "massive loss" in the war on terrorism by U.S. intelligence officials.

Bin Laden brother-in-law Mohammed Jamal Khalifa was believed to be "the real money man" behind the scenes for the 9/11 mastermind, reports investigative journalist Peter Lance, in his comprehensive overview of the 9/11 attacks, "1,000 Years For Revenge: International Terrorism and the FBI."

The bin Laden relative was involved most intensively in bankrolling Ramzi Yousef, the operations chief for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, who conceived the plan later adopted by bin Laden to hijack airliners and fly them into the Twin Towers.

Convicted of murder in Jordan, Khalifa was picked up on a fraud rap by INS agents in San Francisco. Lance writes that at the time, Khalifa "was in the process of funding Yousef's Bojinka and Pope John Paul II assassination plots - even as Yousef was laying the groundwork for what became the 9/11 attacks."

Documents found on his person indicated that the bin Laden brother-in-law was a major cog in the global terror machine. Based on that evidence, the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco pushed to have him held for questioning.

But the Clinton State Department had other ideas. Reports Lance:

"Secretary of State Warren Christopher wrote to Attorney General Janet Reno on Jan. 5, 1995, arguing that 'to permit Mr. Khalifa to remain at large inside the United States in light of his alleged activities and criminal conviction in Jordan . . . . would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.'"

"Of course," notes the author, "the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco wasn't asking for Khalifa to be released, merely held for questioning. Khalifa had traveled the world as Osama bin Laden's 'banker.' He was a potential intelligence gold mine."

Secretary Christopher, however, prevailed. Khalifa was deported to Jordan, where, at trial, the murder witness recanted. Bin Laden's banker was promptly set free.

U.S. counterterrorism officials were dumbfounded by the administration's decision to let Khalifa go. "Not even speaking in retrospect, but contemporaneous with what the intelligence community knew about bin Laden, Khalifa's deportation was unreal," CIA counterterrorism analyst Jacob L. Boesen told the author.

Concludes Lance: "In light of what we now know. . . Khalifa's release has to be considered one of the most grievous instances of negligence in the years leading up to 9/11."

Little more than a year after the Clinton administration let bin Laden's banker get away, President Clinton would personally turn down an offer for Osama bin Laden's arrest and extradition to the U.S. by Sudan.

Hear Clinton describe why he turned down Sudan's bin Laden offer.

Editor's note:
"CATASTROPHE" Reveals Bill Clinton’s Role in 9/11 - Click Here to find out more

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Al-Qaeda
Sen. Hillary Clinton

108-108

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? While I agree the State dept is rotten .. Bush has treated it differently. I remember several times how Powell overstepped his bounds and made decisions not to Bush's liking. Within a few weeks, Powell had reversed his decisions. After this event occurred several times in the first year and a half .. I noticed a big change. Suddenly, Powell was not saying so much, and he was not going off the reservation and not making statements which were against the admin. This has been a very good thing.

I believe the holdovers from the Clinton admin attempted to drive Powell to their way of thinking .. he tried .. he failed .. Bush won!!

[the_Watchman]

I agree that Powell has been brought in line. I also believe that Powell started by listening too much to the State Department rather than taking direction from the President.

It's somewhat reminiscent of the British TV show: Yes, Minister. The minister, who was the appointee, was always fighting the entrenched bureaucrat. It was a great show which ran for many seasons.

[Tabi Katz]

and here on this thread is Clinton explaining why he didn't take Osama when it was offered.

I suppose he had bigger fish to fry, like some pesky aspirin factory.

[CyberAnt]

Geeee .. I never saw that show .. sounds interesting. Was it done as a comedy or drama ..??

[Tabi Katz]

why he turned down Sudan's bin Laden offer.

This link didn't work for me. If someone could repost it, I'd love to see what the lying, whoremongering, terrorist-loving former "president" has to say for himself.

[kcvl]

DEcember 16, 2003

Mohammed Jamal Khalifa is a Saudi Arabian businessman from Jeddah that married to one of Osama Bin Laden's sisters.

U.S. and Filipino investigators accuse him of once being an important lieutenant of Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida oprganization, which was based in Sudan at the time he allegedly was involved in terrorist plots.

Khalifa used the alias Abu Barra.

Khalifa is said to have trained with Osama Bin Laden in the mujahideen camps in Afghanistan during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan.

