Man Who Fingered McVeigh Stays Mum On 'John Doe #2'

San Antonio Lightning ^ | June 19, 2002 | RG Griffing

[PJ-Comix]

Witness Who Rented Ryder Truck To Oklahoma Bomber Reserves Comment On Photo Similarities Between 'Dirty Bomber' Padilla And FBI Drawing Of 'John Doe #2'

Copyright 2002 San Antonio Lightning

The man who testified that he rented the "death" truck to Timothy McVeigh has confirmed that he has seen the photo and sketch comparisons of "John Doe" and accused "Dirty Bomber" Jose Padilla (See below), but tells the Lightning that he will withhold comment for now on advice of legal counsel.

Eldon Elliott, was the owner of Elliott's Body Shop, a Ryder truck outlet in Junction City, Kansas, the day Tim McVeigh and another man rented the vehicle that carried destruction to the Murrah Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. He and two employees said there was another man with McVeigh. Those witnesses contributed to the 'John Doe' sketch below.

Authorities have since played down even the existence of the man pictured in the widely distributed FBI sketch. They have attributed it to a soldier named Todd Bunting, pictured here. Bunting was cleared of any involvement.

The Lightning reached Mr and Mrs Elliot at their home on Saturday afternoon. In an exclusive interview they said the Lightning's article (below) was the first time they had been made aware of the striking similarities between the "Doe" sketch and Padilla photo.

They viewed the items on our website during a brief conversation with the Lightning, but after seeing the pictures, the Elliots referred us to an attorney who now represents them.

Much controversy has swarmed around "John Doe #2."

Particulary disturbing to some, including Terry Nichol's defense team, was the revelation by the FBI and Justice Department that more than 3,000 documents had not been turned over to them before trial. Some of those documents apparently concerned the FBI's search for a possible " John Doe" suspect, USA Today reported at the time.

"The identity of Mr. McVeigh's primary co-conspirator, John Doe # 2, was a key issue in Mr. Nichols' trial defense and the withheld (documents) regarding the identity of that person went to the heart of " Nichols' request for reconsideration, his lawyers claimed in court documents.

The court later ruled that the missing documents would have had no effect on the outcome of the trial.

-Developing-

* * *

[takenoprisoner]

Coincidence? John Doe2 and Padilla...two different totally unrelated "american" terrorists bent on destruction of innocent life who just happen to look identical? I don't know, what are the odds on this?

[browardchad]

Speaking of the goobermint, have you read about the latest FBI whistleblower – this one makes the Coleen Rowley and Phoenix memoes look insignificant by comparison:

2 FBI Whistle-Blowers Allege Lax Security, Possible Espionage

[KarlInOhio]

Cui bono

[rdb3]

This cat is scared of something. What that is I do not know.

[TomGuy]

Bingo! You just hit the jackpot!

Did you also notice...

This past weekend,
what was the internet blitz? Padilla/OKCJohnDoe
what was the mainmedia blitz? Nixon bad/Deep Throat still unknown.

Which of the 2 blitzes is, in reality, the more important of the two?

[HoosierFather]

But, let's ask the question, WHY? If we assume that Padilla is John Doe #2 and that the FBI or CIA had a link back to Bin Laden/Al Queda/Iraq/or some international terror group, then why would this information be ignored or suppressed. Could be the CIA or FBI just simply bungled it and reverted to CYA mode. Could be the info was not corraborated at the time and was passed off as meaningless. Or, could be CIA/FBI knew there was Islamic involvement and senior government officials did not have the stomach to go after a Bin Laden or a Saddam. Remember, we knew the perps in the first WTC bombing and the US gave no response. We knew the perps in some of the other ex-US bombings and the US threw a couple of pin-prick cruise missles (one could argue this was done to divert attention from Monica/impeachment, rather than as a response to terror). Thus, we have seen plenty of examples of the previous administration turning a blind eye to terrorism. So, if we further project that the US public had learned that OKC involved Bin Laden or other foreign terror groups, this would have elicited the same anger as the WTC #2 tragedy. And, a major US military response would have been required. Would Clinton have had the stones required to go into Afganistan and crush Al Queda and Bin Laden? Bubba talks with bravado now after 9/11, but my guess is that he does not possess the moral character to have done the right thing. It will be interesting to learn about any additional intelligence breakdowns (such as John Doe #2) that may have occured on Clinton's watch. I believe the more we learn about Clinton, the more history will judge him as the most damaging president of this century.

