Effort to close Able Danger Hearings

Fox News ^ | 09/16/05 | Fox News

[Roamin53]

Sources: Pentagon Wants 'Able Danger' Hearings Closed Friday, September 16, 2005

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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is pressuring the Senate Judiciary Committee to close to the public next week's hearings on a former secret military intelligence unit called "Able Danger," two congressional sources have confirmed to FOX News.

Witnesses from the Pentagon are expected to testify at that hearing; that's why they want it classified. FOX News has learned that committee Chairman Arlen Specter's office is vigorously resisting the request.

Some former Able Danger analysts and Rep. Curt Weldon (search) say the formerly clandestine intelligence unit identified Mohammed Atta (search) and three other of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackers one year before the attacks that left over 3,000 people dead. They also claim that their repeated requests to turn over the information to the FBI were ignored.

Weldon said a former Army officer will testify next week that he was also ordered to destroy data that included reference to Atta.

"In the summer of 2000, he was ordered and, or, he would go to jail if he didn't comply," the Pennsylvania Republican said. "He was ordered to destroy 2.5 terabytes of data specific to Able Danger, the Brooklyn [terror] cell and Mohammad Atta. He will name the person who ordered him to destroy that material."

[jimbo123]

Remember, the Clintons shut down Able Danger because of what they found out about Chinagate. The direction to destroy ALL documents produced by Able Danger was to cover up Chinagate.

The Atta documents were destroyed as a secondary consequence of the Chinagate document destruction.

That's why the Clintons want the hearings secret. They don't want the Able Danger people to testify about why they were told to destroy their documents in the first place.

[pinz-n-needlez]

Don't know if anyone pinged you already.

Pinz

[hoosiermama]

AND Chinagate still has legs......?

[Marine_Uncle]

"It could be because of Sources and Methods. They need to make sure Leaky Lehey is not allowed in."

Yea. Just looking at the guy makes you sort of think he is part snake. I have often made comment to try to make Richard Ben Venisita look like the biggest snake next to the Slick One, then I forget about guys such as Lehey, Hanoi John. There just are to damn many snakes in the demo pit. They loath people like GWB for his basic honesty, and have no idea how we loath them for their evilness.

[gov_bean_ counter]

It will if Michael Chertoff has anything to say about it. He had Webb Hubbell and Bruce Lindsey on the ropes during the Senate Whitewater investigation and was moving in on John Huang. Richard Ben-Veneste (sp) basically bailed them out with procedure and ran out the clock. Chertoff has lots of background regarding Chinagate.

[Texas Songwriter]

Just saw Slade Gorton on Hannity and Colmbs. Rich Lowrey asked him to comment on Weldon having said that he (Gorton) could not be trusted. Gorton went for some time trying to discredit Weldon, referencing the "book Weldon was selling", that only 1 person came forward 1 week before the publishing of the 9/11 Commission Report, more adhominem attacks. As you watched his body language, Gorton, who always moved at the rate of a tree sloth, became quiet rapid in his speech.

The guy was lying thru his pearlie whites.

We shall see.

This attempt to secrete the information in closed session is a testament to its validity.

Let the sun shine in.

[gov_bean_ counter]

The downside of hearings is there will be leaks. That could also be the upside of hearings if the Bush Administration had the balls to run a sting on then seek prosecution of leakers of secret/classified testimony.

[Texas Songwriter]

It looks like Congressman Weldon and the 6 witnesses could walk out on the steps of the Capitol building and hold a 6 hour press conference to jump start the proceedings if there is not going to be valid hearings. We have had to endure the skulking around in the shadows long enough. Now it is time to have these bloodsuckers walk out into the light and answer some questions. All of them. Republican and democrat, I don't care, just tell us the damn truth.

[jla]

fyi

[hoosiermama]

AMEN

[Txsleuth]

Hannity and Colmes had on Slade Gordon tonight...and he is still saying that Weldon is telling tall tales...

I want an open hearing...but I wonder if anything will happen if they can't actually produce a "paper trail".

[hoosiermama]

Someone(s) know the truth and may NOT have the evidence to prove it....AG office, Justice Dept or Chertoff may be the Guys....I've notice in the last week the AG/FBI has been busy...indictments in New Mexico, CHicago...Wm Jefferson in NOLA....BIts and pieces are falling a few at a time....Crooks are not as safe as they once were....Let's hope they catch the biggest fish.

[EagleUSA]

This attempt to secrete the information in closed session is a testament to its validity.

Let the sun shine in.
-----
Absolutely. The people of this country are DUE THE TRUTH!

[gov_bean_ counter]

And I guess Hannity, that tough interviewer that he is, pointed out that by inference he was calling the military folks liars, right?

[InterceptPoint]

He will name the person who ordered him to destroy that material\

Color me cynical. It's not going to happen. I wouldn't be surprised to see the WH intervene to keep this hushed up.

[Bahbah]

I wonder if anything will happen if they can't actually produce a "paper trail"

That will certainly be the approach. They started this at the outset. We don't have any "documents." Okay, let's say I have umpteen credible witnesses to a crime. Nobody took notes. Guess it didn't happen then, right!

[hoosiermama]

What position did General Wesley Clark have at the time this was all coming down? His name just sort of popped into my head...Would he have had the seniority to order this material destroyed?....He is VERY close to Hill/Billy.

[frannie]

I'm not sure but I read some years ago there are more than 4000 appointments that can be made, if the new president FIRES all the political appointees.

Remember Clinton fires ALL the appointed lawyers in the Department of Justice.

[labette]

Who at the Pentagon outside of the SecDef's office would have the horsepower to think they could change the agenda of the Senate on this matter?

Someone with pictures of the right senator with his pants down in the wrong place.
Note that we haven't even considered the conspiracy theory of the FBI files.

[Txsleuth]

Hannity has been taking Fridays off for the last couple of months...

Rich Lowry of National Review Online was subbing...and he didn't have too much time to pursue the subject...because the main reason that Gordon was on, was to bash BUSH about his performance re: Hurricane Katina...

which kind of surprised me...because he actually pointed out that things worked out a lot better in Mississippi than in Louisiana, because of the "state government"...and that the government in Miss. was much better prepared to handle the hurricane and aftermath...