He started the Benevolence International Corporation in the Philippines in 1988. Benevolence International Corporation claimed to have been an import-export company. In 1992, that group folded visible operations while another group known as the Islamic Benevolence Committee renamed itself to Benevolence International Foundation.

The first glimpse U.S. authorities had of Khalifa came in 1992, when Ramzi Yousef and Ahmed Ajaj entered the United States on a false passport. Ajaj was arrested when his passport was found as false and when bomb-making manuals were found in his luggage. Khalifa's alias Abu Barra appeared on the manual. Yousef was released and was told to come back to the INS in one month, as holding cells were overcrowded. He was able to slip away and plot the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

What was left of the Benevolence International Corporation allegedly gave logistical support to terrorists. The remains of the Benevolence International Corporation have been accused of assisting the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and the Operation Bojinka plot that was foiled in 1995. The U.S. government claims that he came to the Philippines to support Abu Sayyaf. Khalifa had married a local woman and frequently exited and entered the country for "business" reasons. Philippines authorities say that he moved money to Abu Sayyaf to pay for supplies.

Khalifa also ran the International Relations and Information Centre. Money was embezzled through the bank account of Omar Abu Omar, an employee at the centre, to an account under the name of Adam Salih, an alias of Ramzi Yousef.

His business cards have been found in the Jersey City, New Jersey apartment that Yousef had. They also have been found in Ramzi Yousef's Manila apartment.

Khalifa had started several other groups, including the International Islamic Relief Organization and the Khalifa Trading Industries, which U.S. investigators claim that were front organizations.

In December 1, 1994, Khalifa met Mohamed Loay Bayazid, the president of Benevolence International Foundation, in the United States. Khalifa and Bayazid were arrested in December 14, 1994 in Mountain View, California on charges related to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. Khalifa was planning to fly to the Philippines.

When the FBI looked inside Khalifa's luggage, they found manuals in Arabic on training terrorists, which covered subjects such as bomb-making and other violent activities. Khalifa claims that his possession of the materials was in innocence.

They also found a personal organizer with several contacts. One phone number was for Wali Khan Amin Shah, a member of the Manila cell, which was plotting Operation Bojinka at the time. There was also a listing for an unknown man, who might have been Khalid Sheik Mohammed. Khalifa was placed in solitairy confinement and the contents of his luggage were logged and edited.

On January 6 and January 7, 1995, Operation Bojinka was discovered after a fire at Yousef's Manila apartment. Investigators found evidence related to the plot. Abdul Hakim Murad, who was arrested at the apartment, had five phone numbers pointing to Khalifa. They also found logs of phone calls to and from Khalifa before his arrest and contact information on Ramzi Yousef's computer.

In Jordan, a court there convicted Khalifa in absentia for a string of theatre bombings there. Khalifa faced a possible death sentence.

Khalifa first fought his deportation by suing the government. He then got his San Francisco lawyers to prepare a lawsuit requesting for the return for his belongings.

In March 1995, Evidence forwarded to the United States from the Philippines suggested that Khalifa was funding the foiled Operation Bojinka plot.

On April 18, the conviction in Jordan was overturned as a key witness recanted his testimony.

On April 20, an associate of Yousef and Khalifa stated that Yousef was responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombings. On April 26, Khalifa requested to be deported to Jordan at his hearing.

On May 5, Khalifa was deported to Jordan by the INS, and the INS gave Khalifa back his belongings. A Jordanian court acquitted Khalifa. Bayazid was also let go. He disappeared shortly after.

Khalifa was arrested in Saudi Arabia shortly after the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks, but also has been released.

Khalifa now lives in Saudi Arabia. He occasionally makes a media statement proclaiming his innocence. He publicly condemned Osama Bin Laden after the September 11, 2001 Attacks and has publicly distanced himself from them.

If Khalifa was a key lieutenant in Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida terrorist network, as U.S. and Filipino officials believe he is, it appears that he has now retired.


http://216.239.53.104/search?q=cache:fth9KYfHFdoJ:www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Mohammed-Jamal-Khalifa+Mohammed+Jamal+Khalifa&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

[getgoing]

ping for update & details on "Uranium buy" connection:

"1995 Deportee Tied to Qaeda Uranium Buy, 2002 Bali Bombing, 9/11 Mastermind, More
whoisjohndoe2.com ^ | 10/08/03 | J.M. Berger


Posted on 10/08/2003 1:21:02 PM PDT by JohnBerger


The Path Not Followed

1995 Deportee's Trail Could Have Led U.S. Gov't To Ayman Al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda Uranium Plot, U.S.-based Terror Finance Network, 1998 Embassy Bombing, Southeast Asia Terror Kingpin and 9/11 Plotters" http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-news/997627/posts

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

NEVER FORGET


.."IS it SAFE?" = HILLARY on Senate Armed Services Committee..