[Dixie Mom]

Thanks for the flag, PJ. Very interesting--another good find. It seems to me that if there was nothing to the story, Elliott would be free to say so. Instead he retains an attorney and withholds comment. I'm off to add another layer of foil to my helmet. ;)

[Right_in_Virginia]

"What's amazing is that a SMALL periodical took the time to find this witness and asked him for an ID on Padilla."

By and large, our media is full of self-serving idiots too afraid to dig and find the truth for fear of ruining their manicures.

[PJ-Comix]

Suppose this guy was in with McVeigh. What would be McVeigh's motivation to keep quiet?

The Code of Silence plus the knowledge that he hid the plot from the Feds. Remember, McVeigh wasn't trying to AVOID execution. He was actively seeking it. I also find it strange that he was strongly insistent that there was no John Doe #2. Let's assume there wasn't. In that case, McVeigh most likely would have played coy and indicated there was a John Doe #2 to fluster the Feds who would vainly search for someone that McVeigh would know was nonexistent.

[job]

"puts him at risk for false accusations"
>p
Let me see if I understand this, Padilla was trying to put together a radioactive bomb that would kill many, many people, make real property uninhabitable for generations, force those who did not die to suffer unfathomable pain and anguish, and you are concerned about slandering this fellow? Go read case law, which says that you can't slander someone who's reputation is already so low that being John Doe No.2 does no real damage (it doesn't matter if you call Hitler a pervert)

[PJ-Comix]

By and large, our media is full of self-serving idiots too afraid to dig and find the truth for fear of ruining their manicures.

Also too lazy. A few years ago I ran into a TV news reporter in Pennsylvania doing an on-site report. When he was finished I went over to him and told him an interesting story about a missing Diego Rivera painting (reconstructed from the mural torn down from Rockefeller center) that might be in the area. This would be a major story in the art world yet his eyes glazed over when I told him about this. Maybe I should have told him about a hidden cache of hairspray.

Most of the TV reporters are helpless beyond their on-camera scripts. And newspaper reporters work within the confines of pre-conceived agendas. The notion is already out there pooh-poohing any Jose Padilla/John Doe #2 connection so why should they risk ridicule by looking into it?

It looks like if this story is ever fully revealed, it will be thanx to the "Bloggers" of the Web.

[Quilla]

If we assume that Padilla is John Doe #2 and that the FBI or CIA had a link back to Bin Laden/Al Queda/Iraq/or some international terror group, then why would this information be ignored or suppressed.

The stoneless one did not act upon terrorism against American assets. He wanted to maintain the illusion that all was well on his watch. I suspect your assumption will be confirmed by an excited George Stuffinenvelopes in an upcoming This Week broadcast.

[job]

Patently untrue. Personal knowledge of eyewitness account of the Ryder Truck's axle, which was glowing red hot in the street. Additionally, the axle (actually the whole rear end assembly) was the means for identifying the Ryder truck, where it came from, who rented it.
>p
Since this is such an important piece of information, the credibility of all the rest of the information is very suspect.

[PJ-Comix]

Interesting post about the FBI possibly being infiltrated with spies. I just wonder if the FBI had Al Qaeda infiltrators, working as translators, back in 1995? Oh, and I had to bring it up AGAIN but WHERE ARE THE JOHN DOE #2 VIDEOTAPES THAT THE FBI CONFISCATED???!!!

[Grampa Dave]

Tom posted a very important observation:

Did you also notice...

This past weekend, what was the internet blitz? Padilla/OKCJohnDoe what was the mainmedia blitz? Nixon bad/Deep Throat still unknown.

Which of the 2 blitzes is, in reality, the more important of the two? ------------------------------------------------------------

Tom, you are right on target here. Last week and weekend, my wife was trying to find something to watch on our Dish Tv menu. She commented about all the Watergate stuff being advertised and showing.

I told her that it was the anniversary of Watergate, but that whenever something was potentially embarrassing for the Rats and the Clintoons, they had the Watergate stuff in the closet ready to go with. This is done to get their perverted dark side voting cult members to focus on the minor crimes of Nixon to forget the real big crimes of the Clintoons!

[Grampa Dave]

Just another interesting twist in this weird situation.