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629



NEVER FORGET

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

WHY did the CLITNONS turn down 3-OSAMA Offers..?

Here's WHY:


'HILLARY & TERRORISM's plan to regain the White House'

http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1022571/posts

.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

The CLINTONS =

'Remember the Lost and Suffering on Septermber 11, 2001'

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=33

[MeekOneGOP]

Way to go, Warren Christopher ... again !!

"Secretary of State Warren Christopher wrote to Attorney General Janet Reno on Jan. 5, 1995, arguing that 'to permit Mr. Khalifa to remain at large inside the United States in light of his alleged activities and criminal conviction in Jordan . . . . would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.'"

"Of course," notes the author, "the U.S. Attorney in San Francisco wasn't asking for Khalifa to be released, merely held for questioning. Khalifa had traveled the world as Osama bin Laden's 'banker.' He was a potential intelligence gold mine."

Secretary Christopher, however, prevailed. Khalifa was deported to Jordan, where, at trial, the murder witness recanted. Bin Laden's banker was promptly set free.

U.S. counterterrorism officials were dumbfounded by the administration's decision to let Khalifa go. "Not even speaking in retrospect, but contemporaneous with what the intelligence community knew about bin Laden, Khalifa's deportation was unreal," CIA counterterrorism analyst Jacob L. Boesen told the author.

Concludes Lance: "In light of what we now know. . . Khalifa's release has to be considered one of the most grievous instances of negligence in the years leading up to 9/11."

[InvisibleChurch]

figures

[JohnBerger]

Thanks... I spotted that item this morning and sent them the link. The stories linked before (the other one is here: http://angry.egoplex.com/johndoearticle-khalifa.html ) have updated information from Lance's original citation. Lance personally contributed a lot to my articles, and he and I are both continuing to pursue leads out of that story separately and together.

If you haven't read the book (1000 Years for Revenge) I highly recommend it. It's 500 pages of some of the best reporting to date on al Qaeda's attacks on the U.S. from the early 1990s all the way through 9/11 and beyond.

jmb

[KC Burke]

bump

[the_Watchman]

Yes, Minister! was a comedy. There used to be a web site with dialogs. It may still be up.

[ravingnutter]

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's Account Links 9/11 to '93 WTC Attack

[ravingnutter]

An old story I just dug up...

09/18/01 - MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- The FBI was warned six years ago of a terrorist plot to hijack commercial planes and slam them into the Pentagon, the CIA headquarters and other buildings, Philippine investigators told CNN.

Philippine authorities learned of the plot after a small fire in a Manila apartment, which turned out to be the hideout of Ramzi Yousef, who was later convicted for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Yousef escaped at the time, but agents caught his right-hand man, Abdul Hakim Murad, who told them a chilling tale.

"Murad narrated to us about a plan by the Ramzi cell in the continental U.S. to hijack a commercial plane and ram it into the CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, and also the Pentagon," said Rodolfo Mendoza, a Philippine intelligence investigator.

Philippine investigators also found evidence targeting commercial towers in San Francisco, Chicago and New York City. They said they passed that information on to the FBI in 1995, but it's not clear what was done with it.

CNN: Clinton & Reno's FBI warned 6 Years Ago of Plans To HIT Pentagon With Airplane!

[getgoing]

humm, 1000 years for revenge, sad. Appreciate the suggestion, I'll pick up the book.

On a related topic, has "Findings 13" been released or do you have any links? (REPORT OF THE JOINT INQUIRY INTO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 – BY THE HOUSE PERMANENT SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE AND THE SENATE SELECT COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE http://news.findlaw.com/wp/docs/911rpt/ )

[mrmargaritaville]

This is the gang that couldn't shoot straight-just ask "that woman-Miss Lewinsky"

[bushfamfan]

General Coconut Clark ought to share in on the blame. And he says what a great President Clintoon was. Really, all the Demonrats should be tied to this. This will be used against Hillary too.